Is being green the new black?

HappySad

beer2006 wrote:

moonrakerz, you can't make your rubbish fit in one wheelie bin!
Thats terrible, all that stuff your being forced to buy, with all that non recyclable stuff packaging it, what a nightmare. You think other people don't have the same choices, yet other people manage to throw away a hell of a lot less.

My sympathy for you = none.

Cut down on your waste and then come back and moan about recycling not being worth it.

I do agree with Moonraker. If you spend some time gradually recycling more and more each week/month you will easily find that you will only use a fraction of the rubbish. Used to have an over flowing wheely bin and not it is 1/3 full each week. Aiming to get is 1/4 full and so on .....

Other greener MSE can help you find out about what you can recycle and give away to others.

pickle

Why don't the councils enforce less packaging by refusing to let supermarkets set up unless they comply with certain regulations? Why should they pay lip-service to recycling and then not do this? Why is it always on the individual instead of big business?

Why don't the hospitals use terry nappies instead of disposables? Surely it would be better for landfill in the local area and get parents used to the idea that they can use them. Why should there be a real nappy campaign if the hospitals aren't prepared themselves to practice what they preach. Again the councils should pressurise the NHS about this, or charge them extra for disposal so it's an unattractive option.

The councils themselves should accept more variety in what they will recycle and be better at providing information about what is and is not acceptable.

SaverSarah_2

Our council is pretty good at household recycling, and communicating what you can and can't recycle. It varies a lot where we live, literally, we're in one local authority area, and twenty or so houses down the road, they're in a different one. At the moment our card and plastic isn't collected but theirs is. Go figure!

I totally hear what you're saying about why is it always down to individuals though. I have a HUGE problem with this. Think about how much cardboard, for example, an average home produces. Now compare that to the amount of carboard a shop throws out. But THEIRS isn't recycled!

Perhaps this varies in some areas, but I got into a conversation with my friend about this, she works in an off-licence and says they fill a huge bin with cardboard every evening and that this isn't collected...

And what about pubs? Does anyone know if their bottles and cans are collected? Around here, as far as I understand, they're not. Just THINK about how many bottles they must chuck out in a week.

Actually, it doesn't bear thinking about does it?!

What does everyone else think?

Ken68

Since joining this site, I see waste everywhere.
I like the idea of a room audit. Actively think of how to buy, run and recycle everything.
God, I'm getting like me dad.

SaverSarah_2

Ken68 wrote:

God, I'm getting like me dad.

:rotfl:
Ha! Tell me about it!! I never thought I'd turn into my parents, turns out they were right all along!

Also, thanks for sharing with us back there HappySad, nice to know we're not alone...

HappySad

Ken68 wrote:

Since joining this site, I see waste everywhere.
I like the idea of a room audit. Actively think of how to buy, run and recycle everything.
God, I'm getting like me dad.

What is a room audit?

QueenB.

I have been as green as possible for at least 20 years and i am not even thirty yet. I was made fun of by family and friends but stuck to it. I have brought my children up in such a lifestyle and converted my OH.

Yes it can be a bit annoying that it is now a bit of a fad however i agree with the other poster, every little helps, if programmes and celebs bring not only awareness but a cool factor to being green then that can only be good, even though many will fall of the fad wagon many others will stay. It is now not only acceptable but encouraged in schools and by councils and that makes it easier for all of us and it also makes it more attractive to many new would be greenies.

Personally i love to travel and yes that can involve planes but i do what i can to offset that and am also supporting all the pushes into seeing how we can make such travel more enviromentally friendly.

If we judge others or make them feel like the little they are doing is really not worthwhile we are only going to put them off and then when they decide to go back to doing nothing where are we but back several steps.

Education, encouragement and easier and cheaper ways to be as green as possible is part of the way forward.

SaverSarah_2

QueenB. wrote:

If we judge others or make them feel like the little they are doing is really not worthwhile we are only going to put them off and then when they decide to go back to doing nothing where are we but back several steps.

Education, encouragement and easier and cheaper ways to be as green as possible is part of the way forward.

Wise words QueenB, well said.

xx

Ken68

Happy Sad asked what is a room audit......thought I read it here , or perhaps on another similiar thread. New phrase to me but think it means visually checking out each item in a room...do I need it, can it be run cheaper or better, chuck it if it's polluting and so on.

HappySad

Ken68 wrote:

Happy Sad asked what is a room audit......thought I read it here , or perhaps on another similiar thread. New phrase to me but think it means visually checking out each item in a room...do I need it, can it be run cheaper or better, chuck it if it's polluting and so on.

Great Idea!!! Never heard of this concept. It is a way of really getting to the bottom of your consumsion and owned items so ensure that you are as green as you can. I have used this way of thinking to tackle my spending but not thought about this way of thinking for the things I already own.