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.
50% RECYCLE-RATE IS NOT ENOUGH!
The Local Authority provides residents with black caddies and recycling bins. Its advertising lists 5 items to go in the caddies and 7 in the bins. It is collected fortnightly by conscientious loaders and drivers. Sadly for all their effort less than 50% of recycling collected is suitable for sale. The remainder is burned or sent to land-fill. The Council Recycle-Rate is not good!
In 2019, I thought about writing a story to educate the public about recycling. When Britain was forced into the first Covid lock-down I began writing. I also started to collect aluminium cans. I wrote the novel, Recycle Angel, and published it at the end of 2021. I collected at least one can every day until yesterday. With about 1000 cans I determined to find someone who would value them.
BRUCE, THE PROFESSIONAL RAG AND BONE MAN AND PASSIONATE RECYCLER.
I’m used to door knocking and soon found Bruce, a professional Rag and Bone man and passionate recycler. He was busy and while we talked about his work I watched him taking a couple of old washing machines apart. After a few minutes conversation I commented he had the same ideas as me, but a more hands on and practical man.
At the entrance to his yard were two big recycling bins. I mentioned they will fill up quickly with his waste. He assured me he can’t put business waste in those bins. They were full of domestic stuff.
As he dismantled the washing machines he piled some pieces together and threw others away. Without being asked he explained they cannot be recycled. They look very nice but inside the shiny metal exterior they are packed with non-recyclable material so had to be thrown away!
BRUCE BELIEVES IN SAVING TIME AND MONEY
My view is recycling bins should not be collected and emptied every two weeks unless they contain a sensible amount of recycling. For many customers collection every four or six weeks would be adequate. I mentioned it to Bruce. He pointed to the 2 recycling bins at his drive entrance. The Council had missed them at the last collection and they were overflowing with recycling. They needed emptying. I told Bruce mine is almost empty, it takes more than 2 weeks to fill it, so it would be a waste if council collected it. He didn’t look up. He pulled out another clip, cut some rubber tubing and said, “If people put out the bins when necessary it would save time and money”.
1 in a 1000
When I began my aluminium collection it was valued at about £600 per tonne. It was now valued at about £1200 per tonne. The cans I had collected over the 2 years were worth over £12.
I began my can collection without considering how and where to store them. I should have squashed them but I didn’t. Storing them became a problem. They looked untidy as they piled up in the carport. We took delivery of a new television. I put 160 cans in the box it came in. I stored other cans in random cardboard boxes and trays and when we bought Coca.Cola in packs of 12, 18 and 24 I filled those cartons and stacked them as neatly as possible.
Yesterday, I took the picture then emptied the cans into 3 black bags and took them to Bruce. Other people had dropped off carrier bags full of cans. He said lots of people do it, but I’m pretty sure no one had ever taken him a thousand. When he saw them he looked doubtful. He ran a very strong magnet over the bags to pick out anything magnetic. I told him they were Coca.Cola cans made of aluminium. He carried on scanning and insisted the magnet would pick up anything magnetic, even if it was in the middle of the bag. I told him that if I had thought any Coca.Cola cans were not aluminium I would have put them in the Council’s recycle bin.
Bruce scanned and found one different drinks can that was not pure aluminium. He advised me that is the business he takes them too had found it they would not buy any of them. He gave me the magnet.
IS THERE A BETTER WAY?
The Council has adopted the single-stream system but I argue in favour of the multi-stream system in my book and here too.
This morning I was reminded that some time ago my local Authority supplied every home with bags and boxes in a Council multi-streaming recycling project. Like most Council’s it eventually decided householders could not separate their waste. It decided to change to a single-stream system. It replaced the bag and box with a big blue recycling bin and told customers to put all recycling in it. Helpfully, a list of materials that can be put in recycling was provided. Mine is still inside my bin. It is stuck to the lid.
Putting recycling into one receptacle is easier for customers and emptying one is easier for Council loaders and drivers. In many ways the single-stream system is ideal, but the recycling rates are not good!
