The Rubbish Diet

Cluck, cluck,cluck, cluck, cluck!

enquiries@therubbishdiet.co.uk (ALMOST MRS AVERAGE) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 10:17:00 +0000

So here they are. My three little hens: Snowflake, Chickie and Speckledy (named by the children, of course - can you guess which is which?).

I've not given them much blogspace since they arrived in the spring, partly because I've been very busy with so many other things, not least sorting out their poop - yes chickens do a lot of that as I've come to learn. However, as my thoughts this week are focusing on the garden and how composting and wormeries can help with food waste, I thought it would be great time to share news of how my hens are getting on....or indeed how I'm getting on with my hens.

I remember when I announced that we were getting chickens.

"Bloody hell!" exclaimed my mother in here lilting Welsh accent. "What ew getting them for? Havven ew got enough on yewer hands woman?"

Then I'm sure CompostWoman sent a note saying "Just wait till you see what they do to your garden".

Hmmm.

But I ignored the advice and took the bull by the horns, or rather went to the hen breeder just off the A14 past Newmarket and came back with three hens.

And within one week the Speckledy Hen was laying. Within a month the other two were following suit.

But my mother was right. I have had to juggle around routines to fit in the extra work. But that's okay, because what it means is that I am now happier to stay at home watching the hens than gallivanting around town shopping.

Chickens have an amazing therapeutic and calming effect. I just adore watching them and their funny little movements, scratching with their feet, and pecking at the ground.

But I often think of CompostWoman's wise words about what they would do to our little suburban garden.

It's all come true. All the leaves that are spread on the lawn are thanks to the girls getting busy hunting under the bushes.

And the view from my living room has changed a lot, on account of them digging out the gravel from the flower beds. This is the scene from the French windows as I write my blog this morning.

We don't mind the leaves so much or indeed the poop that gets dropped on the lawn. Indeed parts of our garden have never looked so good.

But it's the gravel digging that has caused us the greatest problems, because the stones have spread across the lawn, killing the grass in many places.

So as a temporary measure (while we work on redesigning our space), Mr A built a chicken run to keep the girls in one place.

What he hadn't anticipated however was how the chickens would plot their great escape, particularly Chickie who appears to be the ring leader.

First she dug under the fence and was successful, so we soon put a stop to that and blocked her escape route.

Then she learned out to jump up onto the chicken wire and with a bit of a wobble was the free bird she wanted to be.

But I put a stop to that, by digging in some extra canes to block her path to freedom.

However, not to be beaten, her final "piece de resistance" has involved jumping on top of the eglu henhouse, flapping her wings and launching herself over the fence, to the admiration of the other hens she's left behind.

She's most definitely worthy of a part in the animated movie "Chicken Run". In fact it was Chickie who sent me into a Benny Hill kind of dance, with me and the boys following her up the stairs and down again the first time she "broke into" our house.

Despite our "teething trouble" with the garden, they are the most wonderful pets. The children adore them and so do their friends. Where my youngest boy is a natural in picking them up and handling them, my eldest son has been more cautious. But even he can catch and hold them now too.

And as for the scraps, they help out in many ways, supporting my 5 year old bin saboteur with his leftovers. He's not much better than when I first started The Rubbish Diet, and still leaves half-munched apples and a compulsory amount of pasta or rice, no matter how little is served on his plate.

So the chickens are now my best friends, when it comes to reducing my little one's food waste. Better on their hips than mine. Anything that's too spicy for them, I add to the wormery.

And the thanks we get are the eggs we collect each morning. Mostly three a day, except when they are broody, but even then Chickie, the Calder Ranger, kept laying every day, when all around her had stopped. They've been so productive, I've only had to buy eggs on one occasion since we've had them.

At least that's some compensation for the destruction of the garden.

And long may it continue...the eggs that is...not the gravel!

_________________________________________________________

You really don't need much space to compost

enquiries@therubbishdiet.co.uk (ALMOST MRS AVERAGE) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 12:40:00 +0000

Look, you can even get a wormery for your desk at work!
available from Bubble House

Hot on the heels of yesterday's post about my new Worm Cafe wormery, comes the news from Recycle Now that lack of space in the garden is one of the main reasons given by many people for not composting garden and household waste.

However according to Recycle Now’s Home Composting campaign, it need not be a barrier and with so many composting and other options available, anyone with outside space – around 95 per cent of households - should be able to give it a go.

Recycle Now's research reveals that over a third of us already compost garden and household waste in one way or another, using a compost bin or heap. Of those that don’t, one in four say this is because they do not have the space.

But as we've already seen on this blog, even the smallest outdoor spaces can be used for making compost.

Carl Nichols, Head of Home Composting at Recycle Now said:

“With so much choice available, anyone with outside space can compost at home. Even those of us with just a small patio or balcony, can do our bit, for example by using a wormery to turn waste food into free food for plants- indoors or out."

“Increasing numbers of people are starting to compost at home and we want these people to pass on their tips to their friends and families. By composting at home, not only are we reducing the amount of waste sent to landfill each year, we are also producing a rich and nutritious plant food with a wide range of uses for vegetables, indoor and outdoor plants and even lawns.”

To demonstrate that time and space needn’t be an issue and to bust other myths about composting, Recycle Now has put together a beginners’ guide:

1. Heap or bin? A compost heap is perhaps one of the most traditional methods for composting. However, compost bins are now widely available and popular as they are simple to purchase, construct and use.

2. What type of bin is for me? There are compost bins of all shapes and sizes, to suit your gardening needs.

· Small garden? There are many alternative designs of compost bin to suit all garden needs such as beehive designs or bins made out of recycled wood.
· Balcony or porch? A wormery is the ideal solution for someone with little or no garden. · Lots of space? The opportunities are endless – there are a range of larger bins available from many Local Authorities and most garden centres.
· No outside space? Some councils offer a separate collection for food or garden waste. Why not check with your local council to see if this option is available in your area.

3. Garden design: If you are concerned about how your garden will look when you start composting, build the bin into the design of your garden. Compost bins could be disguised behind surround made of either brick or timber (or stone if in keeping with your garden), or you can put trellis in front of your bin and grow climbers over it for a really natural screen.

4. Getting started: Simply add a selection of ‘greens and browns’ to the bin for the perfect mix. ‘Greens’ are quick to rot and provide important nitrogen and moisture – try tea bags, vegetable peelings, old flowers and nettles, or spent bedding plants. ‘Browns’ such as cardboard, fallen leaves, twigs and branches are slower to rot, but provide carbon and fibre to the bin.

5. The end product: After nine months to a year your compost will be mature enough to use. You’ll know it’s ready when the compost has turned into a dark, crumbly soil-like substance. It can be used to enrich borders and plants. If you have little use for compost, consider using a wormery as this will produce less compost but plenty of plant food. For further information about home composting and how to get started, as well as advice and information to help you along the way, visit www.recyclenow.com/compost

__________________________________________________________

To support Recycle_Now's campaign I would love to feature photos of your home composting solution as well as details of the most unusual things you compost. I'll publish my favourites on the blog at the end of the month. Either email at karen[at]therubbishdiet[dot]co[dot]uk or send me a link via Twitter.

__________________________________________________________

Getting all wiggly at the worm cafe

enquiries@therubbishdiet.co.uk (ALMOST MRS AVERAGE) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 09:53:00 +0000

Don't you love it when folk give you a second chance in life?

It makes you feel grateful doesn't it, especially when you're carrying a whole load of guilt about being a...

...Worm Murderer!

Yes a killer of defenceless little wiggly things.

I know. I am guilty as charged m'lord and I don't feel good about it.

Which is why I am thankful for a lovely gift I received from Wiggly Wigglers, which arrived on my doorstep just over a month ago.

It was their latest wormery...appropriately called the Worm Cafe, giving me the opportunity to make up for my misdemeanours.

