Selfsufficientish.com

Sorry rather hasty there with this one, I have unlocked it and edited out the name of your church. I hope this is a good compromise.

Hi ALL, I want to grow RICE in my plastic transportable container system TO HELP FEED THE POOR, but I can't do this as we don't grow rice to eat in the UK.
If you can help me do this in any way I'm sure it wont be a waste of your time and effort, as I do believe the way I grow things now will work to grow rice on a small or large scale all over the world, as it's designed to be in control of water and space, and it will also cost next to nothing to make helping to solve lots of POBLEMS at the same time.
If you do grow rice where you live now please give my system a go, thank you. May you and yours and what you grow live long and happy. John.J.R.P.

Hi ALL, on Saturday the 19-7-2008 I did a presentation of my reuse of waste to grow food idea at our local churchs 50th birthday, where the weather played a big part in having lots of local people enjoying what was laid on by our lady vicar, I was also lucky enough to meet and speak to our deputy lady Mayor for Bromley to, who was very impressed with what she had seen with own eyes, and said she would tell others. It was also a great day for me as lots of local people had seen my growing systems set up, but they never knew who had done it until they met me. I was also lucky enough to have my presentation already set up just inside the main front doors to the church, so every one of all ages coming in or out stopped and said hello, and asked about the way I grew things, saying they would like to help spread the word on my behalf after me giving them my website address to see more. Some people who live very close to my projects want me to help them set things up where they live as it involves using a sharp knife and helping to fix things in place, which I've agreed to do when they have collected enough of their waste containers for me to do so.
With this in mind I do hope the dustmen are going to be told they must clear all of our rubbish by the Councils no matter what it is, seeing as they went on strike last week and it is now black bag week to where we live, which makes contamination more likely to have taken place. What I can't understand is yes all the people involved must belong to the same union, but I do believe the dustman are now paid by subcontractors not the Council, even though they use their vehicals to manage our waste. John.J.R.P.

Hi ALL, today the 26-7-2008 a lady allotment plot holder decided to started growing things the way I do on her allotment plot, on our allotment plot site with a little bit of help from me, as she said her newly acquired overgrown allotment plot was just to hard to dig over and clear of weeds and brambles in the time she has to do it.
What she has already done so far is clear about 5 poles by 5 poles and put up a small shed with the help of others, so she doesn't mind getting stuck in when it comes to hard work, it's just she was so impressed with the way I grew things she wants to give it a try. So I agreed to help her in any way I could, starting with some large unwanted wooden pallets which my son got for me to use, laying them straight down on top of the high grass and weeds to make a raised up base, we then layed one unwanted sheet of 8ft-4ft plywood on top to be what she walked on and put my transportable container system on too. I then gave her 6 rows of 6 pinters (60) in total to use as her base ones interlocked and held together with some string tied around the end parts of the beams, so the end containers could not come off, which worked out about 4ft-3 and half feet, leaving about 1ft down the middle before starting rows of 4 pinter as base containers on the other side, so we already know we can get 120 base contaners on her 8-4 platform, adding 2 more unwanted wooden pallets and another sheet of 8-4 plywood will double that, and so on, in 5 minutes she had set up her new growing area ready to use while I filmed her doing it and I took some photos to, to add to my daily record of what I did on a certain day at a certain time to show others who might like to know, at last I've found someone who can tell others about the way she grows things using my idea. I've ask her if I can put some of the photos onto my website, and she said it was ok, the only problem is I will have to take some of my others photos off, as I've got no more room on my website for the money we pay.
Some other good news is my potato bit experiment is now showing signes of growing just in horse manure, which proves to me Mother nature plays a very big part in our lives.
OK who would like to eat something that's grown in -horse manure, don't all rush I haven't had my potato's tested yet, I can't see any problems apart from eating the skin, ha ha, seeing as we already grow some things in manure which get eaten.
With this in mind I've just suggested to someone living in Africa that they dig out a area and fill it with old rags to help retain any water, covering them over with what they had just dug out, adding manure as well to a contained area could change the whole way of growing things if the man trys it out, as well as using my system to of course.
May you and yours and what you grow live long and happy. John.J.R.P.

