Bloggers! Win tickets to the Olympic Games with Coca Cola

Examples of Coca-Colas colour-coded recycling bins designed for London 2012

I hope all you bloggers with some waste-busting credentials out there have got your fingertips at the ready, because todays news is that Im judging a fantastic competition thats promoted by Coca-Cola as part of its Olympic Games Sustainability Challenge and which is inviting YOU to talk about my favourite topic.

REDUCING WASTE!

And the prize on offer is an exciting package featuring two tickets to the Olympic Games for 4th August, as well as travel and accommodation, all of which are provided by Coca-Cola as as an Olympic sponsor.


All you have to do is publish a blogpost about easy ways in which you are reducing waste in your household and link it to the competition blogpost at the Coca-Cola Website. 

I would love you to take part and share some inspirational and entertaining snippets of how you juggle your waste at home  - and seriously, I wouldnt be surprised if some of the entries did actually feature some snazzy juggling action.

For more information about the competition, go straight over to my blogpost at their website, and follow the instructions there. Ive included lots of ideas about ways in which you can take part.

But remember, to be in with a chance of winning, make sure you enter by the closing date which is midnight Friday 13th July.

And with any luck, if youre one of the winners, I will see you there.

I wont be difficult to spot, Ill be the one snapping photos of the colour-coded recycling bins as well as some of the other examples of waste reduction featured around the Olympic Park.  I may even drag along Shedwyn, my roving reporter from last summers 1000 bins campaign. After all, its right up her street.

Until then, good luck to all who enter. I cant wait to visit your blogs and be inspired by your talent.

Now, get ye gone from here and go over there instead.

http://CokeURL.com/karen

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Disclaimer: I will not be paid by Coca-Cola for launching, promoting and judging the Olympic Games Sustainability Challenge. However, I have been invited to attend the London 2012 Olympic Games along with some of the competition winners and a Coca-Cola representative as a thank you for working with them.

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Where to get the pin prick

Image via Wikipedia

MONTH 2 MUSINGS

I must say, the needles arent the most pleasant thing, but they sure do help. I remember the first real day that the diet started. You get a single dose of B vitamin complex, and I felt such a rush of energy and balance. Theres really something to be said for the injections. I hadnt slept so well in a long time than that first evening after I got the injections. Probably largely psychological but I dont care. I dont mind the injections at all.

They first take the buttocks as the main site. Stay there for a week or two and venture into door #2 or door #3 from there.

I chose door #2 - the thighs. I chuckle when even some of the nurses on the program say they just wont go there. Sure it stings - for about 3 minutes - then youre off! Ive had a chance to go back over my last 6 weeks on the program, and my biggest weight loss was during the "thigh phase." Somewhere along the way, I was cajoled into getting the shots in my belly. I dont know why I changed. I didnt find it did much for me in the belly. My weight loss balanced off to 1 lb every two days. Nothing compared to the 4-5 lbs over a weekend I got from the thigh.

So, today I asked the nurse to switch me back. I expounded on my theory that I think the thigh works best for me. She confirmed that, saying that the thigh gets "the most coverage throughout the body."

Well - why didnt anybody tell me that in the first place?! I would have stayed there forever.

One drawback? The nice loonie sized bruises decorating the length of the thighs. Nevertheless, Im staying put for awhile and amass more data to test my hypothesis. Door #1 (butt), Door #2 (thigh) or Door #3 (belly) - which yields the biggest prize (or should I say - loss?)

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Did you hear that I went to THE OLYMPICS You have now!

There are very few moments when this blogger is speechless, but as Im sat here watching the Olympics on TV, all I want to do is cry with happiness and  pride over the achievements of our athletes.  Since the opening ceremony last Friday, there has been so much to celebrate.

And yesterday evening I was there, in the Olympic Stadium on Super Saturday, where I witnessed one of the greatest sporting events in history, the night that Jessica Ennis, Greg Rutherford and Mo Farah all achieved gold medals for Great Britain, helping to celebrate the most successful day in British athletics for over 100 years.

My husband and I were guests of London 2012 sponsors Coca-Cola, a thank-you gift for launching and judging the recent Sustainable Games blogging competition, the results of which I was pleased to announce on the companys website a couple of weeks ago.

Along with our corporate hosts, we were accompanied by competition winner Lucy along with winner-in-reserve, Laura, who received the news of her ticket as a last-minute surprise, when one of the other finalists had to pull out at short notice. Here we are, in high-spirits with our men-folk, in the stadium taking in the excitement of the athletics!

As well as the once-in-a-lifetime chance to watch some amazing sport, it presented a great opportunity to finally witness the background recycling infrastructure that Coca-Cola has helped to create, including the fabulous bins about which Ive waxed lyrical for what now feels like months!  As we waited to go into the stadium, I couldnt resist the chance to familiarise myself properly with these colourful beauties, which are there to help visitors easily pre-sort paper, plastic packaging, food waste - and even ponchos - from non-recyclable materials.

And to make it even easier for Olympic supporters to work out which receptacle to use, and to minimise contamination levels, the packaging was colour-coded to show its intended destination.

But as I think back to the atmosphere in the Olympic Stadium last night, I dont want to just talk about rubbish!

Goodness no! And I know many of you will now fall off your chairs to such news, but surely you wont be that surprised!  This was the Olympics and no way was I going to hang around the bins all evening!

All I really want to do now, is what I have been doing all day, and thats to relive the astounding evening that resulted in athletes dreams being turned into a reality.

An amazing evening that distinctly made British sports history!

And the evening when I realised that I was most definitely one of the luckiest women alive.

I have had many exhilarating moments since I started The Rubbish Diet, and last nights Thank You present was most definitely the highlight of my time as a blogger.  Frankly, its going to be a tough one to beat!