The Can-o-Worms wormery that I'd previously been using had been going quite well until we hit winter last year, when I really couldn't be bothered to take my peelings and food scraps along the path, past the spikey plants and delve amongst the wet bushes just to feed the worms. It was much easier to bung everything in the Bokashi bin.

If the wormery had been smaller, we could have simply stored it outside the kitchen door and would have been far more convenient to use. However as useful as the Can-o-Worms was, it was just too big to do that and would have got in the way. I know, because I tried it.

But the Worm Cafe is perfectly shaped to fit into the smallest of corners. And just like the Can-o-Worms, it is easy to set up and comes complete with bedding, worms, a lime mix, worm treat and moisture mat when bundled with the Value Pack. It's also made from recycled plastic, so that's great news too.

I'm now pleased to say that our Worm Cafe has now been established just outside our kitchen for over a month and from a convenience perspective is very easy to use, particularly because its lid rests on the edge, so you don't have to juggle that while adding the scraps.

And as we no longer throw so much away these days, it is now the perfect size for my family, especially as we also have chickens and I no longer use the Bokashi bins.

I am confident that at last we've got a fool-proof system but I suppose I'm going to have to get through the Winter and see the first compost before I can truly celebrate.

In the meantime, I'm pleased to pass on our old wormery to our Beaver Scout leader and make my promise to be better behaved with my new batch of worms.

________________________________________________________
More information about the Worm Cafe can be found at www.wigglywigglers.co.uk.

So how do you squash yours? Cartons not kids!

enquiries@therubbishdiet.co.uk (ALMOST MRS AVERAGE) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 21:46:00 +0000

It's half-term week here in Suffolk, so what a perfect opportunity to not only indulge in the great outdoors but also to engage the kids in a bit of amateur dramatics for Tetra Pak's How do you squash yours? competition, which is encouraging consumers to flatten cartons before recycling them.

There were a few tantrums and tears, which led to a full-blown rugby tackle after I turned off the camera. My younger boy was calling for a rematch!

Mmmm, perhaps not.

The video is now published but before you check it out below, let me reassure you that no children were harmed during or after the event ... except for my eldest accidentally falling into a blackberry bramble.

Boys will be boys....bless 'em. They were great sports really and told me they actually did have a good time.

More information about Tetra Pak's YouTube competition can be found on the company's website, along with the latest news that the cartons are now also FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified.

Don't forget, if you'd like an opportunity to join in the competition, you have until 1st November to enter.

_____________________________________________________

The Newsy is: Zero Waste Catches on Worldwide

enquiries@therubbishdiet.co.uk (ALMOST MRS AVERAGE) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 23:01:00 +0000

I'd like to thank Daniel over at online news site Newsy.com for making a surprise appearance in my inbox yesterday, pointing me in the direction of the website's encouraging report on the adoption of Zero Waste projects worldwide.

This is the first time I've come across Newsy and I know I am biased in relation to the content matter, but I happen to like the nature of its reporting and how it gives an international perspective on this subject.

Hot on the heels of recent news about local Zero Waste projects in the UK, such as our Seven Streets project in Suffolk, it is really inspirational to see how other communities and overseas organisations are also tackling their own waste mountains.

Against the backdrop of environmental issues and sustainable responsibility, one of my favourite quotes in the report has to be the key observation from a Wal-Mart executive who says

"When you reduce waste, you're taking inefficiencies out of the system, which ultimately means you can lower prices."

This is the language of commerce, using incentives that developers, manufacturers and retailers hold dear. And interestingly, bringing it back to a local perspective it was this strong argument that was also used in a presentation that I attended this week about Resource Efficiency, which was aimed at small and medium sized businesses.

So it looks like the old adage "Necessity is the mother of invention" is actually coming true, just as the report illustrates with its news of waste management developments and commitments from retailers.

The path to Zero Waste really does feel like a new and exciting industrial revolution and the great thing is it looks like it is truly international. I now can't wait to see what happens next.

So see what you think of the Newsy report below. And if you're reading this in an RSS feed here's the link to connect directly to the video on the Newsy website.

___________________________________

Amanda Holden and Oliver Heath are at it too!

enquiries@therubbishdiet.co.uk (ALMOST MRS AVERAGE) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 11:04:00 +0000

Slimming people's bins of course...what else could I possibly mean!

Looks like zero waste could hit the nation's streets, with the help of Kenco's latest marketing strategy for their eco-refills waste-less campaign.

So check out the video below to see what TV presenter Amanda Holden and eco-designer Oliver Heath are getting up to in Waste Lane, "Up North" in Yorkshire. If it's really successful, perhaps it should be renamed Zero Waste Lane. Fingers crossed eh!

Oh, I almost forgot in my excitement, if you click through to www.kenco.co.uk, there is even a chance to win an eco-break. You'll also see that if you send your empty packs back to Kenco, they will be upcycled by the wonderful Terracycle AND Kenco will give money to your favourite charity too. Now that can't be bad.

_______________________________________________________________

21 October is Apple Day

enquiries@therubbishdiet.co.uk (ALMOST MRS AVERAGE) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 19:19:00 +0000

This Wednesday is Apple Day, an annual event that has been organised by the charity Common Ground to celebrate apples, orchards and local distinctiveness.

There are many ways to celebrate the big day, with events taking place all over the country, including invitations to participate in the Longest Peel competition. Would you believe the record for the longest unbroken piece of apple peel is 52.51m long.

I won't be challenging the record, but I have to admit that apples are one of my favourite fruit, not least because they are inexpensive but also because they are so versatile. Not only are they delicious eaten fresh from the tree but are also flavoursome when added to desserts or even soups.

For me, they really do represent the taste of autumn and I've already found a lovely list of Suffolk varieties which I hope to start researching soon. The Suffolk Pink comes highly recommended, thanks to my recent taste tests.

My personal plans for celebrating this year's Apple Day is to bake an "Apple cut-and-come-again Cake" which can be found in the fabulous Grown in Britain Cookbook. It really is delicious on its own as a snack or served up with custard. It also kills two birds with one stone, as this week is National Baking Week too.

However, if you're not up for a bit of baking, you can still get involved in celebrating Apple Day.

You could follow the advice of Monty Don and the Gardeners World team and plant an apple tree in your garden or school.
Or you might like to show your support for Community Orchards by saving old ones or planting new.
If you're keen to help reduce waste, why not follow the example of Suffolk's "Share-an-apple" volunteers and ask local apple growers\gardeners if you can scrump their spare produce to share with good causes.

And if you've got some apples spare yourself, you could try creating your own unpackaged dried fruit. Mrs Green over at MyZeroWaste has got some great advice on a whole variety of methods you could use.

There's lots you can do to celebrate the great British apple, so if you get a chance, please pop over to the Apple Day website for more info.
_______________________________________________________

Don't look now if it's too early for you

enquiries@therubbishdiet.co.uk (ALMOST MRS AVERAGE) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 09:05:00 +0000

Once upon a time, talking about Christmas in October used to be far too unseasonal for me, especially thanks to weeks of pent-up frustration of seeing festive cards and giftsets appearing in shops months before the celebration itself.

But this year, I'm of the opinion that if I can't beat 'em, I'm most definitely going to join 'em and start getting ready for Christmas too. I know we haven't even enjoyed Halloween yet, but I've got certain plans that need a little more time than traipsing around the high street can offer, which is why I'm getting prepared now.

Yes, this year I've set myself a challenge of organising christmas gifts which come with that extra personal touch and apart from a couple of things the children would like, most of the presents will be made by me or by local artisans and producers.

Without giving too much away, on account that some recipients may be looking in and due to the fact that I haven't yet got a precise plan of action, I am hoping to make Christmas preparations as simple as possible.

