DAY 31

Tuesday night we had chicken for dinner so in the essence of TG and not wasting I have made another dinner form the strippings and by boiling up the carcass for stock, (rubber chicken).

I took the 2 legs off and dave had those in in his lunch yesterday, then the remaining meat I stripped from the carcass, set aside then boiled up the carcass to make a lovely chicken stock, drained the stock off then added rice, onion, carrot, pepper, plus some bits of veggies that needed using up, once the rice was nearly cooked added back the bits of chicken and it made a lovely risotto style soup.

This we will have for dinner on Friday and then any remaining will be frozen in lunch size portions, for me for future days.

DAY 30

I don't think I've mentioned this before, but one of our supermarkets provides freepost recyclable bags in which you can post to them batteries for them to recycle.

My water filter jug cartridges can also be posted back to the manufacturer and they will recycle these; this is also a freepost address. Again these are not major things but the little things add up.

We today have a bright sunny day again although it is cold and the forecast for the next few days is saying it will be getting colder down to -6°C overnight on Thursday.

I have been re-reading The Complete Tightwad Gazette and there have been a few ideas which I am going to use; one being kindling for the fire, Dave normally chops up a few of the smaller logs for kindling but we are starting to run out of these.

In TG it suggests that you roll up a sheet of newspaper and then fold in half to make a triangle shape then fold it over from each side to make a concertina type pattern this is supposed to work as well as wood kindling because of the density of the paper. There are always alot of newspapers at Dave's work which he brings home for us to use for the starting the fire and then recycle the excess, so I will try this idea and see how we get on.

DAY 28 & 29

Well Monday David woke up feeling sicky so had a day off from school, so not alot done really as we had a snuggle in front of the fire with dvd day. He's still young enough to want to do this.

Today he is now back at school, so I have been having a sort through my cupboards in the kitchen to see what there might be lurking in the background that I have forgotten about.

I have found a bag of basmati rice and some ground almonds, nothing major but can both be used during the following weeks in meals and baking.

I am trying to limit the amount I spend each grocery trip and also make the most of any bargains I find, bogofs etc, that will help in the future.

This will also involve not buying so much prepackaged stuff and maybe baking more treats instead of buying cookies.

This will be more difficult in some ways as I have just been told that the school lunch provider has gone bankrupt and there will be no more lunches, however the amount of prepackaged treats has dropped considerably so even a small increase will not be as bad as before.

WEEK ENDING SUN 27 JAN

MONDAY 21 JANUARY:
recycled - glass bottles back to milkman, milk carton & lid, junk mail, salmon can, bread flour bag
compost - veg peelings,
rubbish - sausage wrapper, cheese wrapper
posted -magazine wrapper

TUESDAY 22 JANUARY:
recycled - junk mail, juice bottle & lid
compost - veg peelings, banana skin,
rubbish - crisp packet
posted -

WEDNESDAY 23 JANUARY:
recycled - cereal box, glass milk bottles back to milkman, bread flour bag, dishwasher tablet box, milk carton & lid
compost - veg peelings, banana skin, apple core,
rubbish - meat wrapper
posted -

THURSDAY 24 JANUARY:
recycled - cereal box, suggar bag, junk mail, tortilla packet
compost - veg peelings, banana skin
rubbish - yogurt sachet, meat wrapper, crisp packet (david lunch)
posted -

FRIDAY 25 JANUARY:
recycled - glass milk bottles to milkman, 2 glass jars
compost - veg peelings, apple core
rubbish - haggis wrappers, crisp packet,
posted -

SATURDAY 26 JANUARY:
recycled - milk carton & lid, oj tetra pak, soda bottle, J2O glass bottles (boys)
compost - banana skins
rubbish - cinders from bottom of fire
posted -dave beer ringos,

SUNDAY 27 JANUARY:
recycled - milk carton & lid, baked bean can
compost - veg peelings, banana skins
rubbish - meat wrapper, sausage & bacon wrappers, egg shells
posted -

RUBBISH - total put into bin 1 large carrier bag plus cinders

DAY 25, 26 & 27

This weekend has again been a footballing weekend. David had training on Saturday and then a match on Sunday. Thomas didn't have a fixture as the pitches at both the home and away grounds were under standing water.