The atmosphere in the stadium was electric and highly charged wth emotion.

And sat in the thirteenth row, just behind the discus net, I could no longer hold back the tears of overwhelm and national pride as I watched Jessica Ennis complete the 800m stage of her gold medal Heptathlon.

With every stride she took, she was met by the tremendous cheer from thousands of spectators who knew the gold medal was already hers, a cheer that simply grew louder and louder as she closed in on the finishing line.

It was one of the greatest moments in sporting history, which left me feeling very humble at such amazing talent, yet proud to be amongst the 80,000 spectators that witnessed such an achievement, a victorious feeling for the athletes and country.

And the night just got better, with the news that Greg Rutherford had achieved another gold for Team GB in the Long Jump. The music and cheer just kept the beat of Olympic success pulsing throughout the stadium.

That pulse then became faster and faster as we watched Mo Farah put his strength and stamina to the test in the 10,000 metres!

With only three laps to go the commentator urged us to build the cheer and shout for Mo, but we didnt need encouraging at all.

We were already on our feet, waving the flags to the sound of  tremendous roars of support, straining our necks to watch the progress on the large screens when the leading athletes were out of our range of sight and applauding with all our might as Mo Farah sped towards the finishing line!

And forgive me as the tears roll down my cheeks again at that all encompassing memory of being in the right place at the right time to celebrate yet another proud moment for one of Great Britains athletes, achieving his dream and making another moment of Olympic history!

When I first entered the Olympic Park yesterday, I could not even have guessed at the excitement that would come and the feelings of pride, hope and cheer of simply being there!

London 2012, Team GB and sponsors Coca-Cola have created an amazing experience that is really out of this world.  Every element of yesterdays sporting extravaganza went like clockwork, from the efforts of the athletes, the helpfulness and humour of the Gamesmaker volunteers and the organisation of Londons transport facilities.

And the international spirit was alive and kicking too, as illustrated by this group of Belgian supporters who distracted me to record a message of support for one of their own athletes, a hockey player... delivered in French, to tell him he was king of his sport! 

 

Well, I hope thats what the message said and that they didnt take advantage of my good humour....!  Despite their wigs, they look innocent enough...er... dont they?  Then again, those cheeky smiles may prove otherwise and somewhere on YouTube there could now be a bizarre video of me repeating a potential Belgian double-entendre in my very best Anglo-French accent!

The photo of these strangers typified the atmosphere yesterday, with smiling faces everywhere I turned.

But the photograph that I love the best, is this one, which demonstrates that  it’s not just my geeky interest that prevails when it comes to recycling, it’s rather the olympic spirit of other visitors that were putting the facilities to good use. And this chap was such a good sport for letting me take this picture!

I hope LOCOG achieves its aims of processing at least 70% of its waste through recycling, composting and reuse. Through streamlining its packaging, material choices and provision of the relevant recycling processes Coca-Cola has set some solid foundations that can be replicated elsewhere. As soon as the waste data streams are available, I can’t wait to find out the relevant statistics.

But most of all, at this moment in time, I’m looking forward to more fabulous outcomes from the wonderful athletes and enjoying such great memories for many decades to come.

To witness Jessica Ennis receive her gold medal last night was a tremendous experience that I will never ever forget, and it can only be matched by watching the victory ceremonies for Greg Rutherford and Mo Farah on TV tonight and reliving the events of last night as I typed up this blogpost.

If there is one thing that I took from the experience, it is the appreciation that nurturing a passion, talent and an individuals determination with the right amount of support, coaching and direction, it really is possible to achieve something incredible.

As a mother whose real passion is to create a foundation that helps her children to achieve their own dreams, whatever they may be, it is already evident that the London 2012 Olympics will inspire them in many ways.

And as a rubbish blogger, I am now more determined than ever to aim as high as my own abilities will stretch, to encourage more goal-enthused innovators to push towards that ultimate goal of zero waste.

The tears of emotion have stopped now, temporarily.

And as for being speechless, I think Im now over that!

Clearly!

Good luck Team GB for the rest of the Games!

I know I will remember London 2012 for many decades to come!

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Delivering neighbors newspapers to their doorstep

So, this week, were going for something simple for a "Sweet Treat" act of service. Its going to be beautiful this week and were SO looking forward to some afternoon walks around the neighborhood! Greyson can try out his new scooter and Rie can practice the pedals on her new bike. Today, we notice a lot of newspapers on the sidewalk. So, Greyson made it his mission to take the newspapers up to each doorstep. The owners will just have to open their door to get it, it makes the yards a little cleaner too and Momma, here, is hoping itll wear them out for a nap when we get home. Brilliant! :)

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Two fine chaps aid my path to EV

                                                                            
I think Im getting restless and I certainly confess to a huge element of eco envy, having recently spent time with a couple of chaps who are passionate about their electric cars....and...wait for it.....can also charge them up from energy that has been harnessed by their solar panels.

Yes, no longer satisfied with reducing my rubbish and fighting the good fight to keep our energy usage down, my mind has been wandering in the direction of other ways in which we can reduce our carbon emissions.

And with petrol prices going up and strikes being threatened, I cant help but think about the future of my car.  And herein lies my quandary.

I have a six year old 1.4 VW, which only does 2,500 miles per year.  Its now costing me over £60 in petrol to fill up the tank and for that I get around 300 miles.  I am not a heavy user.  I try to restrict my journeys, walk when I have time and use my bike much more in the summer.  So this car of mine should last me for another ten years at least.  However, thats a decade of higher fuel costs and constant carbon emissions.

But the cost of switching now seems too much of a barrier, so it was interesting to have the opportunity to pick the brains of broadcaster Mark Goodier, who has been driving electric cars since 2003 when he first leased a Ford Think. I caught up with him at the British Gas stand at this years Ideal Home Show.