Hi All, did you see me on SKY three TV on Wednesday the 13-8-2008 to do with the Secret world of Suburbia ( Gardening ), as I would like to know what you thought of my simple to make ideas, which I've also shown on my website to help spread the word we can reuse, and recycle lots of our waste to help reduce it going to landfill sites.
Plus I've just added a photo of my youngest grandson who played FELIX the doctors son on Eastenders this year for you to look at as part of my (Young Gardeners) family tree.
Very soon I hope to be putting lots more photos and info on to my website to cover my other ideas for you to look at, I might even be able to have a page where people can leave some comments or feadback, to add to what some people already say about me on other websites I post on. John.J.R.P.

Hi ALL, just a short up date on the way I grow things to let you know that I'm now growing flowers for the first time in my containers to help promote my water recycling system. I've done this by buying some reduced Dianthus which B&Q were selling for one pound a tray, which I've dead headed and they are now showing some more growth, these should look good with there different colours, replacing the lettuces which have now gone to seed mostly at the Community Learning Centre and the Church projects. Of course I will add some more photos to my website in the future to show you, like my other growing ideas, when I get some more space to do so. John.J.R.P.

Hi ALL, for those who would like to know things are moving in WASTE SERVICES!
KENT'S FIRST INDOOR RECYCLING CENTRE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
PEPPERHILL Household Waste Recycling Centre is designed to manage up to 130,000 tonnes of waste.

IT DEALS WITH EVERYTHING FROM SCRAP METAL TO TEXTILIES AND TYRES AND SPETACLES TO ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES AS WELL AS GENERAL HOUSEHOLD AND GARDEN WASTE.

The £3.6m site in STATION Road, NORTHFLEET, has been open to all Dartford and GRAVESEND residents since September 1st.
Cash for the NEW centre, which has 10 STAFF and is only one of two in the country, has been provided by KENT COUNTY COUNCIL ( KCC ), which is RESPONSIBLE FOR THE RUNNING OF THE SITE.
KCC cabinet member for ENVIRONMENT, HIGHWAYS and WASTE COUNCILLOR Mr KEITH FERRIN says he expects 300,000 visits annually.
He said: "Since the site opened it has been doing very well and lots of people have been visiting. "During the first month we RECYCLED 71 per cent of REFUSE brought to the site, which was the FIGURE WE WERE AIMING FOR. "It's early days but I'm hoping for even more visitors. "This isn't just aimed at Gravesend and Dartford residents but also people who live right across Kent."
THE SITE HAS A DRIVE-THROUGH SYSTEM AIMED AT MAKING IT EASY TO UNLOAD ITEMS.
Bright icons are used to direct CUSTOMERS to the correct area of the centre. THE SITE IS A SINGLE LEVEL BUILDING COVERING AROUND A HECTARE.
GREETERS show visitors how to use the site and HELP THEM TO RECYCLE. There are NO STEPS TO CLIMB to unload goods.
There are marked bays for different types of household waste, visitors can drive into the bays and then tip their rubbish into the necessary compartment.
Site manager Mr TREVOR YOUNG said: On arrival at the centre, customers will be met by our TRAINED GREETERS who will show visitors how to use the site and assist them with their recycling.
"THE FACT THE SITE IS UNDERCOVER MEANS COSTOMERS CAN RECYCLE IN COMFORT RATHER THAN BEING EXPOSED TO THE ELEMENTS. "IT'S THESE EXTRA TOUCHES WHICH MAKE VISITING PEPPERHILL A PLEASANT EXPERIENCE AND ENCOURAGE RESIDENTS TO RECYCLE EVEN MORE."
TV presenter and ENVIRONMENTALIST PHILIPPA FORRESTER officially opened the site last week. She said: I'm very proud to be able to launch this exciting new facility.
"This is the first time I have visited an INDOOR RECYCLING CENTRE. I would now like to see one where I live as I'm very big on recycling."
She added: "WE LIVE ON A SMALL PLANET AND OUR RESOURCES ARE DWINDLING SO PEOPLE MUST RECYCLE EVERYTHING THEY CAN.
"I think centres such as Pepperhill which are undercover and easy to use will encourage them to do so."
THE PEPPERHILL SITE IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, FROM 8am TO 4.30pm

(me)
Now that's what I call adding a very good idea to help deal with our Waste PROBLEM, simply done by the Council and public working together in a well thought out way.