We did have a bit of a sort out in the garden on Saturday afternoon as the compostable bin is collected on Monday, so it was useful to get as much into there in readiness, and it makes the garden look tidier.

We had a leftover night for dinner on Saturday, there were odd portions of lasagne, chicken curry, egg fried rice, bolognese, mashed potato, garlic bread so i did a bowl of salad and everyone had what they wanted, this has now all been used up so will start again putting portions into the freezer for another leftovers night towards the end of next month. I keep one drawer in the freezer specifically for this purpose so I can see how much we have accumulated.
At one time all these little bits and pieces would have just been thrown into the bin, and we have basically had a free dinner.

Rubbish from the kitchen bin is only a large carrier bag size this week which I am really impressed with. The boys still double check with me if they are uncertain as to where a piece of rubbish shoud go rather than just putting it into the bin.

DAY 24

My postable bag is already full so needs to be posted on Friday when I go to the post office, this means that I have been able to recycle a cereal box full of plastic, which would normally have gone into landfill in 2 weeks.

I thought I would fill it in a month but this just shows how much plastic there is about which would normally go into landfill.

We have had another bright windy day so more laundry out on the line. I have also changed my bedding so that this could be washed and line dried. So along with what I have already washed this week it is only the bathroom towels to be washed tonight, and then the boys school uniforms and PE kits on Friday night.

DAY 23

Again we have had a bright sunny day although windy, another good drying day.

I am getting caught up on laundry by sorting first, as half the time things can be worn a second time.

I have been researching washable sanpro, and have ordered one to try from a lady who makes these, I will then have a go at making them myself if it feels right and is viable. take a look at http://www.wen.org.uk/sanpro/Suppliers.htm
this site lists alot of suppliers and the various different methods of sanpro instead of disposable.

I just think of all the stuff washed up on the beaches etc.

DAY 22

Last night David brought home a bag for the school clothing recycling scheme (I've mentioned this before - where the school gets paid by weight).

I had a couple of bags of this stored up in readiness ( day 9) so now it can go to school and help raise funds for the PTA, and clear some space in my bedroom.

I have also been checking through the pile of shoes which had accumulated in a box in the shed they all go in there once Thomas has outgrown them so they can be used if good enough for David and the ones David has outgrown go into these bags for recycling. There were 3 pairs which David had outgrown and 2 which Thomas had outgrown but David has skipped this size so they will all go in as well.

DAY 21

Today I again only used my own bags whilst shopping, and also looked a little more carefully at what some of the packaging is made of.

I have also found out by checking again my council's website that I can now take tetrapak cartons there to a collection point, so we will now have a box for these and once a month I will take these. I go past this facility approx once a month so will combine these 2 trips now.

We do not have a lot of tetrapak cartons but it is good to know that those we do can now be recycled.

We will be having a leftovers night on Saturday as when I was making my grocery list I found a few things that we had been putting into the freezer, so with some homemade fries (not many carbs), we will have a good assortment.

DAY18,19 & 20

Nothing much going on this weekend, Dave and Thomas are at football, we have continued to sort our rubbish according to the bins.

I am however happy to report that rubbish again from the kitchen bin this week totalled 1 bag, which means even allowing for a few extra bits which went staright into the wheelie bin it is only half full.

The recycling wheelie bin is full to brimming, I had some cardboard boxes in the shed which I flattened and put into here also, they were boxes deliveries had come in and were not any good for storing things in.