Marks own switch to EV was very much prompted by the congestion charge in London and leasing the Think meant that not only did he save on the urban driving charge, but also insurance and service costs went down. With no road tax to pay and running on electric power, annual motoring costs became much cheaper still.  

Mark now drives a Nissan Leaf and a year ago he also upgraded his home with Solar PV. Thanks to the feed-in tariff he can now effectively run his car from free energy sources. This is backed up by his subscription to British Gas green Energyshare tariff, which uses alternative energy, so either way he ensures his car runs 100% free of emissions.

I have to confess, he was doing a really good job of convincing me and we soon started to estimate projected savings if I made the switch.

Without exact data its tricky but even with estimated petrol costs at £2,500 per year, Mark calculated that the equivalent cost in terms of electricity would be around £500.  So over just five years, that could mean a saving of £10,000 alone. Extrapolate that to 10 years and were looking at £20,000.

Now, I am starting to get excited.  Throw in free Road Tax, cheaper insurance and service costs and we could notch that figure up by a couple of thousand pounds.  Suddenly, it does make the switch to an EV more attractive.

And then theres the thought of never having to visit a petrol station ever again.

Now thats heaven!

Seriously, if I had the cash, Id be going on a test-drive and would be choosing the right car for me right now!

But I dont have that money and realistically Ive got more pressing issues on the domestic front, such as how we can turn our 3 bedroom semi into a TARDIS to accommodate our everyday living requirements.  Thats where we need to spend our cash for the foreseeable future.

However, I am not going to take my sights of making the switch and if I am honest, its trading in my husbands car that would bring us most benefits, both financially and from a carbon saving perspective. Swiftly approaching 100,000 miles on the clock, in a car that is also just six years old, it illustrates how his mileage easily exceeds mine.

So I reckon well sit tight for a couple of years whilst the next phase of the market settles and wait for the right car to come along.  Mark Goodier predicts that we will see more accessible options by 2013/14, which really isnt that far away.  

By then, he also forecasts that we will see faster charging points that achieve full charge within just 25 minutes.  Private charging points, such as those provided by British Gas, will be bolstered by a wider network of public charging facilities, including supermarkets and motorway stations.  Chains such as Little Chef are already committing to installing facilities for its customers.

We will also see inductive chargers being installed in parking bays, which will make charging electric vehicles even more streamlined.  And as for the cars themselves, he suggests that as well as prices moving in line with petrol vehicles, there will be options that will enable the customer to purchase the car but lease the battery.  Meanwhile he predicts that petrol models will become more efficient too.

It really feels that the electric vehicle market is starting to pick up pace, and for the first time I am beginning to feel that the next time we trade in one of our cars, we will be looking at an electric alternative. The only thing that isnt clear is which car that will be or whether by then, we will have become a one-car family.

So, can you see why Im getting restless?

Having had the chance to talk to Mark Goodier, I am now convinced that EV is the way to go. But the observant ones among you will have spotted my mention of two chaps. Yes, its true, I also had the delightful opportunity of finding out more about the actorpresenter Robert Llewellyns experiences too, another strong advocate who I met at a campaign launch party.

But dont take my word for it. If, like me, you are keen to find out more, check out the video below, which is the first in the Fully Charged series that he has recorded as for British Gas.

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Blogger disclaimer: This is not part of the sponsored post series that I have written for British Gas. However a complimentary ticket was included to gain acess to the Ideal Home Show. 

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Almost Mrs Average gets to speak at waste exhibition

It was a real honour to speak yesterday at RWM, the UKs largest recycling and waste management exhibition, especially as I was sharing the stage with the very inspiring Joy Bizzard, chair of the Local Authority Recycling Advisory Committee (LARAC)

The context was very much how local authorities can engage with householders to help individuals and communities reduce waste.  Joys presentation was packed with advice on how councils can raise awareness and find new ways to inspire new audiences, despite the current economic culture of squeezed budgets.

The area that particularly interested me was the subject of peer endorsement, i.e., the difference that can be made by engaging ordinary members of the public to share their own stories amongst their peer groups.  Its a subject that has fascinated me for a long time and certainly set the scene for me telling my own tale of the Zero Waste challenge that I undertook in 2008 and the events that have unfolded since.

It is an extremely surreal experience addressing an audience of waste and recycling professionals.  Ive done it a couple of times before and its very difficult not to feel like a waste geek groupie, especially when you know how hard officers are working to battle against the problem of waste, which comes with its own set of economic and contractual constraints, misguided government strategies and often divisive public opinion.

And as I said yesterday, I am no expert in behaviour change. I can only tell my own personal story.  However, since taking St Edmundsburys Zero Waste Week challenge in 2008, I have become more aware of the challenges that exist, the opportunities that are available and the need for formerly disparate groups to work together in accepting increased responsibility, whether thats producer responsibility, local authority responsibility, individual responsibility or from further along the waste chain.

In context to yesterdays event, I really feel that to work towards the UKs 2020 Zero Waste goal, local authorities are going to need to work harder and smarter in engaging their immediate community groups and actively seek out more formal relationships with individuals, who are themselves happy to inspire others within their own communities.

Last week, I made this very point at the Making 2020 Zero Waste Work conference in Coventry.  So you can just imagine my delight, whilst returning home from yesterdays exhibition, I read news of a volunteer training programme thats been rolled out by Zero Waste Scotland.  Its fabulous news that the Scottish agency has already created a blueprint for this and are putting such ideas into practice, having itself been inspired by the Master Composter network.