Hi ALL, what about this for a headline. RECYCLING CLEAR OF THE FIELD as reported in our Greenwichtime dated the 18-11-2008.
GREENWICH FIGURES BEST IN THE COUNTRY. THE GREEN ISSUE page.
GREENWICH'S green credentials went up another notch with the news that the borough has sent less waste to landfill than ANY other local authority in ENGLAND for the SECOND YEAR running. Just three per cent of all rubbish in Greenwich goes to landfill, according to figures for 2007/8 just released by the Government.
That means Greenwich has OUT-PERFORMED ALL OTHER AUTHORITIES FOR TWO YEARS. What's more 43 per cent of ALL household waste is being RECYCLED.

The results also show that last year Greenwich recycled or composted 31 per cent of all houshold waste, up from 24 per cent in 2006/7
It means the borough has EXCEEDED its annual target set by the Government, and is set to meet the key 2010 recycling goals a year early.
Our Cllr Rajwant Sidhu, Greenwich Council's cabinet member for a GREENER GREENWICH, said: "We are delighted with the performance in 2007/08 and are also extremely happy to see that the new system is having such a positive effect on our recycling rates. "We would like to thank residents for their efforts so far, and hope they will work with us to achieve even better results in the future. We still need to keep getting better and better at recycling here, as everywhere, and hope all residents will take extra care to recycle as much of their waste as possible, and to put the right waste in the right bin."

(ME) It's nice to read about all the TENENTS and RESIDENTS and BUSINESS and SCHOOL CHILDREN and everyone else in Greenwich doing their bit to help deal with our waste PROBLEM.
I'm sure once we do away with the black bags all together, and we are all supplied with clear bags to use, along with a BLACK TOP WHEELIE BIN if we want one, then we will all see trying to deal with everyones waste will become far more easyer in one way or another in the future.
Whist in the past year I think most people thought the Greenwich Waste Management did not have a clue on how to run their new collection system to help recycle more, why for example not supplying everyone with a BLUE TOP WHEELIE BIN before starting it on the 21st of January 2008, and not suppling us with clear bags too, I'm very pleased to say now the Council Management have been listerning to the people who are trying to make the system work, with a end result so far that we now have a regular 3 times in one day collection service, first to go is any black bags, then the Blue top Wheelie bin is emptied, and then the Green top Wheelie bin, and then we have a vehical going round another day collecting what the dustmen leave as contaminated.
At this point I would Like to claim on behalf of our Coldharbour Estate SE9 Tenents and Resedents and everyone else, RECYCLING IS CLEAR OF THE FIELD, THE BEST IN THE COUNTRY, adding to the Greenwich authoritys claims that we are the best at doing our bit to help the envirenment as the latest figures show.
May you and yours and what you grow live long and happy, and may all your waste be reused again in one way or another to help reduce it going to landfill sites. John.J.R.P.

Hi ALL, this is my last up date before the New year 2009 is here, so I'm telling you Now and how things are in regards to my Re-use of waste ideas stand at this moment.
Even though my website has been visited over 45,000 times, and people know what I'm trying to do on my own, in the way of trying to help others without trying to make any money out of them. It does seem that most people must think there's a catch to it some where along the line involving me making money, where there is not.
All I'm trying to do in the simplest way I can, is try to tell people all over the world that I've designed a system that works, which I'm offering to the world for FREE, so that maybe someone out there might use it on a small scale or a large one to serve a purpose, for example to grow some food to eat, especially where there is lack of water like in a drought situation, or where there as been to much water like a flood situation.
My system can be use in so many different ways, and it actually cost next to nothing to make, because its made from RUBBISH which there is plenty of all over the world.
I know in some countries they look at any waste as a valued resource, and it's put to another use in lots of different ways to NOT end up in landfill sites, like lots of other countries still have, even though the Governments of those countries all know, and all the people do too, that things must change.
OK if someone is in the business of dealing with our waste to make money, then so be it.
But there are people in the world who just want a little bit of help in trying to improve there way of life.
Whilst I know that there are lots of charitys out there doing there bit involving money, surely someone out there can put two and two together and get my idea used, along with what ever they are trying to do to help people in the best way that they can.
After all there is hardly any cost involved in my idea, and they weigh next to nothing to be transported, cut or uncut to use.
What really gets to me is when you see Children having to drink muddy water because there is no other water to drink, makes me feel so sad, especially when my water recycling system can be used to help clean it, simply done by using my vertical drip system as shown on my website as a filltering water system, which someone could set up right next to the water that they are having to use, or near by it using any old rags to trap the dirt, and what ever else was in it, taking out the rag when full to be replaced with some more rags until the water is clear enough, and ready to be boiled.
The contaminated rags could then be burnt when dry enough to do so, or used as compost to grow something in, along as it's only got dirt in it.
With growing things in mind I hope 2009 is going to change things in regards to more people using my simple system, as I'm now involved in promoting Recycling along with others who are involved in getting all our local estate communities to share ideas and problems together in Greenwich,our first meeting is in January 2009 at Woolwich SE18.
Of course I will be supporting and promoting a GREENER Greenwich, involving WASTE and GROWING THINGS as a member of the TRA in any way that I can.
If you are interested in things I'm trying to promote please visit my website ... . recycling.moonfruit.com which I hope won't be a waste of your time after reading my message.
If you do decide to use my system or are already using it, please send me some photos only of my system being used, and I will put them on my website to show others, along with some info.. Thank You. May I wish you and yours and what you grow a long and happy life, and a Happy Christmas and New Year 2009. John.J.R.P.