In 2019, the year I became a member of Guisborough Town Council, RECOUP produced a survey showing challenges Councils find associated with household recycling. The biggest single challenge given was contamination. Other challenges included collection logistics and reduced collection frequency.
MY PERSONAL ASSESSMENTS:
Contamination is often caused by over zealous, ‘wish recycling’ customers. When they are not sure which bin to use they sometimes get it wrong. There is nothing to guide a correct decision.
I have trialled collecting recycling in a draw cabinet. It is easy to see which draw an item should go in. If the material does not go in a draw it goes in the general waste bin.
Other problems, such as logistics and collection frequency need to be defined and resolved by the Council.
ARE CUSTOMERS INTERESTED IN RECYCLING?
I advertised Global Recycling Day on social media for a month and got not responses at all. My conclusion is that those customers who use social media were not interested in recycling. Social media is not a good platform for advertising recycling. Councils who rely on that media probably get as much response as me. I know people who observe the labels on packaging, clean it, put it in the recycling bin and forget about it. To them it has no value. I suggest future advertising should be through other media. To be successful it must be given value. Let customers know that money raised through sales of recycling goes into that or other services and helps to reduce council tax.
IS RECYCLING FINANCIALLY AND ECOLOGICALLY VIABLE?
I suggest advertising should aim to assure customers that recycling is beneficial. It is good for the environment, helps reduce climate change and the council tax. Money from recycling goes into services.
HOW MUCH PLASTIC RECYCLING ARE WE COLLECTING ANNUALLY?
I collected my own household plastic from 24th, February to 24th, March 2022 and estimated my annual plastic collection rate.
The charity, RECOUP, does a UK Household Plastics Collection Surveys each year. I have copied mine, and its figures for 2019 and 2021 into the table below.
| RECOUP survey results for Plastic per household per year in 2019 and 2021. I averaged my own results for plastic collected from 24.02.22 to 24.03.22 | |||
| RECOUP 2019 (kg) | RECOUP 2021 (approx kg) | My Collection 2022 (kg) | |
| Plastic bottles + Pots, tubs, trays | 12.65 + 6.91 | 14 + 6 | 12.9 |
| Plastic film | 0.86 | 1 | 2.6 |
| TOTAL PER YEAR | 20.42 | 21 | 15.50 |
My total is less than RECOUP’s, however both are small compared to the effort that goes into collecting and sorting. If I am right, valued at up to £400 per tonne my collection will be worth about £6 per year.
Other recycling materials are collected. They all save resources. Bear in mind that less than 50% of recycling collected is recyclable. Should the cost to the environment and the effect on climate change of fossil fuel driven recycling wagons be accounted for? Recycle Angel shows there is another way!
I am grateful to RECOUP for allowing me to include the figures in this blog.
REFERENCES
recoup-uk-household-plastics-collection-survey-2019-1591878883.pdf Item Performance Rate – Average Collection Rates per Household per Year, 2019
recoup-uk-household-plastics-collection-survey-2021-1637743422.pdf. Item
Household Collection Performance. Household Collection Rates, 2021
Fred Page © 2022
In its Spring magazine the local Authority stated these 3 priorities:
A carbon neutral borough by 2030
Supporting nature and biodiversity
Improving recycling rates
I say, all three will be improved and it will help reduce climate change if recycling is improved!
More from the Spring Mag:
Under the heading, ‘Tackling climate change and enhancing our environment’ the local Authority stated it collected 60,592 tonnes of household waste. 22,594 tonnes was recycled and composted.
New waste, electronic and electrical equipment bins have been installed across the borough.
(I haven’t got one yet!)
A trial to distribute free recycling bins and a total of 400 free compost bins has begun.
(I’m waiting for mine)
Newly installed, LED, street lights have reduced electricity consumption – saved 1,300 tons of carbon.
(Wind Turbine Generators off the coast produce sustainable electricity. LED lights use less electricity than conventional lights.)
New hydrogen and electric vehicles have been trialled by the council.
Recycling and compost equates to a 37% recycling rate.
(That is the rate the council wants to improve.)
