Louise Posted August 19, 2005 Share Posted August 19, 2005 Sorry Annie I wasn't trying to cause offense I don't need a dishwasher for the amount I generate but i do have a friend who complains bitterly that I don't have one when she comes to stay I wouldn't mind but I never let her wash up I won't have a tumble dryer because of the cost of running it I would worry about it becoming habitual for speed and I have managed this long Besides you can't beat crawling into bed with fresh sheets dried on the line ....bliss. Much nicer than ones tumbledried with bounce I have to shop in supermarkets for most things but I am now very selective in what I buy and as for eco crimes I run a car couldn't survive without it that would probably be my thing to try to live without for a month Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnnieP Posted August 19, 2005 Share Posted August 19, 2005 I do grow lots of fruit, veggies and herbs in my tiny garden though and love my compost heap My dogs loved ours too!! It took us ages to work out why they were coming back inside from the garden so smelly and green around the chops!! YUK!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KateB Posted August 19, 2005 Share Posted August 19, 2005 I own both! Wouldn't want to be without the dishwasher, I'm a little ashamed to admit that I do love it and couldn't stand having things piled up at the sink sitting there waiting to be washed but that's my lazy side coming out! I also own a tumble dryer but rarely use it - it's good for fluffing up towels (we currently have hand me downs from our parents - lovely new towels will definitely be on the wedding list when and if that occurs!) as ours have definitely seen better days! I buy my fruit and veg etc from an organic farm shop, our meat comes from Sheepdrove (not that we eat much anymore...) but I still go to the supermarket for things like flour, cream etc because as a student we are on a tightish budget and i can't find anywhere to get it from for a similar price - the farm shop stocks flour etc. but it's 50% more expensive - I have looked into it! However, thanks to inspiration from Kate, I'm now making a lot of our food too so we no longer buy butter, yoghurt, bread, eggs (obviously!), soft drinks, pasta, cakes, biscuits etc. just the ingredients to go in them and I'm convinced it is working out cheaper and much nicer - I feel better than I have done in ages and I'm sure it's because I'm not putting as many dodgy chemicals and additives in my body! Bit of a waffle that lot... sorry! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah-Louise Posted August 19, 2005 Share Posted August 19, 2005 The green cone sounds brilliant and I'd really like to get one, but according to the website it costs £59!!! You were really lucky to get yours for £5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali-s Posted August 19, 2005 Share Posted August 19, 2005 Hi I sure was lucky. Planning to get another one now as they work by the sun heating up the unit to rot down the contents. In winter this will slow down. Just need to find a space to put one and for hubby to dig the enormous hole! Also bought a compost bin from the council relatively cheap. Moray council is heavily into recycling. We have a wheelie bin for household rubbish and another for garden rubbish. These are collected on alternate weeks. Two lidded crates, one for paper and cardboard and the other for glass and tins, these are collected every week. Cannot recycle plastic up here as apparently this would have to be taken way down south to Cheshire for processing, so all plastic goes into the household wheelie bin and taken to the landfill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alison M Posted August 19, 2005 Share Posted August 19, 2005 Re: TV programme last night - I was not only amazed by how much money they wasted but also by how much money they could afford to spend each week/month. I think that is why they live the way they do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leigh Posted August 19, 2005 Share Posted August 19, 2005 Thats what really suprised me aswell Alison - I cant belive that they were spending that much I do have a tumble drier - I only use it in the winter and it's a bottled gas one so I feel okay about that. We have two composters and a wormery - the composters were from the council only £5 for the small one and £15 for the hugh one! We're no where near filling them! Our council is quite good with the kerbside recycling - we have one pink bag that's hugh and can have paper, cardboard, plastic bottles, tins and clothes! I find it sooo frustrating on rubbish day when I walk down the road and see some houses dont seperate thier rubbish - they must have a couple of these items surely? Dam, hubs is home, see you all later...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alison M Posted August 19, 2005 Share Posted August 19, 2005 Dam, hubs is home, see you all later...... Hi Leigh, Love your last sentence Know how you feel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trish Posted August 19, 2005 Share Posted August 19, 2005 Well since we're admitting sins here, I do have and use a slimline dishwasher ,but with a family of five, all male except for me, I'd have to stop working if I wanted to do anything but wash up. I do have a tumble dryer but it only gets used in winter when I can assure you the washing for five does not dry on the line alone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popcorn Posted August 20, 2005 Share Posted August 20, 2005 Gosh, this topic expanded overnight! Taken me ages to catch up....Im going to ring my local council on Monday and ask some questions.... As for the dishwasher - I won't have one, or a tumble dryer. I'm with Louise about crisp clean wind dried sheets - even if you do have to bring them in and put them out 5 times a day to avoid the rain I think it's difficult to change something when you become so used to something, especially when it's help with the household chores. It's hard enough keeping up with everything, so it's understandable why dishwshers and tumble dryers are so handy. Leave hands free for hoovering and dusting and mopping and wiping and sweeping and and and .......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