As well as getting creative with some tree decorations and bead jewellery, here are just a few of my other ideas:

I've been harvesting runner bean seeds from the garden which I can give to some of my more green-fingered friends.
I'm also going to make some festive pot-pourri, made from dried citrus peel, fir cones and rose petals. I'll be on the look out for some cinammon sticks to add to the blend too. I've never done this before so watch this space to see what happens.
My children absolutely love money, so I have been busy gathering all our loose change and filling up jam-jars. I'm planning to add chocolate coins to the collection to create mini treasure troves as stocking fillers.
And talking of stocking fillers, would you believe that I've had a special request to make more of the little stocking fellas I created last year.

This year I will also be ditching traditional gift-wrap and will instead spread the joy of reusable fabric wrapping, so I have treated myself to a few metres of gorgeous fabric decorated with festive prints. Don't fall off your chairs but I'm planning on calling the sewing machine into action to make some present bags.

There are simply billions of ideas out there and I am currently enjoying two particular scrummy books, which I picked up earlier in the year. The first is called Homemade by Ros Badger and Elspeth Thompson, which is stacked full of ideas that transcend the seasons. The other delightful read is The Christmas Book by Sheherazade Goldsmith, which focuses entirely on the festive season

So it looks as though this year will most definitely be a year of recycling and reusing, as well as using up stuff that we've got around the house. I'd love to know your ideas too. With little time on my hands as ever, I'm up for all ideas that come my way. If you're a blogger you may even be interested in joining in the Thrifty Christmas carnival which will be hosted by the lovely Liz over at Violet Posy. You can find more info about it here.

Given that the run-up to Christmas time has been very stressful indeed in previous years, this year, I am feeling surprisingly calm. Despite having more to do, I am optimistic that I will really enjoy it for the first time in ages. Well that's the plan.

All I now hope... is that the recipients will enjoy their gifts too.

___________________________________________________

Blog Action Day: It's time to meet the Green Thing

enquiries@therubbishdiet.co.uk (ALMOST MRS AVERAGE) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 19:26:00 +0000

There's no getting away from it, Climate Change is such a serious subject.

What with the facts, the figures, the uncertainties as well as the heavy debates and persuasion, not to mention all the things you need to juggle just to do your bit. It can most certainly make your head hurt

So it's refreshing when a wriggly little thing with three eyes pops up to remind us of the small things that count and how these little things make a huge difference.

This positive creature is called the Green Thing.

If you haven't met it yet, perhaps it's time to say hello, especially as it's Blog Action Day and bloggers all over the world are encouraging people to stop and think about how we tackle climate change.

So without further ado,I invite you to click on the video below and shake the Green Thing by one of its many tentacles. Just be careful it doesn't tickle you though especially when you're least expecting. It's reached the final of this year's Green Awards and it could get rather excited.

Meet Green Thing from Green Thing on Vimeo.

______________________________________________

Suffolk to become a Zero Waste Place

enquiries@therubbishdiet.co.uk (ALMOST MRS AVERAGE) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 18:06:00 +0000

On-street recycling bin in Ipswich, Suffolk.

Things are most definitely hotting up in the UK, with Hilary Benn, the Secretary of State for the Environment today announcing plans to turn Britain into a "Zero Waste Nation", expecting all local authorities to offer comprehensive collection services by 2020.

Included in his strategy is a ban on recyclable materials from landfill and schemes to encourage better recycling, including the generation of energy from collected food waste. As well as municipal waste, there are also plans to reduce commercial and industrial waste, working with businesses and the waste management industry to encourage innovative practices.

This is great news in itself, but what excites me more in a "Football's coming home" kind of way, is that my local county of Suffolk, in the East of England, has been chosen as one of six new Zero Waste places to trial what many are calling the government's tough new recycling policy.

Representing the Suffolk Waste Partnership, Councillor Roy Barker, has this evening been quoted in the local press, saying he is delighted that Suffolk is at the forefront of this innovative scheme.

And I can certainly share his enthusiasm, especially as it has been confirmed that Suffolk residents are already among the best recyclers in the country, with half of our waste being diverted from landfill.

So where can Suffolk go next in its Zero Waste plans?

Well, the exciting news is the announcement of the "Suffolk Seven Streets" project, which has been awarded a £10,000 grant from DEFRA, challenging local households to reduce their rubbish even further, indeed by half.

One street in each of the seven Suffolk local authority districts will be selected to test a new recycling regime. And with the support of council recycling teams, businesses and residents will be encouraged to see who can reduce their rubbish the most.

Further news will be available over the next few months as the local scheme takes shape and I can't wait to report on what's happening in and around the county.

But dare I say, as well as encouraging others, the competitive streak is now rising within me and I am already dancing around in glee flying my own virtual flag for St Edmundsbury. I'm now wondering if I can volunteer my own street and survey our local residents to see if they want to fly the flag with me. I think I might just ring the council and see if we're eligible.

But then again, the thought of knocking on strangers' doors makes me feel like the BBC's choirmaster Gareth Malone trying to create a brand-new community choir in South Oxhey.

I suppose I could always don an England football shirt, and merrily sing "Recycling's coming home" when they answer. Or should it be an Ipswich Town shirt I wonder.

One thing's for sure, if the "Suffolk Seven Streets" project gets as competitive as the local football leagues, just imagine the results.

I won't run ahead of myself quite yet. All I can say is well done to Suffolk County Council and the Suffolk Waste Partnership. Congratulations on taking the lead. When it comes to Zero Waste projects, this is going to be very exciting indeed.

_______________________________________________________

East Devon goes for Zero Waste

enquiries@therubbishdiet.co.uk (ALMOST MRS AVERAGE) — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 08:13:00 +0000

I'd just like to give a huge shout-out to the Recycling Officers at East Devon District Council, who are kicking off their Zero Waste Week today.

The council is in the process of introducing weekly food waste collections and to raise awareness of new methods available to reduce landfill, they are giving residents who already benefit from the new service the opportunity to participate in their first Zero Waste week.

Contestants will need to go for one week without producing any black bag rubbish and there will be a prize for the most successful household.

Although the competition is open to residents on Monday and Tuesday collections in the Axe Valley, Sidmouth and Ottery areas, other folk in the district are being encouraged to participate by avoiding packaging and recycling or reusing everything they can.

And if you have been listening in to Good Morning Devon today, you may even have heard East Devon's Waste Management Team's Steve Joyce making his radio debut with his colleague Naomi.

It was all fun and frolics with BBC Radio Devon presenter Matt Woodley, inviting Steve and Naomi to delve into his family's binbags to find out what could be done with a "fetching pair of plum hotpants"and a pink bra.

Steve's tip that the bra could actually be recycled and might even come back as soundproofing material certainly caught the attention of the radio presenter as well as other interesting facts during the 10 minute slot. Having your rubbish waded through on air, is a brave thing to do even for a confident radio presenter, but it did make great listening as Naomi and Steve managed to reduce the rubbish by 50%.

So if you live in Devon and missed the debate, which included top tips about nappies, dry cleaners' bags and shredded paper, then it's worth popping along to BBC Radio Devon and clicking on the Listen Again button. You just need to fast forward to 2hrs 32 minutes.

Best of luck to all in East Devon who are taking part and to Steve and Naomi in their bid to help reduce the UK's landfill. It's wonderful to see more councils rolling out Zero Waste challenges and when the week is over, I'll be sure to report back on their successes.

And if you'd like to find out more information about East Devon's Zero Waste Challenge, further details can be found on the council's website.
____________________________________________________

It's 10:10 - Happy Anniversary Mr A.

enquiries@therubbishdiet.co.uk (ALMOST MRS AVERAGE) — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 11:00:00 +0000

"We're not swapping presents this year are we?" asked Mr A attempting to settle his nerves over whether he needed to buy me a gift for our wedding anniversary, which happens to be today.

Well, it's always worth checking your wife's expectations don't you think! He's a very wise husband indeed.

Anyway, to cut a long story short (which I know is a rarity around these parts), I declined the offer of a pressie on account of having enough sparkly things, lingerie and champagne to last me for a while longer .

And besides he's already "treated me" to my very first pair of reading glasses this week. And that wasn't cheap, neither was his loving acceptance that his old bird had finally reached "that age".