WEEK ENDING SUN 20 JAN

Monday 14 January:
recycle - glass milk bottles back to milkman, tp tube, glass jar from tomato puree, chopped tomato can, junk mail, envelope from my Organic lifestyle magazine,
compost - veggie peelings,
rubbish - salad cream bottle type 5 plastic,cocoa tin,
posted - type 4 plastic lid,


Tuesday 15 January:
recycle - milk carton & lid, junk mail, yogurt bottle (David's lunch), cereal box, Kitchen roll tube, hot chocolate jar, coffee jar
compost - veggie peelings, banana skin, grape stalk,
rubbish -crisp packet (David's lunch), cereal packet inner, egg shells,sausage wrapper (knotted & tied)
posted - junk mail wrapper, wrapper from Thomas' magazine,

Wednesday 16 January:
recycle - glass milk bottles back to milkman, shampoo bottle, bubble bath bottle, junk mail
compost - potato peelings, banana skin
rubbish - chicken wrapper,
posted -

Thursday 17 January:
recycle - tuna can, junk mail
compost - veggie peelings, banana skin, apple core
rubbish - yogurt sachet
posted - junk mail wrapper, fish bag (washed & dried)

Friday 18 January:
recycle - glass milk bottles back to milkman, junk mail, milk carton & lid, drinking yogurt bottle (David lunch), Dave's beer cans
compost - veggie peelings, banana skin,
rubbish -
posted - junk mail wrapper

Saturday 19 January:
recycle - fried chicken box, foil lids from glass milk bottles, muffin wrappers, milk carton & lid, soda bottle, glass juice bottles (J2o), Dave's beer cans, cola can
compost - potato peelings, salad trimmings, banana skins,
rubbish - crisp packet, egg shells
posted -

Sunday 20 January:
recycle - paper bag, large cardboard box, tp tube,
compost - veggie peelings,
rubbish - sausage & bacon wrappers, egg shells, bag from Dave's sweets, wrappers from duck
posted - bread bag (washed & dried)

RUBBISH - total amount put into bin - 1 bag.

DAY 17

I have been sorting through the Christmas cards to see which ones I want to keep to use in next years makings, the rest will then go with me to the supermarket to be put in the special Christmas Card recycling bin, which helps plant trees www.woodlandtrust.co.uk .

The only mail we received today was junk mail and most of that addressed "The Occupier".

I have joined a mailing preference list which will eventually eliminate some of this a but the unnamed is what the postman put through and they get paid a bomus for delivering this. (Dave used to be postman so this is how we know).

DAY 16

We have had a brighter day here today so I have had the boys bedding blowing on the line. ( sorry Jackie).

The average in UK is £480 ($900)worth of food in a year. This equates to £10 ($20) per week. Also food waste when dumped in landfill creates methane gas which is a major contributing factor in global warming.

This is through buying too much and then not being able to use it before it either perishes or goes out of date. The obvious answer to this would be to buy less in the first place; but how many of us "buy" into the bogof's and deals when we might in reality only use the one. If the item can't be used or frozen before it is going to be out of date then DO NOT BUY IT!!!

If there are regularly leftovers try cooking a bit less or freeze these up and have "Leftover Night" where all the bits and pieces are pulled from the freezer and a buffet style dinner is eaten, with everyone mixing and matching depending on what is available.

We will do this on a Saturday probably once a month, I add in a bowl of salad depending on what veggies there are and it is basically a free dinner.

DAY 15

Laundry is having to hang on the indoor airer as we have a very wet and windy day.

I have put on a fleece and some thick socks so as not to have to put the heating on, I have had some soup from the freezer for lunch, again to keep warm.

When I put the oven on to cook dinner I will also make a fruit crumble for dessert, and some muffins for the cake tin.

Sorting is taking a steady progress, with 1 box in the shed now ready to donate when I go into town next week, some things could also possibly go through Freecycle as I have now joined my local branch of this.

I also have the old computer and moniter which I will take to my recycling facility, I checked with them and they accept these, David wants to go and see how this place works, so we might have to wait until the next school holiday as they shut at 4pm.