red Posted August 20, 2005 Share Posted August 20, 2005 My council are very good with recycling - we already get a crate and bag for recylcing all sorts of things like bottles; jars; tins; cans; aerosols; newspapers; clothes; shoes and we are about to get a green wheelie bin for garden waste which will be collected fortnightly. I get all my veggies and fruit from Riverford Organics who only using packing where necessary to protect certain items. Of course my GNR help with peelings and kitchen s"Ooops, word censored!"s Everything that's left has to head for the landfill which is collected weekly - but by following the three Rs we manage to keep our landfill waste down to just our kitchen bin which is one of those slimline 25l jobs. There's an old couple over the road from us and even though it's just the two of them they seem to produce collosal amounts of waste each week (about 4 bags most weeks ) the OH and I are always completely bewildered. This is my tip (it's what I do as often as possible) avoid excessive packaging where possible in the first place and if you can't avoid buying a product that has excessive packaging then remove all the excess and unecessary packaging at the shop and leave it at the checkout. Supermarkets etc have targets to meet for recycling waste and if they are continually lumbered with the problem maybe they wouldn't be quite so complacent about buying in products that are excessively packaged. Or better still avoid the supermarket altogether BTW - I don't tumble dry either - I've got a Sheila Maid for the winter and the washing line in the summer (although I have to confess I would like one for my towels ) (Oh and i have got a dishwasher ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali-s Posted August 20, 2005 Share Posted August 20, 2005 Red What is a sheila maid? Housekeeper? Cleaner? I want one. Regards Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted August 20, 2005 Author Share Posted August 20, 2005 They won't do your housework, I'm afraid. I've got one too and you just hang your washing up on them to dry and pull them up to the ceiling out of the way on pulleys. I've got a smallish one in the utility and a huge one in the space above the stairs where the washing dries really quickly with the hot air rising! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popcorn Posted August 20, 2005 Share Posted August 20, 2005 If we had one in the forum it would only take seconds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
red Posted August 20, 2005 Share Posted August 20, 2005 RedWhat is a sheila maid? Housekeeper? Cleaner? I want one. Regards I wish We're lucky - we have a very old cottage but our kitchen and den were a later conversion from an old barn attached to the original cottage and so have nice high ceilings so it's great - even big sheets go on it in the winter and can be pulled up out of the way Mine's in the kitchen but I may get another to put in the den because I seem to typically do a wash on the day I decide to cook a nice smelly chilli or curry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel (& Paul) Posted August 21, 2005 Share Posted August 21, 2005 Goodness - this topic really took off didnt it??!?!? We didnt see the waste thingy programme - most miffed! Our council provides us with one crate for glass, plastic , cans and a big green sack for newspapers. We bought a second crate (£3) for all the wine bottles We have a dishwasher - I always thought they were more economical than washing up?? We dont have a tumble drier - all the stuff goes on the line in the summer, and is draped, steaming, around the house (a la chinese laundry!!) during the winter. We now have two huge compost bins (£5 each from our water company) and I am very tempted to get a wormery - but think we will stick with the compost bins for the moment. We tend to have one sack of rubbish a week - two of our neighbours - both of whom have two children regularly put out 3 or 4 bags each!! Good idea about leaving the excess packaging at the supermarket. We are going to try Riverford and Able and Cole for our veggies / fruit. If I do buy fruit / veg at the supermarket I dont use bags if I am, for example buying a bunch of bananas, or one onion - when I get to the checkout the girls (or boys) tend to stick them in a small bag, and I just take them out again - too much plastic as it is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
red Posted August 21, 2005 Share Posted August 21, 2005 Actually I think you're right about dishwashers Mel - I am now relieved of all guilt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel (& Paul) Posted August 21, 2005 Share Posted August 21, 2005 Glad to be of assistance!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheilaz Posted August 21, 2005 Share Posted August 21, 2005 RedWhat is a sheila maid? Housekeeper? Cleaner? I want one. Regards Here I am, cup of tea anyone? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel (& Paul) Posted August 21, 2005 Share Posted August 21, 2005 RedWhat is a sheila maid? Housekeeper? Cleaner? I want one. Regards Here I am, cup of tea anyone? Ohhh, lovely. Earl Grey with a slice of lemon please Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
red Posted August 21, 2005 Share Posted August 21, 2005 What is a sheila maid? Here I am, cup of tea anyone? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katie Posted August 22, 2005 Share Posted August 22, 2005 Our council have started emptying our bins every 2 weeks now, instead of every week, so that people don't throw away as much therefore making people recycle more. Even if the bin is overflowing they won't empty it. I just laugh at the people who try squashing down their bin soo much on friday morning! The council collect pretty much everything here- paper, cardboard, plastic, glass, tin, compost. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 22, 2005 Share Posted August 22, 2005 I saw the programme and couldn't believe the wastefulness of the featured family. It was great to see the eglu but how much waste will chickens eat. The man of the house said that actually the chickens didn't eat much of their kitchen s"Ooops, word censored!"s. My two have been here less than a week and i am still seeing what they like Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motherhen Posted August 22, 2005 Share Posted August 22, 2005 Sheila Maid I have 2 and wouldn't be without them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