And for any doubters, who might raise an eyebrow over the effectiveness of such action, I could highlight many examples of personal stories that Ive received from my own community where Ive seen the impact locally.  But even more significantly than that, Id like to point readers in the direction of one of the most successful peer endorsement case studies of the last three years, and thats the story of  "My Zero Waste".

You may have to enlarge the photo below, but pictured at the centre of the presentation slide is the Strauss family, who were unknown to me four years ago.  However, thanks to St Edmundsbury Borough Council engaging me in a Zero Waste challenge, and as a result of me writing about it on the Internet and my story being broadcast widely on national radio, word soon got around.  Rachelle Strauss noticed and consequently felt empowered to reduce her own familys household waste.  Driven by environmental concern, she led the way in creating her website, www.myzerowaste.com, attracting a growing community of people keen to seek advice and share ideas about reducing their waste.  This year Rachelle hosted her 4th National Zero Waste Week, a simple grassroots campaign that received over 12,000 hits within just a few days of being announced at the end of August.

Yesterdays visit to RWM was most certainly an interesting one and my only regret is that I didnt get a chance to have a proper gander around the exhibition, but thats only because I was too busy catching up with some of the folk who spend their professional lives trying to inspire others.  Ill just have to make sure I visit next year.

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Pledging to save energy ASAP to help Baglady

Today finally sees the start of the secret launch of Bagladys ASAP Pledge Round 2.  The official launch is 11.01.11, but Baglady being an impatient old gal decided to make the most of the tradition for New Years Resolutions and the opportunity to get us Internet peeps thinking about sustainability.  You might remember my last blog post about it here.


Now I know that youre used to me thinking big and tackling some huge challenges, such as organising rubbish free tasks or setting up local collection schemes for Recycle Week, but for this years ASAP (As Sustainable As Possible) pledge, Ive decided to tackle something really small but just as important, much closer to home

You see, despite making a big effort to reduce waste, use public transport, buy local and keep the heating off until November, Ive still not sorted out the simple fact that I am always forgetful about turning off the light in the downstairs loo.  Asimple thing, but the kids do it too...so much so that my husband is always on our backs about Mr Invisible spending far too much time on the toilet!

So, Ive decided that my pledge this year (with the help of the children) will be to give up leaving the light on in the loo AND elsewhere in the house.  And while Im on the subject Ive also decided to take up the idea of turning off my laptop whenever its not in use...instead of my "leaving it on just in case I need it later" routine.

Other bloggers are also on board with their ASAP pledges and have either already blogged about them or will be doing so very soon, so for inspiration keep your eyes peeled for updates from MyZeroWaste,  Cambridge EcoThrifter, From Rat Race to Positive Parent, Violet Posy, Just Jotting Along, A Modern Mother, Jo Beaufoix and Rosie Scribble.

Pledging is simple.  You just need to pop along to Bagladys website, make your pledge and pass it on via Facebook, Twitter or through your blog, encouragiing your friends to do the same.  All pledges registered on Bagladys site by midnight on 17th June will also be entered into a random draw where one lucky person will win a £100 voucher courtesy of Baglady Productions to spend at sustainable retailer Wiggly Wigglers.

So, go on...please join us in adopting Baglady for 2011 and  if you do Id love to know if youve made a pledge. In the meantime, Im off to make mine now....

Useful links:

Adult Pledge: http://www.bagladyproductions.org/asap-world/pledge/
Kids Pledge: http://www.bagladyproductions.org/asap-world/kids-pledge-asap/

Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/#!/bagladyproductions

P.S.....if youre spreading news of your pledge on your blog, theres even a blog badge you can use...

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Blogger disclaimer:  Karen has been working with Baglady Productions to help launch Pledge ASAP Round 2.  However, this is a personal post as an independent participating blogger.

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Teaming up with energyshare Hexam River Hydro

It is very rare that something pulls me away from talking about rubbish, but when I was asked to team up with an exciting hydro energy project thats competing for energyshare funding, it was far too interesting to miss.


Energyshare has been created by River Cottage and British Gas, jointly managing a campaign whereby communities across the UK have applied to energyshare to have their project funded. These communities have been shortlisted into a small number of finalists, all looking to have their project funded up to the value of £100,000.

The competition has also been supported by Channel 4’s Three Hungry Boy’s who spent five weeks touring the South West over the summer, visiting communities just like those shortlisted for energyshare funding. Trevor, Thom and Tim were challenged by River Cottage’s Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall to live off the land and barter their way around the countryside, sourcing the energy for their electric vehicle from renewable technologies.

Today the finalists have been announced and campaigning has now begun in earnest to help generate public votes to choose the winning communities.


All the finalists are brilliant in their own way.  The community that I am supporting is Hexham River Hydro, a fabulous project which will create a100kW community hydro power generation scheme on the River Tyne in Northumberland.   It is a joint initiative by Hexham Community Partnership and Transition Tynedale and for anyone who, like me, has grown up or lived near such a similar powerful waterway, it is very easy to get excited about the possibilities of harnessing such energy.

However, this project is not just about generating renewable electricity, it is also about securing sustainable funding for social and economic regeneration and community activities in the market town of Hexham and its environs, as well as creating an education and awareness-raising tool for residents and visitors alike.

When I say, Im very excited about this project, I really mean it and cant wait to get to meet the people and the community behind it. Having spoken to team member Gillian Orrell, this afternoon, I am now looking forward to a trip up north to find out more about their hopes and plans. This project may seem that its about technology, but at the heart of it, its really about people and harnessing the energy around us, without impacting on the environment itself.  Its amazing to think that it will generate approximately 700MWh of electricity per year – enough to satisfy the average electricity consumption of 150 households, whicle reducing Hexham’s carbon emissions by approximately 400 tonnes CO2 per year.

