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tiff · 20-12-2004, 2:40 PM

Ok, on another thread we were discussing recycling so thought it deserves a thread of its own.

I am not very good at all at recycling but my 7 year old has learned about it at school and nags me to recycle things. We are also on a mega cost cutting drive as we were in serious financial trouble due to bad decisions and bad money management.

We have a recycling bin where we throw all the glass bottles. Any A4 paper that comes through the door, if its not printed on the other side goes into a box of paper that we use for the printer, for our own purposes of course. My husband brings home paper from work that would otherwise be thrown away. This is as far as it goes in our house so far (I'm ashamed to say).

For a newbie like me from the throwaway generation can you please give me your tips and inspiration to help me change my way of thinking and encourage me to recycle more.

16011996 · 20-12-2004, 2:45 PM

all clothes to go to oxfam recycling bank, even if they are ripped or torn, they re use the material.

tiff · 20-12-2004, 2:52 PM

I usually take mine to charity shops. The lady there said that they pick out the best stuff that they know they can sell. Everything else goes in a bag and a man comes around every now and again. He buys the items by the bag load and they are taken away for projects abroad.

16011996 · 20-12-2004, 2:56 PM

sounds like same sort of thing. ;D

Debt_Free_Chick · 20-12-2004, 3:19 PM

Kitchen scraps recycled in a wormery to create compost. This is a great science/biology project for kids. The special kits are expensive, but there are DIY ways too.

I also use margarine tubs and the like as freezer containers, especially for sauces and stocks. On that topic, a chicken carcass gets recycled for stock and leftover roast beef (lamb) recycled into Cottage (Shepherd's) Pie. The tops, tails & peelings from veg go in the stock pot too (or the wormery).

Backs of envelopes recycled for shopping lists or to do lists.

Carrier bags used as bin liners (or put in the recycling tubs at the supermarket)

ummm can't think of any more at the mo

16011996 · 20-12-2004, 3:27 PM

odd socks make great dusters.

Yoga Girl · 20-12-2004, 3:31 PM

Compost heaps are a great way of recycling lots of things - veg peelings, used kitchen towels, loo roll inners, shredded paper, and of course all the stuff from the garden (pruning etc).

16011996 · 20-12-2004, 3:33 PM

i never put loo roll inners in compost. never thought of that.

Caterina · 20-12-2004, 3:41 PM

Hi

Here are a few ideas:

Buy veg in the market, cheaper and less packaging to recycle - reuse paper bags that haven't split to package packed lunches (this can be done with empty packs of pasta/bread bags as well). Take your own shopping trolley and/or cloth bags and refuse carrier bags (unless you need them for your bin of course, but if you recycle a lot your bin will become much smaller!).

Any split paper bags can be used as absorbent paper when you fry food, unless they are manky, in which case you can compost them.

Network like mad with other like-minded people! If you have something that you don't want but know someone who would (and who DOES NOT get offended if you give them second hand things - you'd be surprised how many people find it objectionable :

). Likewise, your recycling-minded friends will think of you if they are getting rid of something that you might be able to use, and let you know!

Re-use rather than re-cycle (e.g. old clothes can be turned into cleaning rags) and do not buy things that are not strictly necessary (esp. while trying to readjust your finances!) and do not buy overpackaged things.

Make stuff at home (food from scratch, laundry soap etc...), you will find plenty of posts in this forum to help.

Bulk-buy food, this should really come under'network' - if you find a couple of other families that want to buy stuff in bulk and share it will save money and packaging.

Hope it helps.

Caterina

16011996 · 20-12-2004, 3:48 PM

wow caterina, some great ideas there.

Squidgy · 20-12-2004, 4:14 PM

160

You can put egg cartons in the composter too

Squidge x

16011996 · 20-12-2004, 4:22 PM

i reuse mine, my butchers lets you.

robnye · 20-12-2004, 5:06 PM

egg cartons.... cardboard ones i assume

empty loo/kitchen rolls?

shredded paper..... like to see the criminals delving through my composter trying to match the strips back to gether....... ha ha

i didnt know any of these could go into the composter.... ???

we got our composter 2 months ago, been happily filling with kitchen waste (no meat)
i usually recycle the cardboard, but if it is just as good to put in the composter then thats where it will go.

16011996 · 20-12-2004, 5:34 PM

i knew you could put newspaper in it, esp wet is supposed to be good, but loo rlls can go in, cos will stop kids fighting over who is going to make what with them.