Granddad is fearless, fun loving and outgoing. He enjoys getting down and dirty. Freddy, his grandson, is the complete opposite. He likes the quiet life at home. His life is about to change.
Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council have set out planned changes, budget proposals, for the future.
Scroll to the bottom of the RCBC website to find those proposals. Sorry it is hard to read.
https://www.redcar-cleveland.gov.uk/sites/default/files/2022-12/Budget%20Proposals%202023-24.pdf
Or scroll down this page. Sorry it is hard to read!
As a Guisborough Town Councillor I was told of four things.
1) The precept to GTC is being reduced,
2) RCBC is looking at savings,
3) The planned changes to parking charges were on hold pending further discussion
4) We (GTC) were promised RCBC would be more transparent.
RCBC has the right to do just about anything it wants in Guisborough. Guisborough people have very few rights but we can petition.
We have had no transparency. It is now clear that a lot of changes are on the cards and I now understand why the RCBC leader did not consider my suggestions for saving. She had a lot of her own.
On the website there is a survey monkey survey to fill in but I suggest Guisborough should show dissatisfaction, start a petition to get these plans put on hold until after the next Council elections in May this year.
We only have until the 17th of January!!!
If you value your library or don’t want more car parking charges think about petitioning the council to put the plans on hold at least until the elections in May!
I am Fred Page, a Guisborough Town Councillor. I am interested in reducing climate change activity and bringing green jobs to the area.
I note that in March 2019, you were named Britain’s Greenest MP. Your work to tackle climate change and to promote a cleaner future was recognised. In the same month, RCBC declared a climate emergency.
Lots of green companies are setting up in the area. Can you attract one that will help to reduce climate change, minimise retail price rises and bring more employment to the area? One that will collect and clean single-use glass bottles and jars so they can be reused?
Glass bottles and jars are currently used once, then added to kerbside recycling. To turn glass recycling into new glass products involves transportation, crushing and melting, activities that are harmful to the climate and with rising energy prices, ever more expensive. At a fraction of the cost and with benefits for the environment and local economy glass bottles and jars, such as coffee jars, could be collected, cleaned and reused.
Please let me know if you are willing to attract a business to the area to employ local people to prepare glass bottles and jars for reuse?
I am willing to discuss details and I look forward to hearing from you.
Kind regards
Fred Page
WASTING ENERGY INCREASES climate change:
Glass jars used once are thrown into the recycling. They are collected, transported, crushed into dust, melted and made into something made of glass? This is a costly waste of time, diesel and energy and contributes to climate change!
THIS IDEA HELPS TO REDUCE climate change:
Stackable beakers can be used over and over. The provider collects the beakers and cleans them for reuse. They are reused lots of times AND when they can’t be used any more they can be recycled!
To help reduce climate change is a good reason to replace single-use glass jars with reusable ones.
Glass jars can be designed to be reused!
You can help: Ask shops to replace non-returnable, non-reusable glass jars with reusable ones.
Let’s start with coffee jars.Label them returnable and reusable so we know what to do!
I post my thoughts about climate change and recycling on recycleangel.co.uk, fredpageauthor.co.uk and on my Fred Page facebook page.
I welcome your thoughts!
FRED
To help local authorities to cut spending on diesel and reduce carbon emissions please support this petition. Create legislation to increase the time allowed between household recycling collections from two weeks to six.
To help local authorities to cut spending on diesel and reduce carbon emissions please support this petition. Create legislation to increase the time allowed between household recycling collections from two weeks to six.
I have sent requests to various organisations, including local authorities to support this petition. The Councils chosen so far have climate change emergencies in place so it seemed appropriate to ask them. I have had no responses yet but it is early days.
My request is based on information contained in the document, ‘Waste collection services: guidance for local authorities’, published 23, July, 2021.* It states that dry recyclables are low health risk yet it specifies waste, including recyclables, should be collected at least fortnightly.
I explained: By collecting recycling less often local authorities would use less diesel and save money. They would also reduce carbon emissions and help reduce climate change. Changing collections, for example, from fortnightly to once every four weeks will potentially halve associated costs and carbon emissions. Increasing the time to six weeks would make an even bigger saving. The value will be measurable.
