Mrs Frugal Posted August 19, 2005 Share Posted August 19, 2005 Did anyone see "No Waste Like Home" on BBC2 last night? They had a green Eglu and two hens!! It's a series trying to persuade energy wasters to use their gas, electricity etc more sensibly and ecologically. The family last night were appalling. The woman had her heating at 28C all the time so that her 4 daughters could wear summer clothes all year round! They threw away everything rather than reduce, reuse and recycle. She did something like 20 loads of washing a week and tumble dried the lot summer and winter. For someone without a tumble drier, I find that staggering!! A green guru came in, persuaded them to turn the heating down, recycle glass, paper, cardboard, plastics etc, use the washing machine less and dry on the line. They gave them an Eglu and 2 hens which they fed on kitchen peelings etc and they had a special cone to put in the garden which they could put all the s"Ooops, word censored!"s which the hens couldn't eat for the worms to digest - I want one!!! Anyway, in the end, they all agreed after moaning considerably that they didn't need the heating so high, they could get away with doing less washing and they managed to reduce their houshold bills quite remarkably!! Good programme! Shows you how bad some people are! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali-s Posted August 19, 2005 Share Posted August 19, 2005 Hi Afraid I missed the programme but had wanted to watch it, hopefully I'll remember next week. Re the green cone, is this what you saw :- www.greencone.com The company is based in Nottingham Tel 0800 7312572 If it was they are great. Had mine 6 months now and put all my kitchen waste in it that I can't feed to the chickens or put in the compost bin. It will take all kitchen waste cooked or uncooked even bones. Rots down really quickly. Mine came from the local council and cost £5.00. Even this wasn't what you saw they are a worthwhile buy. Regards Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted August 19, 2005 Author Share Posted August 19, 2005 I'll contact my council to see if I can get one as they're a great idea and with two very faddy boys, I have a lot of food to throw away - my plate's always clean ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louise Posted August 19, 2005 Share Posted August 19, 2005 I missed it BBC2 reception was very poor last night (I pay a licence fee for fuzz ) Just had a friend on the phone who told me all about it I tried the link Ali and apparently I am nto authorised to view it New one on me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted August 19, 2005 Author Share Posted August 19, 2005 No I wasn't authorised either but I'm going to ring my council anyway! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popcorn Posted August 19, 2005 Share Posted August 19, 2005 Missed it too! No surprise for me though - not into TV much Good job we've got the forum so I can catch up on the best bits though Ali - I've deleted the other post and just left the one with the correct web addess, which now works just fine! (it was the full-stop) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louise Posted August 19, 2005 Share Posted August 19, 2005 Thanks Gina I can get it to work now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted August 19, 2005 Author Share Posted August 19, 2005 Yes, works a treat now. Typically my council aren't doing the special offer so I'll have to save up my pennies for one. I really want to get one - seeing all that food go to waste at the end of each day with my two incredibly faddy boys makes me want to cry so letting the worms eat it is a terrific idea. LSH can dig the hole ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali-s Posted August 19, 2005 Share Posted August 19, 2005 Thanks Gina. But what a price to buy normally! Well done Moray council! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louise Posted August 19, 2005 Share Posted August 19, 2005 Wish my council was so generous Borders have only just given us compost bins and they are yet to deliver my wheelie bin and recyling bags which won't include glass so I will still have to trail to the town with the empties You are dead lucky to have such an enlightened council Ali Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnnieP Posted August 19, 2005 Share Posted August 19, 2005 What a great device..typical that so many councils are not promoting it...except the Isles of Scilly..did you see that? Free to all residents! How forward thinking is that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted August 19, 2005 Author Share Posted August 19, 2005 We don't have wheely bins either for recycling so have to use the tiny crate the council gave us plus assorted carrier and bin bags - white not black or they won't take them away ! We recycle loads of stuff every week which is amazing as I avoid packaging wherever possible in the shops! I don't know where it all comes from! Our council won't take glass either so we've got a big bin full of bottles and jars waiting to go to the bottle bank! I recycle jam jars because I make lots of jam but olive oil bottles, coffee jars etc aren't so easy to reuse when you've already reused loads! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnnieP Posted August 19, 2005 Share Posted August 19, 2005 We get nothing! No recycling whatsoever! Allegedly because we are too rural!! Luckily we have so many outbuidings, we sort and save everything, then every 3 months we load up the trailer and car and go to the recycling centre. OK for us, but there must be so much waste going on in our local area. Sickening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted August 19, 2005 Author Share Posted August 19, 2005 My neighbours are a family of 6 and they don't recycle. It makes me very cross. It's because they say they can't fit everything into the little crate and only have black bin bags so the recycling lorry won't take them. Get some white bags then ! Imagine all the cans, tins, newspapers etc they throw in the bin. They put out about 6 bin bags a week for the rubbish van ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louise Posted August 19, 2005 Share Posted August 19, 2005 My wheelie bin (when it arrives) will be for household waste and I am to get bags for the other stuff I think it will be cans (I hope that includes cat food and tomatoes not just fizzy juice as I don't drink any) plastic bottles and paper/cardboard and that's it. For the amount of waste I generate a wheelie bin will take ages to fill I guess the isles os scilly council has a problem with space for landfill which is why they are so generous it solves a huge problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louise Posted August 19, 2005 Share Posted August 19, 2005 Just seen the message about your neighbours Kate. The only way to force people to recycle is to reduce the council tax but make them pay for landfill waste the only down side to that is it wil l increase the incidence of fly tipping Once you get into the habit of separating your waste it is easy. Once I get my new bags which the council will supply I will be able to do this even more easily some people just don't care Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KateB Posted August 19, 2005 Share Posted August 19, 2005 We have a tiny blue crate which the council collects once every other week which personally I think is just daft because we fill it easily in 3 or 4 days but anyway... this is the best bit - 3 weeks ago I noticed that whilst everyone elses recycling had been taken, ours had been left so this week I saw them coming and went to ask why they'd left it. I was told it was because it was too heavy so I should put some of it in the bin, not the recycling! Told him to forget it and I'd take it myself - the council received a very cross phone call but weren't very interested...grr... Makes me wonder why there is such a massive difference in councils - my in laws get everything taken, have loads of bins for different things etc. and pay far less council tax than ourselves and my parents pay even more and don't get anything! Grrrr End of rant. Apologies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnnieP Posted August 19, 2005 Share Posted August 19, 2005 Well said Kate! I approve of your rant. Our council tax is sky high, but because we live in the middle of nowhere we get nothing. Every day when I walk my dogs I take a "grabber" and carrier bag with me to collect rubbish that thoughtful people throw out of their cars as they drive down the lanes. I usually fill a black sack every two weeks. I met another local woman the other day, (whose husband is on the parish council). She asked me what I was doing, and when I told her, she was horrified and said, "but you shouldn't do it, its not your job to tidy up". Well, maybe so, but as I pointed out to her, if I didn't do it, who would? We have never had a street cleaner come by, or a road sweeper, or verge cutters, or gritters etc etc. We do it all ourselves! It makes you want to spit. People who live in towns and who rant and rave about living in the country really should try it sometimes: Its so much harder!! Grrrr!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 19, 2005 Share Posted August 19, 2005 I have to admit, until recently I never gave recycling a thought - everything went into the wheeliebin and off to the tip. I'm not sure what made me stop and think one day, but somthing pricked my concience. I was shocked at the amount of stuff I had been chucking out that could be recycled. It gets chucked in the boot of the car when I go to work (sorry, but I work for a major supermarket - another black mark against me! ), and I go to the recycling bit when I finish work. Midlothian council gave me a gigantic compost bin for a fiver, and, of course, I have 4 little recycling units running around in the eglu and run. I was out last night, but have recorded the programme, so look forward to watching after work tonight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicola H Posted August 19, 2005 Share Posted August 19, 2005 I watched the programme and saw the green Eglu, I was amazed at how much waste that family had.........All my neighbours laugh at my washing on the line they both just chuck everything in the dryer what a waste of money apart from the damage to the environment....I love to see my big pants blowing in the breeze on the washing line...... Maybe that is what makes the neighbours laugh so much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnnieP Posted August 19, 2005 Share Posted August 19, 2005 Have never used a dryer in my life. Our neighbours (just moved here from London ) use a dryer for everything. When I asked why, she said "so "Ooops, word censored!"ody can see my clothes". I pointed out that they were 500 yards from the roadside and "Ooops, word censored!"ody walked down their track. Perhaps she meant those satellites in outer space?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicola H Posted August 19, 2005 Share Posted August 19, 2005 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louise Posted August 19, 2005 Share Posted August 19, 2005 I spent years living in a little house with a tiny kitchen and lusted after dishwashers and tumble driers etc and now I have the space I don't want them I think I am the only person in my area that hangs out washing coz I never see anyone else doing it. I do it because I couldn't afford to run a dryer apart from anything else but then I eat properly so have less cash available As for not seeing the clothes does your friend go out naked?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnnieP Posted August 19, 2005 Share Posted August 19, 2005 available As for not seeing the clothes does your friend go out naked?? must own up to having a dishwasher...I think we probably use less water with it than my parents who fill a bowl with water and detergent to wash up after every cup of tea.....I absolutely hate having dirty crocks in the sink..attracts flies etc... Good job I've got no kids hanging around eh? we do use ecover stuff to appease my guilt somewhat! Whilst we're "outing" ourselves for crimes against ecology etc. (Chookiehen...I shop in supermarkets...sometimes ) we don't have a compost heap either..or a wormery...and we hardly grow any of our own veg...I PROMISE TO TRY HARDER, I PROMISE TO TRY HARDER, (I've given myself 100 lines). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted August 19, 2005 Author Share Posted August 19, 2005 We shop in supermarkets unfortunately but that's because LSH won't do it any other way and as he's the major wage earner (I'm very, very minor ), I let him decide but we're careful about what we buy and have a very low budget as I make everything from scratch that I possibly can anyway. I've not had a tumble drier for 10 years now and haven't missed it and wouldn't have another one if they paid me to do so. I won't have a dishwasher either - don't have the room or the inclination either!! I've been known to get the mangle and washboard out many a time when the machine's gone wrong and have rather enjoyed it - but not for longer than 3 week stretches please I do grow lots of fruit, veggies and herbs in my tiny garden though and love my compost heap whilst lusting after one of those green cones and a wormery . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