But don't worry, romance isn't quite dead yet - despite the ageing process kicking in - because yesterday I had a momentous brainwave and rang him to break the news.

"You know I said I didn't want anything for our anniversary" I mumbled, interrupting him during his lunchbreak.

"Yes?" he replied, in more of a questioning tone rather than one of confirmation.

"Well, I've changed my mind" I added, then proceeded to ramble on about how I'd like to make a small donation to 10:10, the organisation that is working its socks off to inspire individuals, businesses and public organisations to reduce their carbon emissions by 10% in 2010. Here are just a few of their supporters, lots of other ordinary folk down at the launch party in the summer.

"That's how I'd like to celebrate our anniversary, by pledging to commit to our future." I said.

Then came the silence. Surely that was what marriage was about anyway.

The donation may have seemed a random suggestion - just like the day he returned home from work earlier this month to my announcement that I'm to become a poppy seller. It has all probably left him wondering if I'm the same old girl that he married 11 years ago. Indeed I often wonder if I am indeed the same lass who you can see in the photo below.

But before I knew it, he'd agreed to my anniversary wish and a cheque is now winging its way to help produce supporter packs for people who want to raise awareness in their local communities.

But it's not just about donating money. It's also about taking action too. And I've been pondering this a lot over the last few weeks.

Okay, I know we've been doing our bit and reducing our carbon footprint quite significantly as far as recycling and reducing waste go, but I've wondered what else I can do and it's all becoming blindingly obvious, dare I say.

Now it might sound very 20th Century and 1950s housewife-ish, but I'm beginning to think it all revolves looking after my husband a lot better than I've been doing for the last few years or so.

Take this week, when he gently suggested that he should perhaps take home-made lunches to work...instead of partaking in the 8 mile round trip into town, or dropping into the nearest supermarket!

Yes, I know... I've never been efficient in that particular area.

Then there's the issue of organising our kitchen, so I can make better use of the little storage we have and minimise the shopping trips that I have to make.

And of course, there's the perennial issue of the growing pile of pants.

If I wasn't such a hapless case of a housewife, I might just keep on top of the washing pile, which means he'd never again have to make an emergency trip to Marks and Spencer for a critical top up.

These are just some small changes that can make a huge difference.

So, I've a funny old feeling that today I may be renewing our marriage vows, which will go someway beyond for richer or poorer or in sickness and in health. It looks like I'm going to need an organisational overhaul.

Of course, if I'm going to do my bit for saving energy it will mean turning down the lights tonight and digging out the tea lights instead. I just need to find something to put them in.

Perhaps I could use some of those jam jars that I have been collecting for I don't know what?

The problem is, where the blimmin' 'eck did I put them?

Oh well, it looks like it's back to the kitchen for me for a good rummage in my disorganised cupboards...and while I'm there, I'll remember to wash those blimmin' pants.

So happy anniversary Mr A. Here's to clean pants, hot lunches and reducing emissions. I love you and thank you even more than ever for putting up with me x
__________________________________________________

I'm still here, but I'm also over there too!

enquiries@therubbishdiet.co.uk (ALMOST MRS AVERAGE) — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 12:17:00 +0000

Here's a big hello from the East of England. I'm sorry if I've been a bit quiet on the blog recently. As well as celebrating the news of last week, I've also been busy looking after a poorly little boy and preparing for a bigger boy's 8th birthday [geez, he was just six when I started the blog].

And while all this has been happening I've also been getting around making a few guest appearances elsewhere on the old Interweb.

So any guesses, where I've been hanging out?

Well at the weekend, we popped over to the Aldeburgh Food & Drink Festival, which was a great event. I'm hoping to blog about it soon, but in the meantime I've put some photos up on my Twitpic Account.

I've also been talking rubbish over at MyZeroWaste , helping Mrs Green out with a guest post and being loud and proud about community action. She's got some other articles from other familiar faces, so do go and have an explore.

And elsewhere, I've been interviewed by Willi Paul over at PlanetShifter, answering some very deep questions about all sorts of things to do with recycling and sustainability. And yes it did make my head hurt on times.

So after all that, I think I need to put my feet up before my 8-year-old gets home desperate to tuck into the birthday cake.

It's a zero waste one of course.....

Well it will be when I've made it!

It's at times like this I really wish I could be in two places at the same time.
__________________________________________________

Recycling Champion of the Year Finalist

enquiries@therubbishdiet.co.uk (ALMOST MRS AVERAGE) — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 19:33:00 +0000

Now I was going to have an early night and blog about this in the morning, but the news was far too exciting to keep to myself.

This afternoon I received a surprise phone call from Suffolk County Council, to let me know that they had nominated me for this year's CIWM Awards for the category Recycling Champion of the Year.

Of course I was chuffed to bits with the news, but my smile got much wider when Anna, the Waste Communications Manager, continued to tell me that I've also been shortlisted and will be put forward as a finalist to the judging panel, who will announce their decision at the Awards event on 11th November.

Now this is where I take a break and run around the sofa in wild excitement for the 10th time today before I adopt a more professional manner more in keeping with the event itself.

And with my serious hat on, I am really grateful for Suffolk County Council's nomination as well as the enthusiasm of all those I have worked with on various campaigns and projects, including waste professionals, local schools, refuse collectors, local councillors, blog supporters, bloggers and tweeters as well as all my friends and family who have turned over to the lighter side when it comes to rubbish.

But do you know the best bit about the awards ceremony?

It's not that it's at a posh hotel in London, or that it's being hosted by Dragons' Den investor Deborah Meaden, or even that the awards are made from recycled glass...

Well, okay I admit that's all impressive in itself, as is the opportunity to rub shoulders with waste professionals who are really making a difference to the environmental landscape.

However what I am getting very excited about is the chance to meet someone very special, who I've discovered today is also listed in the same category and will be attending the awards too. It's Sarah Blenkinsop, aka Compostwoman, our very busy blogging friend who can normally be found in The Compost Bin in Herefordshire.

So with me in my recycling bin and Sarah in her composter, I am sure we'll make an entertaining double-act on the day and should we accidentally drop anything on the floor no doubt Tipton Litter Watch, the other finalist in our category, will help us clean up our act.

So huge thanks again to Suffolk County Council. It was a wonderful surprise, which has made one particular member of the community very happy indeed.

_____________________________________________________

The Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM), is the professional body which represents over 6,000 waste management professionals in the UK as well as overseas. The CIWM Awards for Environment Excellence are now in their third year and will be held at the Dorchester Hotel, London, on 11th November. The Recycling Champion of the Year award is intended to recognise the contribution of people or groups outside of the waste and resource management industry in encouraging public participation in managing resources and reducing or recycling waste.
______________________________________________________

Naked deliveries make my day

enquiries@therubbishdiet.co.uk (ALMOST MRS AVERAGE) — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 14:36:00 +0000

I feel I must apologise for my absence over the last few days. I'd been so looking forward to tucking into some tasty British food and blogging about my discoveries, but by Tuesday I was all struck down with a nasty cold. Then my appetite skedaddled and my tastebuds followed suit, all disappearing into a big black hole.

Hardly being able to speak today I was home alone feeling sorry for myself, coughing with one breath and then sneezing with the other, when suddenly I heard a rat-tat-tat at the door.

And what a surprise!

It was my lovely friendly postman making a naked delivery.

Now, stop your rude thoughts.

Granted, the Royal Mail might make a few extra bob if they did strip-o-grams, but then again....

I can reassure you that our friendly postie was most definitely suitably dressed in all the right clobber, but he was holding before him a naked flower.

Of course, I had to to grab my camera to snap it before saying thank you and closing the door.

The felt flower, which was all pink and fuzzy, had been sent to me by Henry and Jayne, home of a beautiful range of hand made gifts. It was part of an experiment to see what would happen to flowers sent in the post without any packaging whatsoever, focusing on ways to reduce unecessary packaging. You can read more about their experiment here.