With such localised energy supply, it is also deemed a project of national significance that will be of interest to other similar communities around the UK.

I will be able to report on my discoveries next week, but in the meantime, if you are over 13-years-old and have just two minutes to spare, please get voting at the energyshare website.  More information about Hexam River Hydro can be found at www.energyshare.com/hrh. So, please pop over and if you like what you see, please do hurry and vote for them.

Voting is open until 5pm on 3rd December with the opportunity to win one of 5 books that River Cottage is giving away every day to voters. Furthermore, for the energyshare Group that gets the most supporters voting, there is the chance to scoop a £1,000 cash prize.

So please do get involved now and visit energyshare.com/voting.

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This is a sponsored opportunity on behalf of British Gas. However, all the authors views are her own.

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The one where I popped over to European Parliament

European Parliament eh!  Well Id never been there before, until last Thursday when Id been invited to give a presentation about The Rubbish Diet at a conference organised by Zero Waste Europe.

The event, which was held in one of the large committee rooms in Brussels, brought together zero waste strategists, product designers, researchers, waste managers, communities and politicians from across Europe to discuss the cornerstones that are needed to move towards a society that is no longer so heavily dependent on landfill and incineration, integrating resource efficient solutions instead.

It was evident from the debates that we still have a long way to go, especially concerning national and local political will.  However it was also clear from the presentations that there are some great models of how society is changing, especially in Italy where there are now 123 towns, villages and cities actively signed up to Zero Waste goals, which are not just about waste but deliver economic, social and environmental benefits as well.  It all started with the small town of Capannori, where they now have a recycling rate of 82% and have introduced a range of waste reduction initiatives including a research centre, which now liaises closely with industry.

The province of Gipuzkoa in the Spanish Basque Country is also another case study to watch closely.  It was impressive to see how they have turned their waste strategy around from planned incineration, which would have cost 400 million Euros, to a solution supported by 3 MBT plants, 6 composting plants and a biogas generator, costing 183 million Euros by comparison.  Inaki Errakzin, the Environment Minister also outlined how, thanks to better recycling, their approach has helped reduce waste from a projected 240,000 tonnes in 2012 to 209,000.  In Hernani, an area with 20k residents, many living in apartment blocks, they have also seen the average amount of waste decrease from 250 kilos per person per year to just 70 kilos.  Currently 54 towns out of a total of 88 have signed up to zero waste goals, working towards a target of 75% recycling by 2020.

In attendance, for part of the day, was Janez Poto?nik, the EU Commissioner for Environment, who also launched the Plastic Waste Green Paper that very same day, which I understand has already received a great deal of coverage in the UK media.

Poto?nik sees waste not as a problem but as an opportunity, where with the right economic incentives and outcomes could see 400,000 new jobs across the EU.

It was encouraging to hear his drive, commitment, pragmatism and enthusiasm as he described how not only must we limit energy recovery to materials that cannot be reused or recycled, but we must also be careful about creating overcapacity.  He also declared that there should be zero plastic waste in the environment.

The Green Paper will now see consultations across industry alongside consumers and public administrations.  If you are interested in responding, you can access the relevant papers here and I suggest that you do.

Im quite relieved I didnt have to give my presentation in that rather large committee room, with its daunting setting and a multitude of translators.  The afternoon was in a much more intimate space as shown below.

Here, we got to hear about some fantastic activities that are taking place across Europe, including an introduction to the excellent Reethaus design studio in Estonia, which creates clothes from fashion waste, an industry which suffers from all sorts of waste issues arising from cutting leftovers, roll ends, planned over-production and excess fabric, not to mention problems such as rejected and cancelled orders as well as faulty items.

Currently the design house works with factories in Bangladesh, where the fabric would otherwise be destroyed in incinerators.  Working in this way, they are able to produce garments using up to 95% less energy and 70% less water for each item.  I love creative design solutions like this and this practical case-study complemented an earlier presentation from the Cradle-to-Cradle Products Innovation Institute where we learned about products such as carpet being made from old recycled carpet and Puma trainers made from recycled PET, supported by a take-back scheme.  In the design world, there is much going on to change the way we look at manufacturing.

On the subject of designing out waste, if your Italian skills or Google Translate fancy a work out, youll also be inspired by the Effecorta cooperative in Italy, a growing chain of shops which specialises in packaging-free produce.  Having begun in Capannori, the first zero waste community in Italy, the stores have now expanded to Ferrara and Milan.  More information is available on the Zero Waste Europe website.

One of my favourite presentations was from Pal Martenssen from the Kretsloppsparken, in Goteborg, Sweden.  Kretsloppsparken is a household waste recycling centre, but not as we know it.  It goes far beyond your average site, providing regular entertainment and education on tap as well as lovely gardens and a cafe too.  In fact, for some of the music events, they ask customers to pay in recycling rather than cash.

So if your Swedish is up to scratch, you can find out more about the park in this video.  But dont worry, even if, like me, you cant speak a work of Swedish, youll still get a feel for what it offers.

The conference ended with the screening of the Trashed documentary, which was introduced by Jeremy Irons who had also been at European Parliament for the launch of the Green Paper.

Jeremy Irons addressed the audience, highlighting the issues of plastic waste that had witnessed during the making of Trashed.  If you havent already seen it, you can read more in an earlier review I wrote about it here.

Some of his final words were that we have to make this problem as sexy as possible, to capture the interest and commitment from as many people as possible.

I wholeheartedly agree and have a few cunning plans up my sleeve myself, but for starters heres a fabulous lip-smacking bin lorry poster that I saw the following day, on a field trip to a waste management plant in Flanders, which boasts a 74% municipal recycling rate.  I confess they implement a pay-as-you-throw scheme which has helped get residents more engaged, but I reckon some clever advertising must also go a long way.

