tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4787951981229151015.post5711802399712040551..comments2024-03-28T17:38:36.224+00:00Comments on My Quiet Life in Suffolk: Plastic for Recycling or into the Rubbish Bin?Sue in Suffolkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13166036914348424622noreply@blogger.comBlogger43125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4787951981229151015.post-1128475852707408922019-09-04T17:33:10.781+01:002019-09-04T17:33:10.781+01:00It is sooooooo complicated isn't it! I think t...It is sooooooo complicated isn't it! I think that the efforts that you Sue and a lot of your readers make to live a mindful life are very important. Thinking carefully about whether you really need to buy something in the first place is the best start, mending what we have and buying second hand where possible. Buying quality items that will last many years.<br /><br />I too am trying hard to reduce the amount of plastic in my food shopping but having worked for the packaging industry in the past am aware that it's not as easy as plastic=bad, cardboard and glass = good. The huge rise in plastic food packaging is (partly) driven by a requirement for the industry to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Plastic is by far the lightest form of packaging to transport, thus reducing the energy required to move items. It also protects food from contamination and can hold things firm to protect from damage - plastics have I understand made a great improvement to the amount of produce damaged in transit and on the shelves, and will often have technologies to preserve items for a longer shelf-life. Produce waste is still a significant factor in co2 and methane emissions. There are environmental issues surrounding the production of glass, cardboard, paper, non-oil based plastics, and also the recycling of all these. But oil-based plastic production also has issues, and the oil will eventually run out.<br /><br />I can't get my head round the solution, but I do find websites like yours and the comments from readers very inspiring as a means to live more mindfully, so thank you!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4787951981229151015.post-1945264063137928342019-08-22T10:27:44.809+01:002019-08-22T10:27:44.809+01:00Interesting to see your day to day plastics, what...Interesting to see your day to day plastics, what a good idea to do it this way. And I agree unless you have a chart what plastics are and aren't recyclable and in which areas it is totally confusing. <br /><br />Here in Wales we are in Conwy which leads the country for it's recycling initiatives ... mostly because our black bins are only emptied once a month now so folks had to learn to recycle or be swamped under a mountain of rubbish of their own making. Our black bin goes out once every three months as we just don't generate rubbish, our recycling stack however goes out weekly. And now I've also started bringing home the recycling from the Van as on the caravan ALL the rubbish just goes into huge bins to be taken away by the council and recycling in the area in general there seems so hit and miss.<br /><br />I need to do some research, if it all went for burning and was converted into power that would set my mind at rest a bit.Sue https://www.blogger.com/profile/04947919568474743963noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4787951981229151015.post-87261362864739911002019-08-21T20:50:47.109+01:002019-08-21T20:50:47.109+01:00Plastic recycling is a minefield isn't it. We...Plastic recycling is a minefield isn't it. We are lucky enough to have a new shop in our local town where you can bring our own containers and fill them, it is all the dried goods, such as rice, oats, lots of herbs and spices and much much more. We have another small shop that sells loose tea and coffee beans (they will grind them for you) that they weigh into paper bags. I buy all my fruit and veg loose, in a different town which I go to once a week as my children have a club there, this is about to stop so I am looking into a veg box delivery which again will be loose fruit and veg. All this means that I end up shopping in several places over a couple of days but it works for me as that is what I have locally. It is a fine balance isn't it?sustainablemumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04099701194160334671noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4787951981229151015.post-67071100922578095732019-08-20T14:43:48.376+01:002019-08-20T14:43:48.376+01:00This is an interesting conversation!
I live in...This is an interesting conversation! <br /><br />I live in Minnesota in the US and it's quite odd to have plastic wrapped vegetables or fruit at our local chain grocery - they very proudly sell mostly local and in-season (with photos of the farmer above the produce - quite nice). You can bring your own string bag or use one of their compostable film bags. Meat and cheese on the other hand - so much plastic! We do have some wrapped produce but they tend to be items shipped from overseas - shitake mushrooms, kiwi fruit, etc. I don't know if this is normal for other areas of the US, but here it is normal. <br /><br />Our waste in incinerated into electricity and we have a wheelie bin for compostable items as well (these go to a communal site where anyone can come and collect compost for personal use). We do generate a lot of recycling in our home but almost all paper and cardboard - we have SO MUCH cardboard packaging here and SO MUCH PAPER! All soft plastics - wraps, packaging, shopping bags (though we use mostly reusable shopping bags or occasionally brown paper)can be returned to the grocery