WEEK ENDING SUN 13 JAN

Monday 7 January:
recycled - glass milk bottles returned to milkman, cereal box, box outer from cookies, can from chopped tomatoes, milk carton & lid, junk mail, foil tops from glass milk bottles
compost - onion and garlic peelings, banana skin, apple core, teabags
rubbish - outer wrapper from multipack crisps (twisted & knotted), plastic bag from minced beef (twisted & knotted), cereal packet inner (twisted & knotted)

Tuesday 8 January:
recycled -scrap paper used as grocery list, junk mail, box which dishwasher tablets came in, sugar bags from castor sugar used in baking, teabag box, drinking yogurt bottle (David's lunch)
compost - veg peelings, banana skin, 2 apple cores, grapes stalk , teabags
rubbish - chicken wrapper & tray,

Wednesday 9 January:
recycled -glass milk bottles returned to milkman, foil tops from glass milk bottles, 2 toilet paper inners, 1 soda bottle, 2 juice bottles, pile of old magazines, 3 bags of clothes that David has outgrown or will not need, fish finger box,
compost - banana skin, apple core, potato peelings , teabags
rubbish - 3 lids from bottles put into recycling, fish wrapper, frozen green bean bag, crisp bag from Dave's lunch,

Thursday 10 January:
recycled - junk mail, excess newspapers, old magazines, old papers no longer needed (these have been shredded) , foil pie dish
compost - banana skin, veggie peelings, teabags
rubbish -meat wrapper, plastic bags and general rubbish from a sort in bedroom,
posted - plastic wrapper from junk mail

Friday 11 January:
recycled -glass milk bottles returned to milkman, foil tops from glass milk bottles, junk mail, jar & lid from clotted cream,drinking yogurt bottle (David's lunch), plastic milk carton & lid, compost - banana skin, apple core, teabags
rubbish - crisp packet (David's lunch), cheese wrapper
posted - plastic wrapper from Tom's magazine, plastic wrapper from junk mail,

Saturday 12 January:
recycled - toilet paper inner, foil and cardboard from chinese takeout containers
compost - teabags, banana skins, apple cores
rubbish - plastic bag chinese came in,
posted - plastic wrapper from junk mail,

Sunday 13 January:
recycled - baked bean tin, juice bottle, milk carton & lid
compost - teabags, veggie peelings
rubbish -bacon wrapper, sausage wrapper, egg shells, small bag with coal ash from open fire
posted -

RUBBISH - total amount put into bin - 1 bag.

DAY 14

I was very impressed with how little I threw into my rubbish bin this last week, see www.rubbishlog.blogspot.com it was only 1 kitchen bin and that was not even full.

DAY 13

As we haven't been at home today we haven't really done anything.

I did sort out the compostable bin ready for collection in the morning.

DAY 12

KHAN & FREYA

I don't think I've mentioned before that any leftovers we have that can't be used for another meal that would normally go in the bin and are dog friendly are saved up for the dogs at Dave's work. Dave is responsible for feeding them so it gives them a treat and not putting the waste food into the landfill.

Both dogs are rescue dogs, they live at Dave's work and although are not trained as guard dogs both look the part.(there had been some breakins)

Khan is the German Shepherd, he is approx 3 years old, and we think has had some "seek" training as if Dave hides the bones for them he immediately gets his noise down and is off.

Freya is a Rottweiler cross with we were told New Foundland, she is approx 1 year old, she loves having my attention, both dogs if Dave brings them home for a visit will just lay at my feet and if I move they follow me. They obviously listen to Dave for commands more but this is because he handles them daily whereas I only see them couple of times a week.

DAY 11

I have emailed the company who make the plastic meat trays which the chicken comes in asking them to let me know what type of plastic this is so I will know if it can be recycled.

I have also signed up for a service which takes your address off the mailshot lists which are used to send out junk mail,this will it says take a couple of months to take full effect but it all helps.

Jackie mentioned a website http://www.betterworldshopper.org/ on her blog and on checking I find that Ecover, which is the company I use for alot of my cleaning products is 2nd to her Seventh Generation, at least I know that as far as products available to the UK I'm using the best.

I will have to do a search to see if I can find anything similar for UK based companies.

I haven't found anything as yet but have emailed a couple of manufacturers of products I use asking them to let me know what type of plastic their wrappers are made of and also, if they would make them recyclable in the future if not already.

DAY 10

The wind as they say "is a howling" so I had laundry blowing on the line, the boys school shirts were basically horizontal with the force of the wind.