THE EXPERIMENT
I don’t think I can improve my recycling but I might help the council to save money. I am doing an experiment to show my recycling doesn’t need to be collected every two weeks. There are a lot of one and two person households in the borough and if I am right once a month or every six weeks should do. The council will save petrol if the recycling wagons do not run so often or it may decide to look for other streams of recycling.
WHAT CAN COUNCILS DO?
In Thursday’s meeting I mentioned examples of electricity being wasted. By day outdoor lights competing with the sunshine and decorative lights with many more light bulbs than are needed. By night lights, for no reason that I can see, compete with Blackpool Illuminations. It would help if those parties were more thoughtful
THANK THE RECYCLING TEAM
Our Council Recycling Team men and women drivers and loaders have had a tough time during the Covid pandemic. They deserve recognition. Would you like to thank them? Let me know and I’ll pass it on.
This month the local authority has advertised 3 of its priorities include
A carbon neutral borough by 2030
Supporting nature and biodiversity
Improving recycling rates
WE CAN HELP?
In discussion with the refuse and recycling management I found they need our help. You know recycling saves money, resources, helps the environment and helps reduce climate change. The question is – can we take the time to help? Here are a few reasons why we should:
MONEY
Darlington Borough Council advertises the more we recycle, the better it is for the environment and as an added bonus, we are also paid for every tonne of recycling we collect – money which can be reinvested back into the council and spent on a range of services.
RESOURCES
Friends of the Earth advise that recycling paper, wood, plastic, metal and glass saves trees, fossil fuel hydrocarbons, metal, sand and it saves eco systems and wild life.
CLIMATE CHANGE
Carbon emissions are released when fossil fuels are burned to generate heat and electricity needed in manufacturing products. It is stated that those emissions affect climate change. It is known that less energy is used in manufacturing processes that use recycling. Those processes produces less carbon emissions and that helps reduce climate change.
Plans to open clean energy education hub at Redcar College is a clean, green step in the right direction.
Early 2023, Redcar and Cleveland College plans to open its Clean Energy Education Hub.
School leavers, adult learners and apprentices will be trained to work in the domestic and commercial renewable energy market. Practicing what they preach the facility will be powered by solar panels and air source heat pumps.
Minister for Levelling Up, Neil O’Brian commented it will play a crucial role supporting Tees Valley’s wider green economy… leading the charge in the low carbon sector. Posted on Redcar and Cleveland College website on 9th, March 2022.
This fits with future plans already announced for Tees Valley and posted in Teesinvest.com. The students will have a lot to learn!
Sembcorp Energy UK
Sembcorp Energy UK is waiting for approval to build Europe’s largest battery energy storage system on Teesside. Posted 14th, December 2021.
NZT Power
NZT Power, a joint venture between bp and Equinor, announced it is aiming to be the UK’s first fully integrated commercial-scale gas-fired power station with carbon capture.
March 2021 H2Teesside a ‘blue’ hydrogen production facility aims to start up in 2027 and produce hydrogen from natural gas by 2030. Posted 25th, January 2022.
Tees Valley Hydrogen Transport Hub
A hydrogen refuelling station, for hydrogen-powered vehicles, is up and running at Teesside International Airport. As part of the Tees Valley Hydrogen Transport Hub, the airport, along with other key organisations, is testing out commercial and support vehicles fitted with 100% zero-emission hydrogen-fuelled commercial and support vehicles. Posted 28th, January 2022.
SEAH WIND
SEAH WIND will bring a facility to Teesworks. When complete it will be the world’s largest monopile plant for offshore wind turbines. Posted 14th, February 2022.
I understand Redcar’s street-lights are powered by the wind turbines seen off Redcar’s beach.
February 28, 2022
This might surprise you:
I’m not joking. Since last Thursday, Feb 24th, I’ve been multi-streaming my recycling into my draw cabinet, pictured below. It is compulsive recycling. I have 6 soft drinks cans in one draw, 1 jar in another, 7 tins in another and 3 plastic milk bottles in the last one.. All 13 items have value. Making them into something new saves resources, energy and helps reduce climate change. Recycling properly is good for the environment.