 

It was a real privilege to be part of such a momentous event, which is now expected to draw further interest from the MEPs that were in attendance.  There must be many more great case studies to be shared from around the continent and this could be the first event of many.

But what of the sexy recycling bins at European Parliament? I hear you ask... I am sure youre keen to know.

Well guess what I found in the corridors of the power house of Europe?

Its not quite the sexy pose I had up my sleeve but a good dose of comedy enthusiasm must help surely and certainly beats the alternative idea of bin planking! 

How I ever got allowed through the doors of the European Parliament, Ill never know.

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Sending thanks and appreciation to soliders this Christmas

Merry Christmas to our troops and thanks for all that you do!!!!

This week...were sending thanks and appreciaton to wounded / recovering soliders and deployed soliders. We think of you and we pray for you. Thank you for your devotion to our country. We love you this Christmas and always!!

For packages, go to....

http://www.militarymissionsonline.com/operationsendchristmas.htm

or
When you are making out your Christmas card list this year, please include the following:

A Recovering American Soldier c/o Walter Reed Army Medical Center
6900 Georgia Avenue
NW Washington,D.C. 20307-5001

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Bryans House Adopt A Child Back to School Program

School is just around the corner & Greyson is starting Kindergarten this year...I cant believe it! So, were going to adopt another kiddo staying at Bryans House that is also going to kindergarten and fill a backpack full of supplies to send on their way. Families with children who have serious health problems find love and warmth at Bryans House when they need child care. For more info on how to send kids back to school with a backpack full of school supplies....go to www.bryanshouse.org They have a list of needed supplies for each grade level.

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Im fat and want to lose weight does my provincial health care system or employer care that Im trying to get healthy

Image via Wikipedia

When I started Dr. Bernstein, I knew the cost of the program. If youve read my other posts, I have no problem rationalizing why I support paying the $150 per week for the program (since I was paying the same amount per week ingesting fatty foods and imbibing in sugar-laden booze and pop.)

When you register, the clinic tells you that your private employer health insurance, or your province, might cover your costs.

All excited, I checked with my plan. Unfortunately, in 2006, my health plan decided cancel covering supplementary injections, though it had provided for it previously.

Shoot - three years too late...

This poses a theoretical debate in my mind.

As we Canadians and Americans expand our girth exponentially every year, and head to our graves in highest numbers due to heart disease (caused in large part by our horrid diets) we are implored by health officials, government promotional campaigns, education systems and a multi-billion dollar consumer industry, to lead lives of good health and practice prevention.

Eat our balanced meals from the Canadian Food Guide they say - the good balance of foods. Just dont look too intently at the rest of the contents such as MSG, preservatives, sugar, sodium and fat levels...

Here I am, for the benefit of my health, investing a sizeable sum in active weight loss and future health prevention activities and education.

Doesnt my provincial government and employer care?

Will I be able to deduct my expenditures in my annual tax return as a medical expense? I dont know yet, but Ill certainly be including it for my accountant to scrutinize.

Can I be reimbursed from my employers health plan? No - not anymore. Not for a plan that over the course of my 12 years with the same employer, and all the premiums I have paid, would have easily paid for the total cost of the program a few times over.

And would I support our public health care plan to cover these costs? Youre darn right I would. To support mine, my neighbours, my familys and my colleagues efforts to get healthier and lead more productive lives.

You cant tell me that by investing in weight loss programs and medically supervised supplements, that the productivity of our provincial and Canadian workforce isnt a good investment!

I guess for employers they dont care that I may have missed work and taken sick leave or extended medical leave for, upon reflection, what were certainly weight-induced illnesses such as:

• back pain
• gastrointestinal flare-ups
• totally lethargic and lack of energy
• a leave of absence for 3 months due to depression

Dr. Bernstein, a Canadian physician, supports government monitoring of weight loss programs - even his own.

Like him, I agree that like provincial and territorial governments in Canada should focus less on the debate to scrutinize programs, but support the public who are taking an active step forward in reaching health targets that are advocated in public policy, espoused in public outreach campaigns, and envisioned in long-term strategic health objectives.

For those of us taking an active step to improve our current and future health, and paying the hefty provincial and private premiums for the health insurance and medical plans, I expect this to be covered!

I was incensed to learn that I could receive a variety of other medical services and prosthetics that, in all likelihood, I will never need to access. However, for a service that has obvious immediate and long-term benefits, I cannot get any relief.

Now heres an issue that Ill be taking up with my union.

Better yet - heres the basis for a good public policy and program. I could easily draft up a logic model, policy framework, grant and contribution program guideline and results-based accountability framework on this one....

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Okay back to basics

Wow - I actually had a day off today and spent some time on the computer, and I realized I havent posted on the blog since - what - May!  Oh my - that wont do.

Well, a moment to reflect and confess.  I did get down to 143 since my last posting, but Im now up to 160.  I know - 20 lbs over the summer and fall.  I tell you, its been quite a lesson in weight mis-management.

I even tried to get back on strict at the clinic in September, but failed miserably in large part due to my hectic work/travel schedule.  Its brutal trying to stick to strict when youre traveling outside of a Bernstein-zone where you cant get to a clinic every other day for your shots, and trying to eat in restaurants or you cant take your own foods with you due to no fridge.

Its also ridiculous to think that I can eat what I want, when I want, and not pack on the pounds.  I mean really - bread, starches, wine/booze - you just cant win with those in the house.  For me that is.

So, Im looking in my closet and the whole new beautiful wardrobe that I bought last year is starting to feel a little tight.  My size 10 pants are getting snug - and my size 8 skinny jeans - well, they are hung up and just sitting there staring at me.  And i so love those jeans, so enough is enough!!