Well the great news is, the flower has arrived in one piece, completely intact with no damage at all.

Just perfect.

It even had an address tag made from a recycled Christmas card.

So thank you to Liz at Henry and Jayne for letting me take part in this wonderful experiment. I am now a joyful owner of a beautiful flower that's taking pride of place in my dining room.

And as for the postie, well he says, it's the most beautiful naked delivery he has ever made.

I promise to be back soon with further news of my local gastronomic adventures, as well as some other exciting news that has made my day even more exciting. For now though, I'm afraid I have to go and sneeze.

_____________________________________________________

British Food Fortnight: Time to tuck into local fayre

enquiries@therubbishdiet.co.uk (ALMOST MRS AVERAGE) — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 05:53:00 +0000

As British Food Fortnight commences, it's time to get your tastebuds at the ready and celebrate the best of our country's home-grown produce and culinary talents.

And on a personal level, I am really looking forward to the opportunity to explore the regional fayre of the East of England, in particular in my local county of Suffolk.

It's only recently that my interest in British food has come to the fore. With the exception of supporting Welsh lamb - representing my affinity to my home country - I used to zip around the supermarket without a care in the world about where my food came from. And my taste in more continental and exotic foods fuelled this. By comparison British food seemed boring, unadventurous and downright plain.

But something's changed over the last few years. There is something about British food that now excites me. No longer do I buy cheap cuts of meat that have been flown half way round the world just to be disguised in a hot spicy sauce. Indeed the opposite is now true, with regionally sourced meat being bought from our local butchers, it is the perfect opportunity to discover how best to cook it for maximum flavour, without necessarily adding any fancy accompaniments.

Added to this is the magic of seasonality and the opportunity to enjoy buying fresh food at its best, when it is supposed to be eaten or at least preserved for the winter months.

So for the next two weeks I am going to ditch the lazy habits that have crept in over the summer relying on pasta, cous-cous and rice and get back to enjoying good old British grub.

I am going to take every opportunity I can to put local food on the table, while experimenting with regional recipes from around the country.

And living in Suffolk, this shouldn't be too much of a challenge. We are blessed with shops that delight in local produce, including Barwells in Bury St Edmunds (recently featured on the Hairy Bikers' Food Tour of Britain and now famous for its St Edmundsbury Purse), which takes animal welfare seriously and sources its meat from approved Suffolk and Norfolk farms and game from the local Denham Estate.

As well as a fabulous twice-weekly market, we also have a farmers' market at Wyken Vineyards, where even local wine is available. Now Suffolk may not be necessarily known for its expertise in this area, but Wyken and the nearby Ickworth Vineyards offer a range of excellent British wines that are a real match to the more traditional wine producing regions of the continent.

Further afield, there are opportunities to explore the delights of the Suffolk and Norfolk coast with locally caught fish. And talking of the coast, one of the highlights on this year's calendar has to be the Aldeburgh Food & Drink Festival, which kicks off on the 26th September, playing host to over 70 local growers and manufacturers of Suffolk produce.

So over the next couple of weeks, I plan to do very little except enjoy some tasty delights and I will be revealing some of my favourite discoveries around our local area. Of course, I will be commenting on the packaging too. Let's not forget, this is The Rubbish Diet after all.

But before I venture off around the county in search of local fayre, I'm thinking the best place to start is to dig up the rest of the potatoes from our garden and gather the remainder of the runner beans that are hanging from their beanstalks.

And of course I shouldn't overlook our eggs. Collecting the daily eggs from our chooks in the garden is one of the best pleasures ever and when it comes to local, you can't get better than that.

__________________________________________________________

To find out how you can get involved in British Food Fortnight, which runs from 19th Sept to 4th October, visit www.lovebritishfood.co.uk

National Zero Waste Week: Grand Finale or Anti-climax?

enquiries@therubbishdiet.co.uk (ALMOST MRS AVERAGE) — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 09:30:00 +0000

What a funny old week it's been. And unless you've been walking around with your head in a bucket and your ears full of sand, you'll have been aware I've been taking part in MyZeroWaste's National Zero Waste Week, along with many other bloggers and Twitter users across the UK and indeed around the globe.

Now the first time I tackled a Zero Waste Week - in March last year - I was very well prepared. I had a plan and I was constantly on the ball, keeping my eyes peeled for any piece of rubbish to bite me on the bum at the least expected opportunity.

But this time around I've had a sprained wrist as well as such a busy social calendar that it could make your eyes pop with the velocity at which I've had to fit it all in.

So apart from the odd little lie to the kids "Sorry they had no crisps, have a packet of foil & paper wrapped Rolos instead" and the odd little fib to Mr A "Sorry they had no Minstrels, have a packet of foil & paper wrapped Rolos instead" as well as collecting a handful of disposable cotton handwipes from a bunch of folk I've never met before at a Twestival visit to an Indian restaurant, I haven't really given it a great deal of attention.

Yes as far as my personal Zero Waste Week contribution has gone, it's simply muddled along with the rest of my life.

Now this means it could have been an absolute disaster but the great news is my resident foodie fusspots have done an amazing disappearing act this week. With a husband travelling around the East of England living off buffets at every turn and kids now back at school returning home with a ravenous appetites, the bin has been in pretty good health.

It's been so good, we've had absolutely nothing for the Bokashi bin and as for the chickens, they've been looking so blimmin' disappointed at the lack of any spare scraps, that by the end of the week I was feeling emotionally blackmailed into cooking extra portions of pasta just for them.

Geez, it comes to something when you spend the best part of your forties trying to REDUCE food waste then suddenly find that you need to CREATE some, to ensure the whole menagerie are blimmin' fed.

So with no unrecyclable\reusable packaging during the last week and no cooked food waste to hit the Bokashi bin, I was feeling on top form, thinking I would have a completely empty bin...

... until our pair of black and white moggies got all sniffy and refused to eat the last scraps of their Whiskas cat food left in their bowl from Saturday.

So the amount of rubbish created this week has been just a few bits of the cats leftovers.

Not bad eh....especially when our usual weekly rubbish is normally about a quarter of a bin bag..

...and I am chuffed to bits I can fit it into the brand new wheelie bin that I dug out especially for National Zero Waste Week!

It's the one on the far right of the picture above....that's right...the one at the very end of the row!

Here's the photo again to save you scrolling back up.

And here it is being picked up by the friendly bin man ...

But don't get excited yet because amongst all this good news and celebration over our week's worth of waste, I am left with a HUGE dilemma because when we returned from a trip to the seaside yesterday, my King of Declutter, the beloved Mr A, shifted everything around in the dining room, so he could find room for a huge painting of Southwold that he commissioned for his 40th birthday.

It involved shifting out a load of crap from what's been a much under-used room in the last few months.

And in doing so uncovered this...

Yep, it's a bag of miscellaneous "rubbish" according to Mr A, which he sorted out about a month ago, but forgot to "throw out" - i.e. surreptitiously take to the tip while I was busy elsewhere.

Of course being the offical head of the household, he tells me that this doesn't actually count to National Zero Waste Week, because it is a bag of "old rubbish" and as it happens, I've not had chance to sort it yet and I am sure it will be smaller by the time I've finished with it.

But forget Mr A's excuses. I think I should leave it for you to decide what should account for our official weigh in?

My small bag of cat food or Mr A's unexpected bag of household crap?

Who gets your vote?

I know it could be tricky, so while you make your mind up, I'm going to enjoy a cup of tea in our nicely restyled dining room, where I will be getting ready to join in the Jonathan Vernon-Smith show on BBC Three Counties Radio this afternoon.

Today's debate is the issue of new wheelie bins for managing food waste.

Yep I'm talking rubbish again - for a change.

Hmm, I wonder if he'll show me his, if I show him mine. Question is, which bag should I show him?