To support my petition I have consulted friends and acquaintances, asked how long it takes them to fill their recycling bin? A number of them do not fill them in two weeks so put them out for collection when it is necessary. A number are committed to putting out their almost empty bin every two weeks on the day set by the council. The answers to my question depended on various factors and ranged from two weeks to five.
I discovered that many people have a paper caddy that I estimate takes up almost a third of the bin space. The local Operations Manager for waste and recycling… and the Town Mayor assured me I don’t need one so I don’t have one. Without it there is 240 litres of empty space and with good management, compacting all recyclables, it can take up to six weeks to fill my bin. Mine does not have to be emptied every two weeks! I suggest customers should be told they do not need a paper caddy and this subject should be researched further. However, based on my findings I say Councils should be able to arrange collections in streets, areas and towns less often, use less diesel, emit less carbon and help reduce climate change.
Recycling is a very important issue so I hope that among other things time will be dedicated to educating customers about what is recyclable and giving them confidence in the process.
I would like everyone to sign a petition asking for legislation to allow local authorities to increase the time between recycling collections from two weeks to six.
Together we can transform the future.
PETITION
TO HELP LOCAL AUTHORITIES TO CUT SPENDING ON DIESEL AND REDUCE CARBON EMISSIONS I/WE SUPPORT THE PETITION TO CREATE LEGISLATION TO INCREASE THE TIME ALLOWED BETWEEN COLLECTIONS OF HOUSEHOLD RECYCLING FROM TWO WEEKS TO SIX.
NAME and DATE
Today, May 23rd, 2022, I WILL OUTLINE WHERE I BELIEVE SAVINGS CAN BE MADE!
The publication: The Waste collection services: guidance for local authorities is a non-statutory guidance to help local authorities … basically says Authorities should collect dry recyclables weekly or can prioritise the waste collection services if there is unexpected pressure on resources. It considers them to be low priority. That means there will be minimal or no disruption if the services are suspended. It states they are minimal or no risk to human health and should be collected weekly or changed to fortnightly.
There is unexpected pressure! There is a climate emergency and war in ukraine. The government wants to reduce oil imports from Russia and has a 10-point plan to tackle climate change!
BBC Newsround, explains simply that petrol and diesel are fossil fuels. When used they give off carbon dioxide (CO2). It is a greenhouse gas which is harmful to the environment. It causes global warming. In the government’s 10-point plan to tackle climate change the sale of new petrol and diesel cars will be banned after 2030.
It is easy to joke, ‘When heading for a crash you instinctively put your foot on the brake. You don’t expect to have to wait 10 years to stop!‘ However the situation is not funny. I would like the government to cover all types of vehicle and make the restrictions sooner!
I believe local authorities can help if they reduce spending on diesel. Vehicles that are diesel driven produce the greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide (CO2), which is known to increase global warming and increase climate change. Local Authorities that have numerous diesel powered vehicles use considerable amounts of diesel. Reducing diesel consumption will reduce carbon emissions, help reduce climate change, be good for the environment and authority spending.
For the first time in nearly a hundred years there is war on our doorstep. The government wants to reduce oil imports from Russia. We are not asked to fight, but Ukraine says we can help stop it if we stop buying Russian oil! Do you want to stop it. If saving money on oil products, such as diesel, would save lives would you encourage your local authority to use less?
In 2019 a number of small businesses owners told me problems they had with recycling. I wanted to help them and had conversations with the local authority recycling management. Our conversations ended with no useful conclusion but I learned they have problems too. Determined to help them and their customers I wrote the novel, Recycle Angel. In it I look at problems from the point of view of customers and recycling management. The story gives a basic appreciation of recycling from the kitchen to sales and setting up a novel recycling business. In 2019 recycling needed improvement. Today the need for improvement is even more important. With no financial interest, other than reducing council tax hikes, I say give recycling respect but use a different approach to collecting it. An approach which will cut diesel emissions and spending. Where possible reducing spending is good for everyone.