Hi ALL, for those who are interested in the way I grow things not in the ground, but done by using waste plastic containers and wood to help reduce them going to landfill sites in the UK and the rest of the world, I'm doing a presentation of my reuse of waste ideas on a small scale to show every one who comes to our first TRA Meeting held at St Peters Church - Woolwich SE18 this Saturday the 24-1-2009. I'm doing this because someone might come who wants to start a simple school gardening project or just use my idea to grow something themselves, if they have not got a garden, or they may know someone living in another country who may want to grow their own food to eat.
The main aim of the event is to give an exciting opportunity for Tenant and Residents Groups to showcase successes, network with other groups and share best practice.
The event I hope will inspire groups, give ideas, and give a first hand look at what other have achieved, but more importantly... How they did it, or How they are going to do it.
In terms of the stalls on the day various groups have shown a keen interest, and have signed up for the day. There will be stalls for Partner agencies and groups/ individuals with a vested interest in Community related matters. For Example.
SAFER NEIGHBOURHOOD TEAM - Will be there to support and get involved in local Communities in a positive way.
NOISE TEAM - Will be there to discuss how to effectively deal with noise related issues.
YOUTH TEAM - Will be there to discuss youth opportunities on ESTATES.
FAMILY FORUM - Will be there offering support and running activities for parents with children under five in local Communities.
TENANCY SERVICES - Will be there to discuss tenancy related matters and how the team can get involved and support Community groups.
AGE CONCERN - Will be there to discuss all their programs and activities for the over 55's and how to help reduce isolation.
NEIGHBOURHOOD PRIDE - Will be there to discuss and show practical examles of how the ideology of 'PRIDE' can be ensiled back into the local Community.
CARE PARTNERSHIP - Mr Matthew Wing will be there to discuss real opportunities to be a part of sport, to be coached and develop the skill to coach themselves, for FREE.
GRANT STALL - Will be there to present a range of different grants that can be applied for as a Community Group.
TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES - Will be there for Tenants and Residents to catch a glimpse of the various training opportunities available and sign up for future training courses.
WASTE SERVICES - Will be there to explain the various methods of waste disposal and to answer any questions.
GAS SERVICES - Mr Graham Saunders will be there to discuss any Gas related matters.
BOROUGH WIDE HOUSING PANEL / DIVERSITY REVIEW BOARD - Chair Gary Wells and Tejinder will be there to discuss the BWHP and DRB and answer any questions. COMMUNITY GROUPS - will be there representing whats going on in their COMMUNITY, various Tenant & Resident Groups run regular activities, some being more common than others. However, showcasing a sample of these activities may inspire others to incorporate them into their groups. Sample activities will run through-out the day in the activities are. They will include: LINE DANCING or SALSA, THAI CHI, BINGO - with prizes, INDOOR CURLING.
REFRESHMENTS.
Refreshments will be provided on the day in the form of hot and cold finger food, juice and tea & coffee FREE OF CHARGE.
MAIN EVENT: 24th January 2009 from 10am - 2pm. ST PETERS CHURCH, WOOLWICH NEW ROAD, WOOLWICH, SE18. ( Opposite Peggy Middleton House ).
For more info contact Lee Christie on 0208 921 5149 or e-mail lee.christie@greenwich.gov.uk.
I hope to see you there, may you and yours and what you grow live long and happy. John Pendergast SE9. JRP ( Recycling ).