________________________________________________________

Surviving a Zero Waste Week: Rethinking Rubbish

enquiries@therubbishdiet.co.uk (ALMOST MRS AVERAGE) — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 08:57:00 +0000

Damn, blast, splidgery flip flops...I've got some blimmin' rubbish!

Look at it. An annoying piece of desperate-to-pop bubblewrap, discovered last night in an empty strawberry carton, which my husband had bought at the weekend.

And there I was, thinking I was all prepared for Zero Waste Week, but I'd forgotten about these pieces of cushioned plastic that are now pretty ubiquitous in the soft fruit packaging department. It just goes to show even old hands at this zero waste business can get caught out.

Now as you are probably aware bubblewrap is pretty tricky to recycle and it'll be a top notch council that allows you to put it in your recycling bin. Ours is good, but it doesn't take bubblewrap. So if I'm going to survive a Zero Waste Week, especially a National Zero Waste Week it's time to think like a crafty old weasel.

I'm going to have to think of this bubblewrap as a valuable resource and not let it become a piece of rubbish.

Well rubbish is so last century isn't it? These days, if you're throwing stuff in your bin, you're also throwing away resources, wasting an opportunity to save money, energy and virgin resources. It really is the equivalent of throwing your small change into landfill. And who in their right mind would do that, especially if they need all the pennies they can get?

So where does that leave me with my tiny piece of bubblewrap?

On the edge of finishing that bottle of gin, with the kind of week I've had!

But seriously. If you're faced with the same problem during your Zero Waste Week, be assured there are a range of solutions out there.

Option No 1: Reuse It!

Yes I know, there aren't too many applications that call for a 8x13cm piece of bubblewrap but if you put your thinking cap on and pray for inspiration, you might be able to find other uses around the home.

For example, if you are blessed with a small child who owns a dolls-house, you might be able to get away with a few make-shift duvets for the dollies to keep warm at night. You could even unleash your inner seamstress and throw in a range of duvet covers while you're at it.

Keen gardeners amongst you can use them to insulate mini seedling pots (especially those made from old newspapers and toilet rolls).

Also, if you ever send very small and delicate items in the post you can use them as protection. And if you're making plans for the festive season, one of my fellow Tweeter @henryandjayne came up with the suggestion of craftily using them to create Christmas decorations. So you see, there are lots of ideas out there if you scratch your top-knot hard enough.

Option No 2: Recycle It!

Regardless of whether you find a reuse for these darn things, there'll come a time, where you'll be shouting "No more", depending where you are in the divorce proceedings. So you could consider recycling them.

Recycle them?!

Yes, I know I said that it would be a rare super-duper council that would take such a thing off your hands. But just because your council can't recycle it, it doesn't mean that your fruity bubblewrap has to be lost to landfill.

Because if you need a helping hand on your road to Zero Waste, there is a mailing film company that will happily take them off your hands. Based in Norfolk, Polyprint is the only film company that accepts waste polythene from the general public for recycling. And the great news is, this includes bubblewrap, even the small pieces that come in the bottom of fruit punnets. You can find their full list of acceptable items here.

So even though this is one of the few items that I've been bunging in my bin since I did my last Zero Waste Week, 18 months ago, I can now confirm that my zero waste fruitaholic lifestyle is now pretty much future-proofed.

However on this particular occasion, I'm not going to recycle this piece of bubblewrap. I've got other ideas and I've decided to upcycle it instead, to highlight a process that adds value to a material that is at the end of its original life cycle.

So as a memento of National Zero Waste Week, I've created a miniature work of art entitled: 21st century savings. Titter ye not, I bet even with a "face value" of just 39p it's the most valuable piece of 8x13cm bubblewrap in the whole wide world.

21st century savings

Hmm. I wonder if that could be true? The most valuable piece of fruity bubblewrap ever? If it is, what are the chances of getting my money back on eBay?

I am almost tempted to go and investigate.

_______________________________________________

Almost Mrs Average seeks Zero Heroes and Slim Jims

enquiries@therubbishdiet.co.uk (ALMOST MRS AVERAGE) — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 09:00:00 +0000

Help! Help!

Arthur are you there? Hilda, can you hear me? Henry? What about you?

Please come forward because in the words of Bonnie Tyler, I NEED A HERO, lots of heroes in fact but unlike my Welsh sister, for this mission I am happy to hold out longer than the end of the night.

To celebrate National Zero Waste Week I am on the lookout for the unsung heroes of the UK and I am officially starting my search for our fellow countrymen and women who almost never need to use their bin because they create so little waste, people like Tony Sanders from Leicestershire who was featured in his local paper earlier this year.

The idea of zero waste or indeed minimal waste living can often sound daunting, but there are so many people like Mr Sanders who have been living like this for years as well as folk who have only just started. They're probably the type who don't normally shout about it, who don't think they're doing anything special, but in truth they are, because by living almost waste-free, they are minimising the contribution their rubbish makes to their carbon emissions.

I've been lucky to meet people who have already made significant steps to reduce their rubbish footprint who are active on the old Interweb and are spreading the word in everything they do.

However, I'd also like to find out about the folk who are hardly present on the internet, including people who wouldn't naturally describe themselves as local heroes but who indeed are. I'd like to talk to them, in confidence, and find out more about what they think about our country's waste and see if we can create a national picture our Zero Heroes. If you have links to anyone special, please get in touch through the usual process, email me at karen[at]therubbishdiet[dot]co[dot]uk, or via my Twitter profile at www.twitter.com\therubbishdiet.

But don't rush off yet. As well as celebrating National Zero Waste Week, I have some other exciting news.

Yesterday I signed up to 10:10, a national challenge created by the team behind Age of Stupid, encouraging individuals, government leaders and organisations to cut their emissions by 10% by the end of 2010. I would encourage you to join too because the challenge of tackling climate change looks like it needs you even more than ever. To find out more visit www.1010uk.org for details.

As the pressure hots up for our country to reduce its carbon footprint, taking effort to reduce our waste is most definitely up there in the list of eco-strategies along with wasting less energy, reducing car use and saving water. At the end of the day whatever we put in our bins, whether it's for landfill or recycling, it's a reflection of not just our personal consumption to satisfy our needs and wants but also reflects the energy used to create and transport those goods to meet our demands.

So, I'd like to put waste minimisation on the map!

Literally!

Whether you're an accomplished bin slimmer or whether you are just starting out, I would love you to join me by adding your details to the map at the side of the blog. As it grows it will give a wonderful picture of all folk who are working hard towards slimming their bins and I hope it will inspire others who want to join in too. Visually, it will help us get in touch with those who are in our local communities as well as discover who are the Zero Heroes and Slim Jims around the rest of the world.

Joining is so simple, you just click on the pin, where you will be asked to add your location. This can be your city or the first part of your postcode. Then enter your name or nickname and select whether you're a "Zero Hero", a "Slim Jim" or "Slimming Down". You can even add a comment or your photo if you like. It only takes a few minutes. I've just added my own details and as I throw out about a carrier bag's worth of rubbish per month, I see myself as a Slim Jim unlike Mr Sanders mentioned above who is most definitely a Zero Hero.

I may have created the map, but it's not mine to call my own. I would be happiest if it could be shared as widely as possible. So if you have a blog, it would be great if you could add it to your sidebar, so that your readers can join the map too.

I'm quite excited about who we will find out there in the big wide world and would like to thank you for your help in making it happen.

___________________________________________________

Surviving a Zero Waste Week: Get a smaller bin

enquiries@therubbishdiet.co.uk (ALMOST MRS AVERAGE) — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 19:24:00 +0000

So it's the beginning of National Zero Waste Week, which has been officially launched over at myzerowaste.com.

And what's my top tip for anyone taking part this week?

Get a smaller rubbish bin of course!

At least that's what I discovered when I did my first Zero Waste challenge eighteen months ago. Switching from my 50 litre Brabantia to a very small dustbin helped tremendously.

So for National Zero Waste Week, there's a new bin on the scene. The one you see above.

