No rubbish fortnight

[Andy Hamilton]

Us moderators do more than just move and delete posts you know, we have been discussing no rubbish fortnight. A full 2 weeks that you can't throw anything in the bin and have to reuse or recycle everything. I think we can make one exception for all the smokers with fag butts but other than that no rubbish at all to go in the bin.

So who is in? We are thinking of starting it not at the begining of the week but on 1st December - 14th December that way it is much easier to remember when it starts and ends.

I will start a new section for posts relating to this if there are a lot of takers, that way we can all support each other with adivice of what to do with that yogurt pot etc.

I think so far we have shirley (shirlz2005) and nev (wombat) and me that definetley want to get involved.

[Millymollymandy]

I would like to hear lots of advice and tips as to quite how you actually manage this!

I am interested, but I think it would be much harder if you do a big supermarket shop like I do, not very often, than if you just visit individual little shops quite often.

Plus there is sooooooo much packaging in France! I opened a biscuit packet (cardboard) to find every two biscuits, individually wrapped in plastic, inside!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Andy Hamilton]

It should be all about trying and taking part so the odd failure here and there should not be too much of an issue. I do expect posts of ahhh hidden packaging what do I do with plastic wrappers etc.

[wulf]

I don't think I can do it - I might be able to reduce my rubbish further than I do at the moment but I don't think I'd be able to avoid binning anything.

Wulf

[PurpleDragon]

I'm with Wulf. I would need more info on what to do with the things I currently bin. I do recycle as much as I can, but some things are beyond me - polystyrene trays leap to mind.

[Millymollymandy]

Ooh yeah (sorry guys) what about when we have our periods? You can't flush anything if you have a septic tank!

[Shirley]

Ooh yeah (sorry guys) what about when we have our periods? You can't flush anything if you have a septic tank!

Mooncup!! :) or other reusable sanpro - there are loads of cloth pads etc.

[Shirley]

I'm with Wulf. I would need more info on what to do with the things I currently bin. I do recycle as much as I can, but some things are beyond me - polystyrene trays leap to mind.

Avoid buying stuff on polystyrene trays... but if you can't do that, you can always reuse the broken up trays in the bottom of plant pots etc.

[Merry]

I`ll have a bash - but I think there`ll be the odd problem. I`ve just cooked some sausages I bought from a right-on butcher at the farmers` market.
They were in a paper bag but wrapped initially in a little piece of polythene. That went in the bin.
Is there some kind of health legislation about initial wrapping of meats etc?
(They were nice though! )

[islanz]

I think this is a great idea. It will definitly make us think about everything we use. I am always interested in ideas on how to reduce waste.

[cir3ngirl]

The boy and me have talked it over. Managed to convince 6 year old saving up the rubbish till week three would be cheating. So were in. We promise to not throw any rubbish in our bin for two weeks nor send it round the corner to my mums house.

[Ranter]

Yeh I'm in.
I'm on a nutrition plan which cuts down saturated fats & sugar & cuts out trans fats. Hence no red meat, ready meals, dairy, beer etc. As I also try to buy local & cut down on packaging, there isn't a whole lot left to buy, therefore not a whole lot to throw away...

One issue here in Leicester City though: our rubbish goes to a waste processing plant where tins & cardboard are extracted, so they're not collected in the recycling box, we're told to put with general rubbish but reassured they are recycled. Would this still count as rubbish for the terms of this experiment?

[Millymollymandy]

Ooh yeah (sorry guys) what about when we have our periods? You can't flush anything if you have a septic tank!

Mooncup!! :) or other reusable sanpro - there are loads of cloth pads etc.

I'm not changing just for a fortnight! Sorry but eeeuuuuukkkkkkk.

Thinking about no rubbish generally - I won't be able to eat any meat that has bones or fat that needs cutting off because I can't dispose of it. No sugar because not all the packaging is recyclable. No biccies! No butter but marge is OK cos pots are recyclable. No coffee. No tea. No yoghurts (our yoghurt pots are nothing like the pots in UK, not recyclable or reusable). No home made bread, because the yeast comes in plastic packaging. No rice or pasta.

So let's see what I can eat:-

Veggies from the garden (but I've run out of spuds, so can't buy them because they come in plastic packaging)
Margerine
Anything in a tin
Anything in my freezer that is in a reusable plastic pot


Can't do it! Sad but true - practically all the basics in life have some element or other that needs to be binned.

[Shirley]

Hmmmm

Coffee and tea should be fine - why can you not have those M3? The jar can be reused and the teabags can go onto the compost heap.

We can get yeast in little tins here - again reusable. I buy a packet of yeast though and it lasts for ages - much more cost effective than the little sachets.

Rice and pasta - don't some come in recyclable cardboard packaging. You could always stuff the plastic packaging into a cushion cover or something to use as outdoor cushions, or into a sausage shape to make a draught excluder - that's what I'm planning to do with any that we get.

Sugar - will you go through a packet in two weeks? Biscuits - make your own?

Can't you buy loose tatties?

It's interesting this - it will highlight the different challengesthat different parts of the world have when it comes to recycling, and precycling.

[wulf]

What about if you buy packets of ground coffee rather than jars of instant? (although, granted, roasted beans and a handgrinder would be even better).

There are plenty of ways to drastically cut down wastage but going without throwing anything away for a couple of weeks is a bit beyond most of our reach.

How about a gentler "here's one way I've cut down my rubbish" challenge running at the same time?

Wulf