Before I head into the holiday season and surrounded by sweets, wine, starches and sauces galore, Im going to give myself a 2-week personal boot camp and give my cupboards an overhaul.

Im also going to reread this blog to reconnect with how I managed my foods, travel and self-discipline in the first place that empowered me to lose all the weight in the first place.  Ive relogged onto Calorie Count to track my intake, and Im going to get serious about my diet sheet and intake.

While I love the ladies (and gents) at the clinic, Im doing this on my own this time.

....and I promise to write again.

TTYL!

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Back to the Clinic LEsplanade Ottawa

It was actually quite nice to go back into the clinic. They all know me (Hi Helen!) and we just slid back into the routine.

I felt like I was in an episode of Cheers - just substitute the beer for a Proti vanilla shake. Not quite the same, but....

I felt a little chagrined, though, when I stepped back on the scale. They had my chart out, with my sheet from December, when I was last in for Maintenance. I left at 143...here I ws at 152. Yikes! now, to be fair, I had jeans on, so really it was 150. Still - I felt embarassed.

Im always so impressed with the nurses at my clinic. They dont shake their heads in disgust - condemn you for gaining a few pounds. Instead I found myself apologizing profusely that I gained the weight since December - a full 10 lbs! - so I wanted to nip it in the bud before I go down the slippery slope of obesity. The receptionist just smiled knowingly (I mean, 90% of them are on the program as well, so they know the pull of temptation) and remarked that they preferred folks come in once they hit the 10 lbs mark, then wait until its 20 - 30 or full weight gain back again.

Thats it - I felt better. I was welcomed back into the fray, and proceeded into the nursess room.

But man does that injection in the thigh sting...! Yowza.

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Tagging along with Hadleigh HWRC to the Awards for Excellence in Recycling Waste Management

The team from Hadeighs HWRC, FCC Environment & Suffolk County Council with BBCs Susanna Reid

Yesterday, I had the real pleasure of tagging along with the Suffolks Household Waste Recycling Centre team to LetsRecycle.coms Awards for Excellence in Recycling & Waste Management. 

The awards, now in their 10th year, and presented by the BBCs Susanna Reid, were held at the Landmark Hotel, London, a beautiful setting to mark the successes and excellence of the recycling and waste management industry, the kind of things that go on behind the scenes that help the UK recycle more and reduce wasted resources.

Ive been singing the praises of Suffolks recycling facilities as part of the BBC Radio Suffolk Rubbish Diet, so it was great to hear that the Hadleigh HWRC was in the running for the category of Community Amenity Site of the Year,

With composting and recycling rates that exceed 90%, Hadleigh HWRC, managed by Suffolk County Council and FCC Environment, has been identified as Suffolk ’s top performing site, with successful and effective day-to-day operations providing an enhanced service to users.

Both Suffolk County Council and FCC Environment have engaged with local third sector organisations including the Ipswich Furniture project and ‘Re-cycle’ both of which are charities that have diverted items from landfill.  Ipswich Furniture Project provides an outlet for furniture and crockery, with ‘Re-Cycle’ giving unwanted cycles a new life.  This has enabled improvements on the recycling performance within the existing site footprint and moves more of the materials up the waste hierarchy, with almost no environmental impact.

The site only has two members of staff during the week and three at weekends to manage all waste streams and maintain the high recycling rate and excellent customer service. Much of the success of the sites recycling rate is attributed to the site staff and their relationship with the public. 

But these awards always bring stiff competition and this year the team was up against the Witchford HRC, in Cambridgeshire and Witley Community Recycling Centre in Surrey.

And the winner was...... well...  sadly not the team from Hadleigh HWRC on this occasion, but another worthy winner, Witley CRC, which is part of a network of 15 facilities managed by Sita, and which has been redesigned with sustainability at its heart and strong community engagement in its development.

Ooooh, so close!  They may not have won at yesterdays event but being a finalist in the awards and one of the top performing Household Waste Recycling Centres in the UK, Hadleigh HWRC is most definitely a winner in my eyes and it was great to chat to Mel & Terry (pictured above with Susanna Reid) about their stories of what its like being on the ground at one of our countys facilities. The passion for what they do is so easy to see.

Once again, in a good way, it felt like I was a bit of a recycling groupie following the band, and a very successful one at that.  Seriously, when you witness how the awards nominees are changing the future of waste, their efforts, successes and enthusiasm really does rub off.

With wide-ranging categories such as High Street Recycling Champion, Commercial Recycling Champion, Best Community Recycling Initiative and Recycling Businesses of the Year, I wonder if next year, well see more entries from Suffolk.  After all, from our own Greenest Suffolk awards and some of the great things coming out of the BBC Radio Suffolk Rubbish Diet, I reckon our county could offer up some stiff competition for next years awards.

Huge thanks to Letsrecycle.com for letting me come along to support our fantastic team from Suffolk.  There were some great winners and finalists, all which can be seen either on the website or by following the updates on Twitter, using the hashtag #awardsforexcellence.

 

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Lemons To Aid Positive Placemats

Good Morning Texas & Good Morning America often gives some great ideas for reaching out and doing something for others. They were recently talking about Lemons To Aid....Children were painting and decorating placemats for Meals on Wheels to deliver to the edlerly with meals. Perfect! My kids can paint all day! So after a trip to Walmart for poster board, Riley, Sydney and our friend Hailey painted some beautiful placemats. Some great ideas for kids helping others at http://lemonstoaid.org

Dallas, TX – Positive Placemats

Dallas kids had fun making “Positive Placemats” for Meals on Wheels at the Cooper Fitness Center Pinkberry by the Pool event on September 16, 2010.

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The Rubbish Diet could be coming to a town near you!

The Rubbish Diet team visiting Nesta!