Of course, the challenge will be to keep it empty and the good news is that at the end of Day One it still is.

Which is a blimmin' good job because when the bin man came to collect today's waste I noticed his refuse truck had shrunk too!

It's amazing what can happen when you have a vision for Zero Waste. Let's hope the rest of the week goes just as swimmingly.

________________________________________________________

Never let a good friend go to waste!

enquiries@therubbishdiet.co.uk (ALMOST MRS AVERAGE) — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 21:00:00 +0000

"Yes, please" came the reply to my offer of a night in savouring the delights of gin and tonic.

Aren't good friends fabulous!

One minute I'd been feeling sorry for myself for having to cancel a few social events last week, due to feelings of pain and discomfort arising from my wrist.

The next, there was a plan in place, something which I could look forward to; an opportunity to raise a glass and enjoy a good catch up with a great friend and some mother's ruin.

"And I'll empty your dodgy Bokashi bin too" she added.

Blimmin' 'eck. That's an offer you don't get every day, especially when it involves excavating an almost solid layer of mould infested ick from the Bokashi bin thanks to the untreated cheese that was accidentally left to fester for several weeks while we were on holiday.

Mr A has been too busy pegging it around the region outlining housing growth options, so hasn't had a chance to sort it out - not that the Bokashi bin is his department anyway. He's got enough to do with planning and housing strategies this month. Domestic mould infested cheesy bran concoctions are trivial by comparison and besides, ever since my commitment to keep food waste from landfill, the bins are mainly my domain, for which I am always more suitably dressed.

But my limp wrist has been too weak and painful to deal and I've since got used to the notion that it would have to wait until I'm on the mend again.

So the suggestion to have it dealt with was very much welcome,

Of course, to be polite, I initially refused the kind offer from my friend.

It actually reminded me of the days as a student when I would decline the odd £5 note kindly offered by older relatives. Eventually I'd accept, knowing I really could do with the help, but not until the pre-requisite banter had taken place first... "honestly you shouldn't"..."no really, I'd liked to"..."please take it"..."I insist"..."ok then, you are very kind, thank you".

However, knowing what was good for me - and indeed my sensitive stomach - it didn't take long to say yes to the Bokashi disposal services.

Her only insistence beyond this wonderful offer of help was to ensure a supply of rubber gloves.... and to be paid "danger money" in the form of Abbots, an alternative currency upheld by our local bartering group, Bury LETS - and not to be confused with religious men in habits.

So the evening came and expecting the worst, my good friend arrived with a change of clothes, which were accessorised with some rubber gloves and safety goggles. It's a shame I couldn't find the dust mask too.

But it wasn't actually that bad. A few slaps and tickles of the mouldy tundra soon saw it despatched to the black bin, representing one of the rare deposits of food waste to landfill during the last 19 months and the only Bokashi disaster during the same time period - which shows if I can manage it for such a long time, it can't be that hard.

And now the Bokashi bin is ready and waiting for National Zero Waste Week, which begins tomorrow.

However, we have so little cooked food waste these days, I've decided we're going to make a special effort not to use it this week, especially now that we've got used to our alternative feathered weapons against food waste, aka the chickens who reside in our suburban back garden.

But I am still extremely grateful for my friend's assistance as well as for her companionship vis-a-vis helping me later that evening with the gin and tonic.

Ah gin...now that's one thing that would be impossible to waste. And I've even got some ideas for what to do with the empty bottle, but that's another story that will have to wait until it's finished.

Hopefully it won't take long.

Well it is National Zero Waste Week after all and what a great excuse to celebrate.

Especially if my friends never have to go near my Bokashi bin ever again!

And if I never have to witness another episode of Mr A's post-holiday mould-ridden bokashied cheese.

______________________________________________________

More information about National Zero Waste Week 2009 can be found at www.myzerowaste.com. More details about Bokashi composting - which is a very effective system for managing cooked food waste - can be found at www.wigglywigglers.co.uk.

______________________________________________________

Back to earth with more than a bump

enquiries@therubbishdiet.co.uk (ALMOST MRS AVERAGE) — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 19:11:00 +0000

Well it's all very well going off on holiday and enjoying oneself, but as we know, it's all over in a flash and pretty soon you have to venture home to face up to normality.

Yes normality.

That's the one.

The problem is, when we arrived over our very own threshold we soon discovered the normality that we had left behind had only gone and boogered off on its very own vacation, leaving behind a state of chaos in the Almost Average household.

I tried to encourage it back, by doing the washing, a bit of gardening and watching some of my favourite programmes that had been recorded while we were away. I even managed a blog post and planned a few more to help settle back into the post holiday routine.

But life was definitely not returning to normal and I never managed those blog posts or even a small tweet over on Twitter.

First there were the chickens who looked like they'd enjoyed a few garden parties during our absence, probably inviting a few friends around on Facebook, leading to urgent action to fence off the garden to give them some space of their own.

The Bokashi bin had also been up to mischief thanks to Mr A bunging in some iffy cheese before we'd departed. I'd been too distracted with getting out of the house in time to make the ferry that I'd forgotten to add the Bokashi bran. The resulting sea of mold was not quite the welcoming party we'd expected when we walked back in through the door.

And then there was the discovery of the monster. If you're a parent you may have already seen one yourself.

Apparently they turn up in your house unannounced some time at the end of the school holidays and last week it was our turn to receive a visit. One day we'd been enjoying the company of our 5 year old and the next, our little boy had been taken over by some kind of alien only previously seen on Doctor Who. He still looked like himself, but his attitude had changed beyond recognition.

His actions were unrecognisable too.

Especially the day when I witnessed him encouraging our three innocent hens out of their chicken run only to lob them back in like feathered medicine balls. They must have suffered from shock as none of them laid the next day.

Poor chickens.

At least his elder brother got a break.

But I didn't. Upon seeing the incident, I picked up my chicken-hurling schoolboy and sat him on my lap to calm him down - and to explain why his behaviour wasn't acceptable.

I haven't had to pick him up for a long time. And he was unexpectedly heavy. So heavy indeed that I hurt my wrist picking him up - putting pressure on an existing sprain that so far had gone undiagnosed.

It's at times like this you realise the levels of dependency on your left hand. Everyday duties such as washing, preparing meals and driving suddenly become creators of agony rather than automatic and otherwise unnoticeable actions. It's even rendered me almost inactive on the computer thanks to feelings of nausea and physical difficulties with typing.

And as for picking up my children or indeed monsters. That's been off the cards too.

However the good news is that the monster has suddenly disappeared and it left as quickly as it had arrived.

I put down to an unfortunate collision with a fairground swing at the weekend. Instead of being knocked out by a swinging boat, our five year old quickly recovered from the impact and by the following day his behaviour had returned to normal. It's just a shame his brother came down with a hard-to-identify rash that very same day.

Normality eh!

Some people don't like it when things return to normal.

But I am desperate for it.

All I want is to focus again on everyday life and our rubbish. It's taken a bit of a knock over the holidays thanks to upset routines, physical injuries and unpredictable children - not to mention the off-duty Bokashi bin that still needs emptying. Of course that's another job you need two hands for as well as emptying the chickens' poop tray. Where's Mr A when you need him eh! Out earning the dosh, so we can live another day.

So it's a blimmin' good job the kids are both fully recovered and off back to school tomorrow for the start of the new academic year.

I can feel my sanity returning already. And I've even got a new wrist support to help it stay that way.

You never know, I might even be able to empty that horrible Bokashi bin before the week's out.

But I'd better get on with it as Mrs Green over at www.myzerowaste.com has told me she's declared next week National Zero Waste Week - starting on Monday 7th September, encouraging folk all over the UK (as well as like-minded friends overseas) to look for new ways to reduce their waste.

Of course, I can't wait to give it my full support and would encourage you to join in too, especially if you've got both hands free.

After all, if I can be a one-handed zero waster, just imagine what you can achieve with two, especially if your brain hasn't been addled by mouldy concoctions, monsters and wild rashes.

