Reflections and actions during COP26 and going on
11th February 2022
Designated Boots stores have recycling points where you can deposit hard-to-recycle items such as mascara sticks, make-up palettes, compacts, lipsticks, toothpaste tubes, and lotion pumps. (Boots do ask that you don’t use these recycling bins for items that can be recycled via your kerbside recycling service). You do not need to be a Boots customer, but if you are you can earn reward points with your recycling.
10th February 2022
Putting plastic in the recycling bin is only part of the story. What happens to it next? Greenpeace has reported finding plastic sent from the UK to Turkey for recycling simply discarded in open dumps by roads and rivers.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-57139474
In response Greenpeace has set up a petition asking the Government to fix the problems of the UK’s use and reuse of plastic.
9th February 2022
Just as paper handkerchiefs and kitchen towels cannot be recycled, so too is the same for paper napkins/ serviettes. Cafés routinely add a paper serviette to every order. Rather than throwing them straight away, you can use them as a base for growing mustard and cress before finally adding them to your compost heap.
Replace paper serviettes with washable, reusable cotton ones.
8th February 2022
Each time paper is recycled, the fibres become shorter and shorter and the potential for further recycling gets less. Paper towels are usually made from fibres that are already very short. For the paper towel recycling is no longer an option. Paper towels are likely to have absorbed grease, food or other substances, which again makes them unsuitable candidates for recycling. In small numbers they can be added to your compost bin.
Do we need paper towels in the kitchen? Why not use cloths that can be washed and reused to wipe up spills? Hand/ bath towels/ tea towels that become to worn for be serviceable, can be cut down and repurposed as cleaning clothes. And when they become too worn, they can go as rags for recycling – charity shops usually welcome bags of rags.
7th February 2022
Paper handkerchiefs cannot be recycled, even though they are made of paper. They can be composted and their plastic wrapper can be recycled with other soft plastics. But a better option is to use cotton handkerchiefs. These can be washed and reused and have a life time that can be multi generational. I am still using some fine lawn ones that belonged to my mother-in-law.
5th February 2022
We consumers can make a difference: the way we shop can and does change the way supermarkets and smaller stores operate.
Harry Rose, editor of Which?, said: “We know that consumers increasingly want to shop sustainably and our in-depth analysis of three key areas shows that all the big supermarkets could be looking to make some improvements. The good news is shoppers can make a big difference themselves by adopting more sustainable habits, such as buying loose fruit and vegetables, buying seasonal local produce, eating less meat and dairy and limiting their own food waste.”
4th February 2022
As the evenings are getting lighter, maybe you feel encouraged to cycle more. Cycling is good for mental and physical health as well as the health of our local environment. Recent changes to the Highway Code should make active travel (ie on foot or cycle) even safer with the concept of a hierarchy of care: larger/ faster/ heavier transport users have a responsibility of care towards more vulnerable/ slower users. For a good guide to the new rules see the Sustrans
website –
3rd February 2022
The WWT in partnership with the National Garden Scheme is encouraging people to create a pond – even a small one – in their garden to encourage wildlife and help replace some of the 50% of ponds lost during the 20th century. Gardens are an important part of the green environment.
https://www.wwt.org.uk/news-and-stories/news/new-partnership-to-champion-garden-wetlands
How to make a mini pond – https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/actions/how-create-mini-pond
2nd February 2022
Investing in natural solutions to tackle climate change. Today is International Wetlands Day and the “WWT is launching a major new public campaign Wetlands Can! urging people to get behind our call for the creation of 100,000 hectares of healthy wetlands in the UK to help combat the climate, nature and wellbeing crisis. The public can do this by signing a pledge to press the UK government to prioritise and invest in more wetlands.”
1st February 2022
January to March is the season for blood oranges – often now referred to as blush oranges. In fact they do seem to be more a blush than the rich red blood colour I remember from the past. Either way, it is a seasonal treat to enjoy!
The Green Tau 