Multi-Stream Recycling Draw Cabinet
Recycle Angel
This month Recycle Angel is reported in Saltburn’s own advertiser, Talk of The Town. Everyone recycles stuff but sometimes get it wrong. Read the book to see how Granddad and Freddy sorted out what can be recycled and what can’t.
Thought for the week:
Recycling has grown in popularity recently. Some shops are collecting anything from soft plastic to used clothes and some are giving rewards. In the end we are all rewarded if recycling is not burned and does not add to greenhouse gasses (GHG). I will list some of those shops, later.
We know recycling is sent to a Material Recovery Facility (MRF) to be separated into metal, plastic, paper etc. I received a well written document last week that detailed the local Council sent its recycling to a MRF 300 miles away but recently has it separated locally.
Unfortunately I could not substantiate the claims.
We are all aware of the effects of carbon emissions on the environment and transporting recycling 300 miles would add considerably to the Council’s carbon footprint. It does not sound reasonable.
Someone should ask questions:
What are the Council’s carbon emissions?
Where can it make changes to reduce them?
When will it make those changes?
RECYCLE ANGEL
In my book, Recycle Angel, Freddy practiced separating recycling into red, white and blue bins and finds a job collecting, sorting and baling recycling on his doorstep.
This week I will separate mine into draws in my second hand draw cabinet and hope to find it as compulsive as Freddy did.
Wish me luck!
Follow my blog on http://recycle angel.co.uk if you would like to see the photo!
SAVING DIESEL, MONEY AND THE PLANET
One Council is hoping to make a significant change to help reduce its impact on the environment. It is planning to convert 2 bin wagons and one other vehicle to dual fuel. One of the fuels will be hydrogen. It estimates it will save more than 10.000 litres of diesel per year. I can only hope that money saved will be reflected in Council Tax bills.
The hydrogen will be produced in the greenest possible way using solar power and grey-water recycling. (Spelled graywater in the USA)
WHY I WROTE RECYCLE ANGEL
I wrote the book, Recycle Angel, because I was fed up of council taxes going up and so little being done to help reduce climate change.
SAVE THE ENVIRONMENT AND MONEY!
Without nit-picking. There are over 300 councils in England. Theoretically, If every council vehicle was converted and they all saved 10,000 litres of diesel per year that could be more than 3,000,000 litres saved. That would help the environment. As we all know the price of diesel is more than one pound per litre so that could be a financial saving of more than three million pounds nationally.
I SUGGEST
While we wait for councils to convert all vehicles away from fossil fuels such as diesel I would like to see the same service rendered if vehicles are used more sparingly and fuel consumption reduced.
THE GOVERNMENT AIMS TO HELP?
The government set its climate change targets. It aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). It is increasing the numbers of electric vehicle charging points across the country to give motorists confidence they will be able to recharge and not run out of power. Sadly much of the electricity needed is produced in gas burning generators. Gas is a fossil fuel!
THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK
If higher demand contributes to higher prices is there anything you can do to reduce your contribution?
Items CHANGES TO THE HIGHWAY CODE RULES, DO THEY KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING?, 2022 NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS, CLIMATE CHANGE, BRITISH WEATHER, ELECTRICITY, THE POWER OF THE WIND, SUN AND WATER. THE POWER OF THE FUTURE and LED see below:
CLIMATE CHANGE
CHANGES TO THE HIGHWAY CODE RULES
29 January 2022 Rules for all types of road users have been updated in The Highway Code to improve the safety of people walking, cycling and riding horses. I wonder how many people know? Please pass this on. One newspaper has presented the changes in a way some may misinterpret so please be aware the best place to read about the changes is in the Highway Code!
Will the changes make more people feel safer cycling? More people cycling instead of driving will reduce carbon emissions and help the government to meet its carbon reduction targets.
DO THEY KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING?
14.01.22 Wagons must run! Waste must be collected! Teams of workers drive all day long collecting waste! Do they know the cost to the environment? How many hundreds or thousands of gallons of fuel are they using and what is the cost to the environment? Can they think of ways to reduce fuel consumption?
03.01.22
2022 NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS
The item states this plant will burn ‘domestic solid waste that can’t be recycled’. Burning adds to the greenhouse gasses that cause climate change.