The waste collection services guidance gives authorities the option to collect recycling weekly or fortnightly. That gives the option to extend the time between recycling collections from one week to two. Authorities that collect recycling every two week will use half the amount of diesel as those that collect it every week. Extending the time between collections makes a saving. Every extension is significant. The greater the time between collections the greater is the saving. The government should carry out research and determine the longest acceptable time between collections. In light of the climate emergency, the war in Ukraine and the possibility of reducing council tax hikes, the government the authorities and customers must decide what can be done.
The publication states that if local authorities consider changing to fortnightly collections they must consider collecting recycling materials waste paper, metal, plastic and glass by separate collection. It also states that if changes are to be made contracts between authorities and reprocessors they will need to be reviewed.
Any change to collections would have to be agreed between authorities and reprocesses. The instruction is to collect dry recyclables not garden waste. Many authorities have contracts with reprocesses and they would have to discuss changes to procedures. I’m sorry, a further complication is the recycling rate. The records show that in 2018/2019 recycling rates of 345 local authorities ranged from 14.1% to 64.8%. Garden waste, plants, weeds, twigs etc have a bigger effect on the recycling rate than dry recyclables collected. The more garden waste an authority collects the better its recycling rate! If an authority does not collect garden waste its recycling rate will be reduced.
Conclusion
I have shown a way that authorities can help the environment, climate change and authority spending. They can’t do it alone. They need the government’s help, a change in the law to extend the period between dry recyclables collections! The government must do everything necessary. It will save diesel, carbon emissions and money. Can I suggest savings can be used to give operatives green training on green projects that will eventually make even more savings.
Reduced spending, saving, is better for everyone!
References 16.05.2022
https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/54985070
Homepage
https://recycleangel.co.uk and https://fredpageauthor.co.uk
I recommend reading my book RECYCLE ANGEL. Check on Google https://recycleangel.co.uk or message me on Fred Page for Guisborough. I look forward to hearing from you.
Sat 14th May 10am-12pm – Swainby Village Hall.
Bike gears slip? Computer runs slow? Your favourite cooking knife gone blunt? Lamp that doesn’t light? A rip in your favourite t-shirt? Wonky handle on your basket? Bring your items for repair to the Stokesley and Villages Repair Café.
Recycling helps reduces Climate Change
Recycle Angel follows the theory that using clean recycling as a raw material will reduce the energy needed in the manufacturing process. When energy production is dependent on fossil fuels that reduction reduces the amount of carbon dioxide, affects global warming and helps reduces climate change.
The recycling process could be twice as good
The domestic recycling bin collection process wagons, drivers and loaders is well established. In my area the recycling team empties recycling bins every two weeks. In conversation with others many say their bins are less than half full.
The Council can reduce its carbon emissions
I suggest recycling bins could be emptied less frequently. House by house, street by street, area by area and town by town the council could embark on extending the period between collections. Reduced collections will reduce the travel time and fuel consumption of its fleet. It will also result in reduced carbon emissions.
If you would like to help please complete FORM 1 below and send it to me.
HELP MAKE A CHANGE FORM 1
| QUESTIONS | YOUR ANSWERS | |
| YOUR POST CODE | To show the area you live in | |
| HOW MANY RECYCLING BINS DO YOU HAVE IN YOUR HOUSEHOLD/HOME? | Some have more than one bin. | |
| HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE IN YOUR HOUSEHOLD/HOME? | Single households often collect less recycling | |
| DO YOU SHARE YOUR BINS WITH NEIGHBOURS? | Anyone can share if they want to | |
| TO TEST HOW LONG IT TAKES YOU TO FILL YOUR RECYCLING BIN YOU NEED A START AND END DATE. see below | ||
| START DATE? | Start your test when your bin is empty | |
| END DATE? | End your test when your bin is full | |
| TIME IN WEEKS AND DAYS IT TOOK TO FILL YOUR RECYCLING BIN? | In some places, if your bin is full before the collection is due, excess put in a bin bag and present for collection will be taken. Other areas may be different. | Weeks Days |
| HOW MANY WEEKS BETWEEN RECYCLING BIN COLLECTIONS WOULD SUIT YOU? | The answer here could be based on the number of weeks it took you to fill your recycling bin. | |
| NOTES: |
Thank you.
