The Book of Rubbish Ideas

We’re lucky enough to have another guest poster today so thank you to Karen Cannard (who you may know better as Almost Mrs Average) from the The Rubbish Diet blog for today’s piece.

“I am so frazzled at the edges” pleaded the voice at the end of the phone.

“I’ve hardly had any sleep.  Spent yesterday in London.  Got home to Somerset to find the car had given up on me. Had to get up at the crack o’dawn to do my weekly radio show in Taunton. I was late.  I hate being late. Then had to sort out a blimmin’ hire car to get to Bristol for some important charity work at NACOA.  I’m still in Bristol.  My blogpost has done a disappearing act.  It’s 8.30pm.  I’ve got a 90 minute drive home and I just need to go to bed!”

The panic stopped, followed by a pause and a big intake of breath and the magic words…”So would you like to do a guest post for Thursday?”

Now when the gorgeous Tracey Smith rings you up in the middle of the evening and provides an open invitation to take over her blog for the day, the only thing to do is to switch on your laptop and pull together a cunning plan that will give her such a wonderful surprise she thinks all her Christmases have come at once.

And I’ve got a fabulous surprise planned for this amazing lady.  It’s huge.  In fact it is so massive, I simply cannot do this on my own.

It needs you!  It needs your sense of fun.  It needs your invigorated spirit and it needs your commitment to reduce your rubbish big style.  And I mean BIG STYLE!

If you’ve read Tracey’s fabulous book and are following her marvellous hints and tips on reducing your household rubbish, you will be ready to help make this happen, even if all you’ve taken are a few small steps here and there and what I am about to suggest will give our very own Queen of Rubbish a warm glow all over!

Ladies and Gentlemen, I would like to ask you to take one extra step in your rubbish journey.  That’s right just put one foot forward and step up to the challenge of not creating any rubbish for one whole week.

Yep, that’s it.  Just one week of not generating any waste that has to be dumped in landfill. 

A Zero Waste Week!

All you have to do is go for seven days without buying or throwing away anything that can’t be recycled or composted! 

All you need to do is pick your week, get prepared and go for it and after the week is up, I can guarantee you will have a lovely slim bin to show for your efforts!

Can you imagine the impact?  Waking up on Bin Day and not having to worry about putting your bin out that week!  Not having to scuttle out in the cloak of darkness in your slippers and dressing gown and legging it in before your neighbours see you.  Instead you will be able to enjoy a lie-in, in the knowledge that landfill will be a lot lighter thanks to your efforts.

So, are you up for it?

Good. I hoped so because when it comes to slimming your bin, it’s a case of the more the merrier.  Indeed, why do it on your own?  Challenge your family, friends and colleagues at work and then get cracking on a plan of action.

And talking of plans, here are some top tips to help you on along.  Even if you follow just some of these ideas, you will be well on your way to a lighter life with less rubbish.

1. Start by ringing your council, to make sure you are up-to-date with recycling facilities or if you live in the UK, check the Recycle Now website for details. 
2. Find out if Tetra Pak collect drink cartons in your area.
3. Check if your local supermarket recycles all polythene wrappers as well as carrier bags and take back any frozen food bags, bread bags and magazine wrappers that would otherwise be thrown away.
4. Organise storage space at home to make recycling easier.
5. Start composting at home or find out about community composting.
6. Avoid plastic bags and take reusable ones instead. 
7. When shopping, avoid bring rubbish home.  Buy less, buy loose and switch to products where the packaging can be recycled or composted.  Try taking your own containers to avoid packaging and avoid crisps, snack bars and chocolate bars, which are packaged in film which can’t be recycled.  Buy produce from your local markets or farm shops.  If you live in a city sign up for a veg box delivery.
8. Ditch ready-meals and takeaway lunches.  Take packed lunches and cook from scratch, even if it’s as simple as a jacket potato or scrambled egg on toast.  Try the Love Food Hate Waste website for inspiration.
9. Avoid food waste by using up fresh products, reducing portions, freezing or reusing leftovers.  If you still have the odd plate scraping and food waste isn’t collected in your area, find out about Bokashi composting for managing cooked scraps.
10. Finally take your unwanted goods to a charity shop, give them away on Freecycle or swap them for other goodies at your local LETS group.  Alternatively make some cash for you own pocket on eBay or at your local boot fair.

By signing up for your very own Zero Waste Week challenge, you will become part of a craze that’s already taking the country by storm. 

To see for yourself, check out some of the following sites which are packed full of news, links and ideas, including my very own Rubbish Diet website, the excellent site My Zero Waste and the wonderful Zero Waist Blog, each revealing how ordinary people have managed to slim their bins to almost size zero.

And if you really want to add some extra pizzazz, get your friends to sponsor you so while you’re reducing your rubbish you can raise money for your favourite charity at the same time.

Trust me, by the end of your week, life will never be the same again!           

And as for our Tracey, your efforts will make her a happy bunny forever more.  Now isn’t that the most wonderful surprise to wake up to!

Karen Cannard is a freelance writer and the author of The Rubbish Diet blog, which details her own Zero Waste challenge, during which all she threw out was just one sticking plaster.   If you’re up for the challenge and would like further advice, Karen can be reached by email.