I have continued to sort through 2 more boxes in my bedroom today, these were mostly old magazines, and silly stuff which gets put in a box when you clear a table quick but don't have time to clear properly, the magazines have gone into recycling, and the rest I have sorted through and either filed away or gone into the rubbish.

I have also pulled out the file with all our bills from 6 years ago, I work on keeping 5 years worth, so all these will be shredded, and then added to recycling.

I have just also discovered a firm who take plastics 2 & 4 and will recycle them, this includes the plastic bags from mailings and the ring pack from beer/soda packs.

Our council collect number 2 plastic so I just have to send number 4, it will cost me postage but for 40p I can send a small cereal box size which will again be a good chunk from out of my rubbish.

DAY 9

Today I have started to clear a few boxes from the corner of my bedroom, this area has been used as a dumping ground so I thought I would try to clear it but using babysteps as there are approx doz boxes.

The main reason for this being I want to change the bedroom round and obviously can't if the spare space is full.

The majority of what I have sorted today (4 boxes) has been clothes that the boys have outgrown, or have been given for them, so I have sorted through and put a box on top of David's wardrobe to put things into which Thomas has outgrown, and also a box on top of Thomas' wardrobe as we occasionally get given things for him.

The rest has gone into some recycling bags ready to be taken to school, we have a collection 3 or 4 times a year where the school is paid by weight for old clothes, shoes, blankets etc. which are sorted and anything useful is sent to third world or used for the homeless here in UK, then it is sorted again again and alot is then shredded to make stuffing.

DAY 8

Jackie was talking about cleaners and the impact they have on the environment.

We only use eco-friendly cleaners etc and have been doing for nearly 2 years, although I must admit the laundry powder is cost prohibitive so I do use a cheap bio powder but only on the very dirty clothes, everything else is just washed in water as it is the movement in the water releasing the oxygen in the water which cleans rather than loads of soap.

Our supermarkets have recently brought out their own ranges of eco-friendly products, which are cheaper and in some cases better than the branded ones; the main one is dishwash tablets, one supermarket has made their wrappers from a cornstarch type substance which dissolves in water thereby not having a wrapper to go into the rubbish.

The products I buy which are eco-friendly are:
Dishwash tablets,
dishwash liquid (for hand washing, also good for cleaning the car)
fabric softener
toilet cleaner
general purpose cleaner
washing bleach - for the extra dirty clothes which I used to add Vanish to

I use white vinegar for rinse aid, and also use this plus bicarbonate of soda as a drain cleaner flushed down with a kettle of boiling water.

Vinegar is also good for de-scaling kettles and shower heads.

I do not have normal household bleach in the house any more.

I also found an eco version of the bulbs for my spotlights in the kitchen yesterday so will be changing those as they blowout.

DAY 7

Have been grocery shopping today and did not take a single carrier bag from any of the stores I visited; I took my own hessian/jute bags and some of the supermarkets "bags for life".

All groceries have been put away and it was very surprising to see which things were in excess packaging, that did not need to be. The main one from things I purchased was cookies these were wrapped in a clear plastic wrapper then wrapped again in a printed plastic wrapper or a box, at least the box is recyclable but the plastic wrappers are not.

I had also noticed that some things were now being packaged in 100% recycled cardboard which is therefore helping to close "the loop" in recycling; I also buy all recyclable paper products, eg. toilet paper, Kitchen roll, printer paper, this again is closing "the loop".

I have decided to try and use just the butcher for my meat as all supermarket meat be it organic or free range or even cheap is packaged in way too much plastic that is not recyclable by my council, at least at the butcher although still put into plastic bags it is burnable on the open fire or can be twisted and knotted and made alot smaller than the plastic trays used in the supermarkets, therefore taking up less room in my kitchen bin.

Using the local butcher (who uses local farmers) along with my organic veg box delivery, means I am also supporting local businesses as well as cutting food miles. This can only be a good thing in the larger scheme of things.

DAY 6

As we had no football today we had a quiet day at home taking down the remainder of the Christmas decorations and sorting a few bits to go into the recycling bin for collection tomorrow.

All veggie waste from preparing dinner was wrapped in newspaper and put into the compostable bin.