Please excuse my tardiness in sharing this VERY EXCITING news with you. 

I should have done it last week, but with news of my mum falling ill, then rushing to Wales to see her, then losing my laptop en route, and continued worries about her health, understandably this blog has had to take a back seat.

However, I cant keep it quiet any longer!  Whats happening with The Rubbish Diet is far too exciting to keep tucked away in my desk drawers and if you follow me on Twitter, you may have indeed caught a few snippets of the news.

So to the sound of an imaginary drum-roll, I am chuffed to pieces to announce that my Rubbish Diet challenge has been selected as a semi-finalist in a national waste reduction competition, which could see the slimming club analogy rolled out to villages, towns and cities, right across the UK, helping communities achieve an amazing impact on reducing their rubbish.

The Waste Reduction Challenge, run by Nesta, the UK’s innovation foundation, and funded by the Cabinet Office, aims to identify new ideas that can influence and mobilise communities to make significant reductions in waste and impact behaviour for years to come.

In partnership with the Zero Waste Alliance UK (working with Katy Anderson, pictured above), the Rubbish Diet competition entry proposes to engage with established community groups around the UK, including schools, Transition Towns and W.I. branches, to help them organise their own waste-busting challenges, following an 8-week plan of fun and lively events that will help to empower households to slim their bins.

The idea is, of course, based on the very roots of this blog, when I took St Edmundsbury Borough Councils Zero Waste Week Challenge almost five years ago, (remember that plaster?), and which then developed into the online Rubbish Diet Challenge 2012, where I mentored 8 households through the process of slimming their bins, by at least 50%, at the beginning of this year.


Building on that, I have since been busy with Transition Shrewsbury, which has already launched its Rubbish Diet Shropshire community pilot, where 20 households have signed up to reduce their waste.  This is just the first stage. The Rubbish Diet Shropshire project, which is being managed locally, will launch even wider in the new year,  with events run by the community for the community, with households just like yours and mine, sharing knowledge about how they reduce their waste and attempting to overcome the hurdles that arise.

And its that process, which the Nesta Waste Reduction Challenge will help to replicate around the UK.

So, were in the semi-finals!  What next?

This is where even more hard work begins, in putting together an ambitious but realistic plan to roll-out the Rubbish Diet challenge next year, featuring a communications strategy, participant engagement, measuring & monitoring procedures and lots of other exciting things that will help communities launch their own slimming clubs for bins.

So, there really really could be a fun Rubbish Diet challenge coming to an area near you.  Just imagine!

We just need to get through the next round! But, boy, is the competition tough! So please keep watching this space for further news.

And of course, if you think your community would like to join in, then do get in touch.

___________________________________

The Waste Reduction Challenge Prize is offering a prize for the innovation that achieves the biggest measureable reduction in waste, by providing new opportunities for communities to come together to give time, skills and resources.

The semi-finalists (which also includes a Mattress Recycling Scheme in my home county of Suffolk) will be supported to develop a detailed plan for their idea. In January, five concepts for each, with the potential for sustainability and scale, will be selected to test their ideas. They will receive up to £10,000 and professional advice to set up and test their projects before a winner for each challenge is selected in September 2013 and awarded £50,000.

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A good dilemma to have clothes shopping

Image by StreetFly JZ via Flickr

Well, I am officially 43 lbs lighter than when I started.

I cant believe it... I just cant believe it!

I was feeling so silly at work last week. It was Monday morning, and I pulled out some pants - light size 14 capris, recently purchased - appropriate for my back-to-back meetings slated for the day.

I slipped them on, and I stared as they hung like a wet paper bag.

Here I was only two weeks previously, shopping at MEXX, and jumping for joy that I could slip into a size 14. A little snug in the hips (of course) but good in the waist. However, here I was, my pins floating in the pant legs, and searching for a belt (no loops) to keep them from slipping down and looking baggy.

No luck - I looked like such a shlub!

I chuckled with my colleague who suggested I get them taken in. Normally I would, but the amazing thing with this diet is that literally every 2 weeks, youre dropping down a full size.

I just added them to the next clothing stack of things that are waiting to pass along to friends or to take to Value Village. Ill be packing up my winter coats too.

So - I brought my daughter shopping right away that evening, to replenish my wardrobe with some pants for work. Of course, I had to bring her to Mrs. Tiggy Winkles after she endured a good chunk of time for my needs. Actually, she had a great time critiquing my selections.

What did I come away with? Two pants in size 12 and one in size...10! The first time since I was 25 years old - geez - memories of 16 years ago. I also bought a bikini (size L, instead of XL or 1X!) Yes, a bikini.

I also had to buy new bras (again) this week. Ive gone down from a 40DD to a 36C.

They dont mess around with the inches, I tell you. I can easily button up a very expensive jacket I bought last year in Toronto (which was far too tight, but the material was just gorgeous) to now it fitting comfortably, elegantly and properly.

I didnt want to buy too much because I still have another 20-25 lbs to lose. Luckily the summer collections are on sale now, making room for the fall collections.

Its a nice problem to have...but I feel like Ill need a part-time job just to afford a whole new winter professional wardrobe Ill need at my final weight.

Here I come Montreal - shopping!!!

(I wonder if they still sell those tight Jordache jeans with the embroidery on the back pocket...)
;-)

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Give School Supplies to Abused Children

Container Store has a basket as you walk into their store that is collecting any school supplies for Abused and Neglected Children.

"At the present time, your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need."
-2 Corinthians 8:14

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Where To Buy Yummi Bears Multi Vitamin Mineral Sugar Free Natural Fruit Flavors 60 gummy

Yummi Bears Multi-Vitamin & Mineral - Sugar Free Natural Fruit Flavors 60 gummy

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