store for recycling. <br /><br />I always find it odd that our neighbors have overflowing rubbish bins and we have an overflowing compost bin and full recycle bin and one small bag of rubbish each week. <br /><br />Blessings,<br />Lea<br /><br />Leahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03384475081085015883noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4787951981229151015.post-31225644960695240492019-08-20T11:51:51.364+01:002019-08-20T11:51:51.364+01:00I'll have to check that out. Thanks! :)I'll have to check that out. Thanks! :)Tracynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4787951981229151015.post-73819641812410774552019-08-20T11:16:31.227+01:002019-08-20T11:16:31.227+01:00When I was first married in the ‘70s no fruit or v...When I was first married in the ‘70s no fruit or veg were plastic wrapped.....my potatoes were dropped into a string bag, all fruit was loose and put into brown bags as was veg. But back then there were many more greengrocers. I shop for fruit and veg at my local farm shop and all fruit and veg are sold loose and put into brown bags.....why can’t we go back to this way of shopping. I can remember shopping at Sainsbury’s and everything was loose and cut to your specifications.....bacon, cheese, ham, tea, etc....nothing came in plastic.....mazda502001https://www.blogger.com/profile/15129109544191734447noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4787951981229151015.post-71162982365385918172019-08-20T09:03:27.124+01:002019-08-20T09:03:27.124+01:00See! I said that it was confusing!!?! I forgot to ...See! I said that it was confusing!!?! I forgot to mention that I use glass bottles to feed my plants: filled with water & plant food, turned upside down and pushed into soil to dripfeed.Gilliannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4787951981229151015.post-67569683627646148612019-08-20T03:57:44.510+01:002019-08-20T03:57:44.510+01:00It is so hard to get away from one use plastics, s...It is so hard to get away from one use plastics, seems like everything is wrapped in it.<br /><br />I think you did very well.<br /><br />God bless.Jackiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16051183778965359500noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4787951981229151015.post-30965305282270339182019-08-19T22:23:02.651+01:002019-08-19T22:23:02.651+01:00It is a really big problem trying to do the right ...It is a really big problem trying to do the right thing, our local Aldi is now wrapping most fruit and veg in plastic portions.<br />I have been using fabric shopping bags for nearly 10 years and now use net bags for produce from the local Farmers market.<br />We now have a buy bulk store (bring your own containers) in town, it is a national franchise and the prices are very expensive, Very dissapointing ! I will not be supporting those who are ripping off people trying to do the right thing.<br />Living simply and making what you can at home ( soap etc.) will cut a huge amount off your shopping bill.abbeysmumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10578270434201681452noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4787951981229151015.post-20988744170738929752019-08-19T19:41:12.239+01:002019-08-19T19:41:12.239+01:00Aldi have fine mesh reusable (made for that purpos...Aldi have fine mesh reusable (made for that purpose) bags nowfor loose fruit and veg so I bought four of them and they were put into use straight away. Saved me cutting up the net curtain I had put to one side for this purpose.<br /><br />Good that your Council burn the waste plastic for fuel. We finally have a shop in town which sells many items you would use loose so you take your own containers or have the "dry" goods in their paper bags.Bovey Bellehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13117332471600275100noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4787951981229151015.post-72037047245540855292019-08-19T19:05:45.935+01:002019-08-19T19:05:45.935+01:00This was meant to say 'we don't produce mu...This was meant to say 'we don't produce much unrecyclable rubbish'Annhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12642030639809060976noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4787951981229151015.post-67695598487348241522019-08-19T19:04:10.738+01:002019-08-19T19:04:10.738+01:00I buy my milk, rice, porridge oats, washing up liq...I buy my milk, rice, porridge oats, washing up liquid, hand wash and a fair bit more at zero waste shops in Exeter and nearby. Veggies are bought loose at a greengrocer or supermarket. <br />Exeter City Council is pretty good at recycling and recently informed us of the companies it sends what to. They incinerate our rubbish. The electricity generated is enough to supply 5000 houses. The ash and any ferrous metals are processed into secondary aggregate. Any metal that contains iron is removed by electromagnet and recycled.