I am collecting New Year’s resolutions to do with helping to reduce climate change. If you have one and would like it to appear in this blog, please send it to me. It will be there to remind you of your good intensions. There must be nothing in your text to identify you, or anyone else.
If you are under age or for any other reason require parental/carer permission remember to get it before sending your New Year Resolution.
New Year Resolution sent to me: I am going to think about where I can do more with less and ways in which I can try to encourage small changes from people I know.
CLIMATE CHANGE
This is the 21st century, we can do anything, even change the climate. Make it worse!
19.12.21 Fortunately our sports personalities brighten up our lives through their achievements. Special congratulations to Emma Raducanu and Sky Brown. Emma Raducanu won the US Open, is the British No. 1 tennis player and BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2021. Sky Brown won bronze in skateboarding at the Tokyo Olympics and has been voted Young Sports Personality of the Year 2021. They both showed skill, determination and commitment and Sky left us with her philosophy “If you believe in yourself you can do anything”.
With that in mind will all governments learn from the sports people. Will they show the same courage, determination and commitment and keep to the pledges made at COP26?
(In my story, Recycle Angel, Freddy and Granddad, who know very little about recycling, pretend to be recycling experts and make a contribution to reduce climate change)
Granddad wants to fight global warming. He and Freddy learn about recycling symbols. They pretend to be recycling experts and learn how recycling is sorted and rubbish is burned. If it is recycled it isn’t burned! Granddad comes up with an amazing invention to help improve recycling. We can learn from them and make sure to put recyclable packaging in the recycling bin and rubbish in what Granddad calls the khaki bin.
We are heading to a perfect storm, climate change caused by global warming. Burning gas, oil, coal and waste creates carbon dioxide. School children are taught carbon dioxide in the air holds the heat from the sun. More carbon dioxide holds more heat and the world average temperature rises. That is global warming. Because of it polar ice melts, sea levels rise, there are more floods, droughts, wildfires and less land suitable for agriculture and animals, including people. Also extremes of heat and cold can occur anywhere. The result can be devastating!
Some people are in imminent danger of becoming climate change immigrants! Because of rising sea levels some people in Wales may soon lose their homes and be forced to move. Those living on small islands in the ocean may lose their islands and homes. In the interest of the welfare of others and self preservation can governments around the world priorities phasing out fossil fuel power stations and bring in more sustainable power sources, wind, sun and water as quickly as possible? Can governments find the way to reduce the amount of waste stuff being burned?
I want to do my best. To that end my recycling is as good as possible and my heating as low as possible. I learned to ‘repair’ my microwave oven instead of throwing it away. In addition I made non-recharge batteries last longer by recharging them. It is important to realise it does not work with every non-rechargeable battery. It is a personal preference, I like walking, so whenever possible I get warm walking and put the heating on later. I am making do with my ancient computer. Although I might make less mistakes with a new one it would increase my carbon footprint. I’ll hang on a bit longer.
British weather is always a talking point. It used to be wet or dry but I would say it has got worse since 1987. On 15 October 1987 Michael Fish, a BBC weather man, told the viewers there was not a hurricane on its way and The Express said we had the worst storm in 300 years.
I don’t remember anyone blaming greenhouse gasses and global warming at the time but in 2015 world leaders noticed the weather is changing. At the COP21 they pledged to keep global warming temperature rise to no more than 2° C and aim for 1.5° C. Would we be in the situation we are in now if they had pledged to go for a 0° rise?
We are bombarded with evidence of the effect of climate change in the form of storms, droughts and other events. Granddad decided to fight Global Warming. He had fought in the World Wars and saved his country from oppression, misery and injustice. Keen to save his country and the World from disaster, bursting with enthusiasm he declared, “I will fight it!”
This amazing sustainable Yarn Christmas Tree made to encourage inclusion, engagement and community friendship would look good anywhere. It was made by members of the community, put up on a windy day, blown down by storm Arwen and put up again. Anyone wishing to be involved in future projects should contact Community Stepping Stones.
THE POWER OF THE WIND, SUN AND WATER. THE POWER OF THE FUTURE.