TO SEE IF THE COUNCIL CAN SAVE MONEY, TIME, FUEL, REDUCE ITS CARBON FOOTPRINT AND HELP REDUCE CLIMATE CHANGE
AIM
The Council empties recycling bins that are put out, on a fortnightly basis. I have carried out this experiment to see if the Council does not need to empty them as often as it does. And suggest if it reduces the frequency it will reduce its fuel consumption, save money and help reduce climate change.
EQUIPMENT
A 4 draw cabinet
A Council Recycling Bin
A set of kitchen scales
NOTES
Generally recycling bins hold 240 litres. 2 weeks recycling barely covered the bottom of my recycling bin. I estimate it could take 6 weeks to fill my recycling bin with household recycling. I wanted to show how long it takes to fill it and it will not be too heavy for the operatives.
THE PROCESS
Over a few weeks I collected my household aluminium, glass, tin and plastic recycling and sorted it into individual draws.
At times shown in the table below I weighed each material and recorded the results.
NOTE -I have noticed many people do not put cardboard in the bin, it is left beside it instead. I did not include cardboard.
From the data I have derived approximate weights for the periods, 14, 29, 41 up to 54 days and a year.
CONLUSION
The results show the recycling collected is not heavy. I observe my recycling bin could be emptied every 6 weeks.
If the Council emptied all recycling bins every 6 weeks it would reduce its fuel consumption, reduce its carbon footprint, help reduce climate change and save money. I hope with the savings it would be able to reduce council tax hikes.
I believe that if you and hundreds of other like minded people do the same experiment and gather the data it should be possible to demonstrate the time between emptying recycling bins can be extended.
EXCEPTIONS
Some customers generate more recycling. They will need an extra bin and possibly bags. In the interest of helping to save the planet I’m sure the Council will sort out any anomalies.
Weight (grams) of recycling collected. Start date 24.04.2022
| Recycling | DATE Start Date 24.02.2022 | 09.03.2022 | 24.03.2022 | 05.04.2022 | 18.04.2022 | Average grams per year (365 days) based on longest test period | Approx grams per 14 days |
| Number of days | 14 | 29 | 41 | 54 | |||
| Aluminium | 205 | 440 | 643 | 5724 | 220 | ||
| Glass | 447 | 904 | 904 | 1763 | 11916 | 457 | |
| Plastic | 332 | 990 | 1388 | 12356 | 474 | ||
| Tins | 396 | 850 | 1228 | 1530 | 10341 | 397 | |
| TOTAL | 40337 | 1548 |
I am a Guisborough Town Councillor. I’m so pleased that as a Town Council we are working to serve the community by supporting an educational event on prevention of scams and fraud and to support Ukraine about to fly the Ukrainian flag.
Saving energy is in the news this week. I am reminded I have never heard anyone comment about the flowers in tubs dotted around the Town. However, a lady commented about the Christmas lights that were switched on in the middle of the day, in November. She turned to her mother and daughter and sounding surprised said, “The lights are on. Why?”
The tubs are paid for by the Town Council and Councillors and volunteers give their time planting the bulbs and maintaining them. The Christmas lights, a multitude of small electric light bulbs on cables hang in the trees all year round. They are ready to brighten up the High Street and give people pleasure at the flick-of-a-switch. The Town Council pays the electricity bill!
The lady’s comment did not show pleasure. Perhaps she felt the Town Council should save the lights for Christmas, save money, and help reduce climate change by saving energy?
I have asked before that energy should not be wasted. Until all electricity is generated sustainably power generation will contribute to climate change. Climate change is blamed for rising sea levels and this week, climate change is the likely cause of a month’s rain falling in one day causing flooding and 250 deaths. Saving energy saves money and may save lives.
We are trying to do what we can to help save the planet.
The story is available in digital format on Kindle as well as paperback.