<br />We don't produce much in recyclable rubbish, but I'm glad what do produce is disposed of in a useful way :)Annhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12642030639809060976noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4787951981229151015.post-53680733563984516632019-08-19T17:56:25.945+01:002019-08-19T17:56:25.945+01:00You may be surprised to know that my local council...You may be surprised to know that my local council (SW Scotland) does no recycling at all. Everything goes in the same bin.Eleanorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10265071004938442239noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4787951981229151015.post-20127212167414683102019-08-19T15:39:33.365+01:002019-08-19T15:39:33.365+01:00Have you tried Milk and More. You order on the web...Have you tried Milk and More. You order on the web and it is supposed to come before 7amChrisnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4787951981229151015.post-13251724247214981712019-08-19T14:57:56.003+01:002019-08-19T14:57:56.003+01:00The only plastic our council will allow in the rec...The only plastic our council will allow in the recycling boxes are plastic bottles, so everything else plastic has to go in the rubbish bin. It is amazing how many supermarket plastic bottles we get through in a fortnight. I would like to have milk delivered in glass bottles, like when I was a child, but our milkman only sells milk in plastic containers and does not deliver to our village until mid-afternoon. Milk sweating outside your door in a plastic bottle in the summertime? I don't think so!Tracynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4787951981229151015.post-21085055813085073982019-08-19T14:39:36.722+01:002019-08-19T14:39:36.722+01:00Our fruit and veg stall on our Friday market puts ...Our fruit and veg stall on our Friday market puts all its loose products into paper bags so I use that as much as I can. I often seem to get things in black plastic containers (I do buy ready meals for one from COOK) which saves a lot of cooking) and black plastic is not recycleable. It is all confusing.The Weaver of Grasshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13947971556343746883noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4787951981229151015.post-23394887668266664112019-08-19T13:36:45.398+01:002019-08-19T13:36:45.398+01:00I am really aware of how much I am putting into th...I am really aware of how much I am putting into the recycling bin. I'm glad it can be recycled but still wish I could find alternatives for more things to not have plastic. Jillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06671446238805535547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4787951981229151015.post-60015938544013144662019-08-19T13:25:28.701+01:002019-08-19T13:25:28.701+01:00I am lucky enough to have found a refill shop abou...I am lucky enough to have found a refill shop about 10 miles away so I intend to buy in bulk and use cotton bags made from bits I had left over from making quilts. I hope to go about 4 times a year. I will see how it goes. My veg is delivered from a greengrocer about 7 miles away. He delivers in paper bags in a recycled cardboard box. I buy from him fortnightly. Still a lot of plastic , I will keep working on it.Chrisnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4787951981229151015.post-76326148950500264412019-08-19T11:48:02.207+01:002019-08-19T11:48:02.207+01:00If you scroll down the Terracycle website it will ...If you scroll down the Terracycle website it will show you the collection sites in your area for all sorts of things. XJuleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03837629817375132149noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4787951981229151015.post-714699660638478542019-08-19T11:15:12.010+01:002019-08-19T11:15:12.010+01:00I noticed that they've got a box for baby food...I noticed that they've got a box for baby food pouches when I took my car boot leftovers in- wonder if it takes cat food pouches too?<br />Trouble is it's quite a way and I only go there about 3 or 4 times a yearSue in Suffolkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13166036914348424622noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4787951981229151015.post-17190553766303007442019-08-19T10:54:12.154+01:002019-08-19T10:54:12.154+01:00I hate wasps! I hate wasps! Sue in Suffolkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13166036914348424622noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4787951981229151015.post-48905457199729588652019-08-19T10:53:25.394+01:002019-08-19T10:53:25.394+01:00Cat food pouches are definitely not recyclable in ...Cat food pouches are definitely not recyclable in Suffolk but incinerated in the general household rubbish.<br />I do rinse out things to stop smells and fliesSue in Suffolkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13166036914348424622noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4787951981229151015.post-8446012756382943772019-08-19T10:45:26.825+01:002019-08-19T10:45:26.825+01:00Totally confusing! I put my cat food pouches in th...Totally confusing! I put my cat food pouches in the plastics bin. To be honest I don't bother specifically washing out plastics since I watched a tv documentary on recycling-plants showing that everything gets washed through there on arrival. I cut up all paper waste and use as cat litter. I use anything handy as 'binbags' - carrier bags, boxes; food scraps/egg boxes/coffee grounds go into compost.<br />V jealous of your fruit harvest; all I have so far is a small tub of brambles growing wild nearby and a handful of wind-battered lettuce leaves from my weather-savaged veg patch.. shallots look promising though so hopeful for them.Gilliannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4787951981229151015.post-90777134368065021102019-08-19T09:49:25.568+01:002019-08-19T09:49:25.568+01:00I think Emmaus in Ipswich will take them. I think Emmaus in Ipswich will take them. Juleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03837629817375132149noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4787951981229151015.post-22019061569572313412019-08-19T09:34:35.997+01:002019-08-19T09:34:35.997+01:00I can remember Before Plastic too. seems impossibl...I can remember Before Plastic too. seems impossible Sue in Suffolkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13166036914348424622noreply@blogger.com