In developing countries, where it can be difficult and costly to transport fuels, wind and solar power are popular.
Wind turbines
For many years, in Great Britain, electricity generating stations run on fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas have been producing the greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide. No one realised, until recently, it causes global warming and climate change. To reduce climate change fossil fuel run power stations are being phased out and replaced with wind farms, solar farms and hydro electric generators.
The wind turbines below are sited in the sea off Redcar and electricity they generate powers Redcar street lights.
Solar panels
We have seen on television solar panels on primitive homes and shelters powering lighting, radios and mobile phones. For many in Mongolia for example, it is a life changer and this quote says it all. ” We used to manage life with candles and oil lanterns. The change in herders’ life between then and now is like night and day. “ Quote from April 8th 2013, as cited in Mongolia: Portable Solar Power for Nomadic Herders, 18.11.2021, https://www.worldbank.org/en/results/2013/04/08/portable-solar-power-for-nomadic-herders
Hydroelectric generators
Water powered hydroelectric generators have been used to generate electricity since Michael Faraday invented the electric generator in 1831. There is no shortage of water in Great Britain. We have problems with flooding and I wonder has anyone thought how that flood water could be managed to generate electricity in future?
How do people feel about wind turbines?
Granddad would be pleased that sustainable power sources are increasing but appalled about 60% of the recycling we collect is burned and creating carbon dioxide. He would hope his new invention will improve the situation.
LED
Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council has changed its street lights to LED and reduced its electricity consumption. It is helping to reduce climate change. Lots of business have either changed to or about to change to LED lighting and some are installing heat pumps. They are playing their part in the fight to reduce climate change.
As an example to us all should businesses advertise what they are doing to reduce climate change? Should they post adverts in their windows. Would that encourage customers to change their habits? Let me know what you think!
Items GREETINGS, RECYCLE ANGEL, DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING?, SOME SHOPS REWARD CUSTOMERS FOR RECYCLING, THE COUNCIL WANTS TO CONSULT ABOUT RECYCLING, IS RECYCLING CONFUSING? SHOCK NEWS, THE FUTURE OF RECYCLING see below:
Greetings visitor,
I aim to update weekly. I will talk about global warming and anything to do with it. That includes recycling.
I am Fred Page, born in the era of Bob Dillon’s ‘With God on Our Side’ on ‘The Times They Are A-changin’ album”.
Before writing the book I looked at recycling, decided it creates too much waste, too much stuff is burned, it needs changing so I wrote Recycle Angel.
Thoughts for the week: How do you cancel the cancel culture? What is more annoying? Keeping stuff you might never need or throwing away stuff you will?
Sometimes you just don’t know what you want but I know I don’t want my recycling to go to landfill or be burned when it could be made into something useful.
I’ve heard people in Britain and America say recycling doesn’t work. Lots of it is wasted, disposed of or burned. Burning creates greenhouse gasses, increases global warming and climate change. I looked at the recycling procedures. They need to be improved. I asked myself, can the procedures be improved by tinkering or should they be changed? I decided there is a need for change. In my story I describe two procedures. The generally used procedure and an alternative. Generally customers bundle all recycling together into one bin and it is sent to be sorted. In the alternative customers are trusted to treat recycling with care and sort it themselves and put it into appropriately sized patriotic red, white and blue bins.
I would be interested to know if you could be a patriotic recycler. Could you put cardboard, aluminium, glass etc into the right bin?
Recycle Angel
There are two main characters in the book. Granddad is an extravert who will do anything. Freddy, his grandson, is an introvert who likes to stay at home. Granddad takes him on an adventure and changes his life. They are both keen to help reduce climate change and Granddad, who is a business angel, sets Freddy up with a job that he enjoys. It helps reduce waste, helps reduce climate change and global warming.
The book is light reading. The problem is real but the way they deal with the situations they find themselves in is entertaining.
Lots of stuff, plastics for example, is made from fossil fuels. It is well known that burning fossil fuels and stuff made from them create carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas that contributes to Global warming and Climate Change. Recyclable materials are collected in the recycling bin, collected, sorted and baled for sale. Unfortunately, lots of it is wasted and burned. Granddad finds a way to reduce the problem.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING?