A National Zero Waste Week. What a great idea.

So thank you Mrs Green. I'm beginning to feel normal already.

______________________________________________________

More info about National Zero Waste Week can be found at www.myzerowaste.com, where you are welcome to join in with your contributions and plans for reducing waste at home or in your place of work. Share the news and help reduce landfill.
______________________________________________________

Some things never change - even on holiday

enquiries@therubbishdiet.co.uk (ALMOST MRS AVERAGE) — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 17:53:00 +0000

The hill was steep and the steps were plenty.

Mr A reached the top before me, a rubbish bag in one hand, balanced by a box of cardboard tucked under the other. I'm not sure how he managed the bag of plastic bottles too, but he did.

We'd already locked up the Swiss holiday house where we'd spent the week exploring the beautiful Lake Maggiore - all packed up just in time to hand the keys to the contracted cleaner.

Well I think she was the cleaner. She turned up at the exact time we'd been instructed to depart, but she didn't speak English and I hadn't mastered enough Italian to ask. But she managed to mime a sweeping action so I guessed she was the designated lady with the mop.

Dropping off our rubbish was the last duty before we left the popular resort of San Nazarro and its stunning views over the lake.

Catching our breath from the steep climb, we finally made it to the communal waste collection point. There was no luxury of a domestic kerbside collection in this part of the continent.

And in temperatures of over 30C, lugging our rubbish to the top of the hill felt more than a mere inconvenience. If truth be told, it felt like a real burden. The only relief was that after a week in the holiday home our rubbish bag was still quite small

So Mr A bunged the rubbish bag into the garbage container - in a plastic sack as instructed by the local council.

The plastic PET bottles went into a separate collection bank.

Then clutching the box of cardboard, he hunted high-and-low for the paper bank.

But there wasn't one.

Defeated by the lack of facilities, he headed back towards the rubbish bin and began to lift the lid.

"Don't you dare!" I squealed, not quite realising that it sounded like a major threat.

Well I know it was only cardboard and that it would have been used to create energy in one of Switzerland's incinerators, but I couldn't let him just drop it into the rubbish bin. Not when there were other options

"It's only a bit of rubbish" came the reply.

"Rubbish?"

Blimmin' 'eck. I thought he'd got the message. It was time to dig in my heels in order to hold my ground.

"It's not flippin' rubbish it's a very useful resource!" I maintained. "Let's just bung it in the car until we get to our next destination, where I know there is a paper bank."

Then came the stony face.

"You're having a laugh!"

"Have you seen how jam-packed it is?"

The mood was definitely getting serious and with gestures worthy of our continental location he thrusted the bundle of cardboard into my arms.

"If you're that determined, you can bloody well sit with it on your lap!"

And that's how we left the rubbish bins, with me prepared to sit with a bundle of cardboard on a car journey around the lake, through Locarno, around the twisting bends of Centovalli, entering Italy and leaving again amidst the dramatic landscape of the Swiss Alps; a 5 hour trip culminating in a visit to the cardboard bank in Leysin, our next stopover on our Swiss road-trip.

I should be relieved that Mr A hasn't divorced me for my determination.

I can picture the scene:

"She insisted on recycling the cardboard Your Honour! It was the finale of an unhealthy decline and I could take no more."

It's a good job my brother-in-law made an unexpected intervention.

As we bid our farewells - or rather arrivederci - to my sister and her family who we'd travelled all the way to Switzerland to visit, he kindly offered to take the bundle off my hands and drop it into the recycling point at the local train station.

Such a simple gesture leaving me to concentrate on managing the passports and enjoying the view from the car window.

And enjoy the view I did...

...while feeling relieved that Mr A hadn't noticed the empty sweetcorn cans I'd sneaked into the car only hours earlier.

Perhaps I need another holiday. I know Mr A certainly does to recover.

______________________________________________________

The Big Green Blog Gathering

enquiries@therubbishdiet.co.uk (ALMOST MRS AVERAGE) — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 06:30:00 +0000

Today is day 4 of the Big Green Blog Gathering and I would like to thank our host Emma Cooper of Coopette.com for not just hosting the event but for inviting me to get involved.

I'd also like to thank all of you who have popped by, whether you've just happened on the virtual gathering by accident or have deliberately dropped in with a keen interest in reducing waste and to find out more about The Rubbish Diet Experience.

No matter where you are in the push for consumer zero waste I hope my personal story will help inspire you further, whether it's starting from scratch or going that extra mile to slim your bin.

So without further ado, I will begin my presentation of how I managed to slim my bin last year in our local council's Zero Waste Challenge [just click on the play button to start]

The Rubbish Diet: The 8 Week Zero Waste Challenge

View more presentations from AlmostMrsAverage.

Of course the journey to reducing waste starts now and as we're very lucky at the Big Green Blog Gathering to have excellent recycling facilities, I ask you to help us by putting your plastic bottles, cans and paper into the separate bins provided as well as separating your tea bags, fruit peelings and apple cores for the compost bin.

And don't just stop there. When you leave this virtual festival and step back out into your local town or cities, please keep your eyes peeled for local facilities that help you recycle on the go too. If local facilities aren't available and you want to be really commited, remember you can always take your empty bottles and cans back with you and pop them into your recycling bin at home to ensure they don't go to waste.

Finally if you're organising your own festival, there are a whole host of recycling organisations that can help. A few that I discovered quite recently include the very appropriately named Event Recycling and the Maker Green Team, who will endeavor to make your event as rubbish free as possible, helping your audience divert as many recycling resources from landfill as they can.

And if you want to keep up with what the best eco-festivals are doing to manage their waste, pop over to the Waste Connect site for further inspiration, or stay a while and watch this video of how the Green Festival manages its waste over in the U.S.

Well I hope you've enjoyed your visit today and if you have any questions please feel free to ask. I'll be hanging about for a while and will do my best to answer them before I have to disappear off, otherwise I will be back in touch at the end of August. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy the rest of the Big Green Blog Gathering over at Coopette.com.

______________________________________________________

A Summer Holiday Surprise

enquiries@therubbishdiet.co.uk (ALMOST MRS AVERAGE) — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 18:42:00 +0000

It's been a tad tricky getting to the blog this week as things have been far busier that I could have ever planned. Not only have I been enjoying the school holidays with the children, but I've been busy whizzing across the country attending a family funeral, celebrating a new pregnancy [not mine, I should add], speaking at a regional climate change conference, meeting a very important councillor, pickling beetroot for the very first time, enjoying a friend's birthday bash as well as another friend's hen night for whom I've also been busy making a gorgeous sparkly tiara.

So it is a welcome surprise to return home and find that the wonderful Baba has just entered The Rubbish Diet into the very yummy Dorset Cereal's Little Blog Awards and that a few folk have already started to vote. I feel very honoured indeed to be listed among some really wonderful blogs, so do pop over and have a gander and if you vote, you're in with a chance of winning something too.

So for just a few moments I can relax and breathe until...

I catch up with emails, with Twitter, with blogs and with friends who have left me some lovely messages, before it's time to pack for our big family holiday to Switzerland. I feel a huge multi-tasking exercise coming on, don't you.

But first things first...if you're missing the Big Green Gathering which was pulled at short notice and want to do the next best thing, then pop over to Emma Cooper's fabulous blog at coopette.com. Emma is author of the Alternative Kitchen Garden and is busy hosting the Big Green Blog Gathering, which is already brimming with lots of entertainment and thought-provoking ideas on water, energy and transport.

Tomorrow's theme is waste so it will be my turn to join the gathering and add my two penneth. And if you visit Emma's Blog on Sunday, there'll be plenty of discussion about the climate to look forward to.

Well it's all go isn't it but it's fun...and for anyone who read my last post, all I can say is thank goodness there is more to life than pants!

So I hope to see you back here tomorrow, when I will be catching up with your recent comments and doing my turn on the stage for waste.

_____________________________________________________