John, it sounds like saturday will be a very busy day for you!

I hope the weather is kind & there is a large attendance - it's nice when you get all the partnerships together & listen to the various ideas bouncing around - I hope that the community there also support the day as well.

One side of my mum's family lived on the coldharbour estate for many years (the sumner side, I think) and I can remember many years ago when the graffiti play area was finished - sooooo cool! I used to love my visits there - especially the pie & mash suppers we used to get

Have a good & productive day - let us know how it all goes.

Julie.

Hi JulieSherris, thank you very much for showing you interest in what I'm doing.
May you and yours and what you grow live long and happy. John J.R.P.

John wrote: Hi ALL, I want to grow RICE in my plastic transportable container system TO HELP FEED THE POOR, but I can't do this as we don't grow rice to eat in the UK.
If you can help me do this in any way I'm sure it wont be a waste of your time and effort, as I do believe the way I grow things now will work to grow rice on a small or large scale all over the world, as it's designed to be in control of water and space, and it will also cost next to nothing to make helping to solve lots of POBLEMS at the same time.
If you do grow rice where you live now please give my system a go, thank you. May you and yours and what you grow live long and happy. John.J.R.P.

Hi John,

Growing rice in the UK is possible with effort. Too much effort for it to be worth it for food but you might be able to swing it (providing you can get seed) as a test for your system to see how it works with rice http://www.plantcultures.org/plants/rice_grow_it.html

I can't help with your experiment I'm afraid but perhaps you can find some enterprising or curious person who just wants to grow rice to prove they can.

Becky

Hi shutsumon, thank you for trying to help me, I did get some rice from my local post master who comes from India, and all of his family are farmers, but like he said the best time to sow is in the summer, but you should all know me by now I try to grow things to see if they will or not all the year round with Mother Natures help. I've already put 70 Rice seed into 2o x 1 liter bottomless bottles, which are inside 20 x 2 litre bottomless bottles to act as reservoir, like my water recycling system already does work, but these are in an old milk crate found on my allotment plot site, which I would say must be one of the smallest transportable growing system where you can grow so much in a small space, which I've already used as shown on my website last year 9-12-2008 of course there is no sign of life yet, but if my seeds survive being damp and cold now and they do grow in my containers, like some of my strawberries are doing now, then I believe it's got to be worth trying, if it can help to maybe feed people in the future. Anyway I've invited my post master to come and see what I'm doing and some of is family farmer so we can sort things out as they grow rice on a big scale in India now. Don't worry I will let everyone know if I get a sign of life.
May you and yours and what you grow live long and happy. John J.R.P.

Hi ALL what a great day it was meeting so many people who had gathered together under one roof to talk about things that went on in their Communities, which they all wanted to share with other Communities. There was at least 30 different groups of people all having a great time talking to each other, and enjoying each other company in a atmusphere of taking part in something new, which I'm please to say that I took part in as well, as just an ordinary member of the public who had something to add to the days newness.
We had a surprise visit from our Mayor of Greenwich Steve Offord who was very impressed with what was going on, and he took the time to stop and talk to most of the people who were there, and we had the local press visited too, who I'm pleased to say found like lots of other people said that my presentation of growing things was of interest to them too..
There were so many people who said that they would help me to spread the word after seeing with their own eyes, what I had grown, and the way I grow things in such a very simple way they felt that they must get involved, I'm now pleased to say that I've now been invited to go to other Communites where they are starting up their own Community gardens projects, and they want me to help them to set up my system of growing things in waste plastic containers so that the young and old can grow things in a fun way for next to nothing, in their gardens or Communities. On the day from about 9am until about 3pm I don't think I stopped talking to people who are doing their own bit in their own way, just like our own C.T.R.A. members who took part in providing some music along with some bingo when the break periods were called, and they showed films and talked to others about what they did on our Coldharbour Estate too, ending up with a invite to do the same thing on another estate in the future.
All in all I would recommend to any community group try and the same thing no matter where they live.
For more info on how to get things sorted out why not contact Mr Lee Christie, at Lee.Christie@greenwich.gov.uk I'm sure it won't be a waste of your time. Thank you.
May you and yours and what you grow live long and happy John. J.R.P. (recycling)