14.01.2022 Have you ever thought a label should tell you what something is made of? How many different things can there be? Would we all find it easier to decide what to recycle if the instructions were clearer? In Recycle Angel deciding what can be recycled is so easy. There is aluminium, steel, cardboard, PET plastic, and bottle and jar glass.
SOME SHOPS REWARD CUSTOMERS FOR RECYCLING
22.12.21 Recycling has grown in popularity recently. In the story, Recycle Angel, Granddad’s favourite saying is “Where there’s muck, there’s money”. He is right. Some shops are collecting anything from soft plastic to clothing and some are rewarding customers for it. I have a list. If you would like it please let me know.
THE COUNCIL WANTS TO CONSULT ABOUT RECYCLING
Today, 17.12.21 I see on the Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council website https://greenerfuture.redcar-cleveland.gov.uk/residents/ the Council wants to consult resident’s in an aim to boost recycling rates.
I support the aim and while Recycle Angel is primarily fun it might help readers to come up with better recycling ideas. Please let me know what you think.
IS RECYCLING CONFUSING?
What do Recycle Signs mean? In the story Freddy told Granddad about them and the instructions on labels, but they found some confusing. Does anyone else find them confusing?
Why should you read Recycle Angel? The story should leave you smiling at Granddad and Freddy, two characters having as much trouble as most of us trying to get recycling right. They go to places most people have never been and would prefer not to go. In the end Granddad comes up with his amazing invention to help sort recycling.
Granddad and Freddy found a note someone had written. Freddy looked at it and observed “It is a list” … “Look! Cardboard, cans, tins, jars, bottles, plastics. A list of things to put in the Recycling bin. What else could it be?”
SHOCK NEWS
December 15th, 2021 the cost of living rose by more than 5%.
The cost of petrol, energy, transport, clothes and metal went up.
Will the rising cost of living make more people REDUCE, REUSE and RECYCLE to help to save money and reduce climate change?
Granddad learned about global warming and the destruction it can cause. He had fought in the World Wars and saved his country from oppression, misery and injustice. Keen to save his country and the World from disaster, bursting with enthusiasm he declared, “I will fight it!” He decided recycling helps and came up with his amazing invention. Recycling saves money too!
Will more people use their car less, walk more, use public transport more or work from home.
Will more buy less clothes, make them last last longer, mend what can be mended, and buy used clothes from Charity shops.
Manufacturers can keep metal costs and energy consumption down if they use metal tins and cans the Nation collects in the recycling bin. It is considerably cheaper than metal mined, transported and extracted from ore. Using recycling saves money and energy, reduces carbon emissions, global warming and reduces climate change.
Help Granddad win the fight! Keep recycling!
Recycling does have a future but we need to get better at collecting it, sorting it and turning it into something useful.
Do you know recycling is often collected and transported hundreds of miles to be sorted? When it is sorted, some is burned because it is not good enough to be sold. Only the best can be made into something new.
All homes should have a blue recycling bin. Every 2 weeks the Recycling Crew collect our recycling. In the story I describe the emptying process. It sounds fun but running the wagon and tipping the bin contents into the wagon uses diesel and creates greenhouse gas.
Is there a better way? Have you any ideas?
Are you tied to the rules? Do you leave your recycling until your bin is full?
Have you seen those unfortunate people in ‘poorer countries’ scavenging for plastic waste in huge landfill dumps. It is hard to believe they are so poor they have to do it to make a living.
Fortunately for them, that plastic can be made into roof tiles, for example. Can it be used to make anything else?
The first response is sympathy. They do not have what we call a proper job. What they do is very dirty and unhealthy. Cleaning up waste others have thrown away can’t be pleasant but they may regard themselves as lucky that so many people do not put recycling in Recycling bins?
That raised the question, do people in those countries have Recycling bins or not?
And I would like to know why WE as individuals and as a nation spend so much money on recycling when there is a perception it doesn’t work?
Is it possible Granddad’s invention will offer some hope?
Let me know!
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.