I also sorted through some of the jars I had been saving and put some into the glass box to take when I went grocery shopping tomorrow. Will not use all so no point in storing them.

I ended up with 3 bags from my kitchen bin which is not bad at all as that is a fortnight and we had the extra bits from Christmas, the recycling is also full.

This is very good as it obviously means we are recycling alot of our rubbish.

I do wish though that manufacturers would make things in recyclable packets if they have to be packaged.

DAY 5

Today Dave and the boys are sawing/chopping logs and clearing some garden rubbish which can go into the compostable bin; this will be emptied on Monday 14.

Any sawdust from the logs will be put into our garden compost bin to add brown matter to help make a lovely rich compost for using in the garden this year.

I make my own bread so that we know exactly what goes into it , i.e. organic flour, organic sugar, organic butter and none of the additives and preservatives which are put into processed white pap from the supermarkets. I have loaf in the oven at the moment having made the dough in the bread machine, this is a half white half wholemeal flour loaf.

INTRODUCTION

We as a family are going to try and be greener this year. This is our weekly rubbish/recycling log

DAY 4

When going out in the car I try to incorporate at least one if not more errands into the same journey.

With petrol here in UK costing £1.04($2)/ltr or £5($10)/gallon, petrol is a very precious commodity especially as we live 2 miles from the nearest shop and it is a 25 mile round trip to the supermarket or into town.

Today I had to take David to a football course he was doing but I also went to the bank and paid some bills whilst out.

We have changed all but our spotlights in the kitchen to Eco-friendly light bulbs.

The washing machine is run using a timer which switches it on during the night when we have cheaper electricity, and it also means the laundry is ready to line hang when I get up rather than waiting until later in the day.
I try to line dry as much as possible, I don't have a dryer and only like to use the radiators if absolutely necessary; plus I think clothes smell and feel better if they have had a good blow.

DAY 3

Today we took down the Christmas cards and all the ones I didn't want to reuse in my own card making have gone into a box ready to be taken to a special collection point as Christmas and birthday cards should not be recycled with normal paper due to the glitter and ink used.

The boys were given chocolate selection boxes for Christmas and so the cardboard outer and the plastic inner tray (PET1) have both gone into the recyclable bin, the wrappers from the chocolate bars have been burnt on the open fire we have in the sitting room.

Again veggie peelings have been wrapped in newspaper and put into the compostable bin.

I have made a lasagne ready for dinner, I buy passata to use in the sauce in glass jars so the glass can be put in the glass box and the lid is also recyclable so the only thing going into the kitchen bin is the minced beef wrapper (plastic bag).

Whilst taking David to his football course I stooped at the bottle bank and emptied the glass box.

DAY 2

We have been very good so far in the amount of rubbish which is going into our kitchen bin.

All plastic which has to go in here is twisted and tied to make it smaller.

I just wish our council recycled more of the the other types of plastic packaging like yogurt pots and margarine tubs (LDPE 4 and PP 5)

All veggie peelings are wrapped in newspaper and put straight into the compostable bin, this helps to stop it getting too wet and slimy before collection.

As it was New Years Day yesterday we have a few beer cans and cola cans which have gone into the Reyclable bin and my wine bottle has gone into the glass box.

DAY 1

Today starts our journey towards being greener.

All our rubbish is split into 4 sections:

Glass - which we take to the local 'bottle bank'

Compostable - which we either put into our garden composter or for the more robust items we put into the doorstep compostable bin (240l size)

Recyclable - paper, plastics (PET 1 & HDPE 2), aluminium and steel food and drink cans (240l size)

General household - all other rubbish and non recyclables (180l size).

Our kitchen bin which gets emptied into the general household bin is 45l in size and therefore we could fill this 4 times within the 2 week period that our collection is.
At present we probably depending on packaging on certain foods fill it 3 times but we also nearly fill the recyclable bin and half fill the compostable.We also have a large box of glass monthly.

Our aim is to reduce the kitchen bin to 2 times in the collection period and eventually only once or even once every 2 collection periods.

INTRODUCTION

We as a family are going to try and be greener this year.