Category Archives: War on Waste

Plastic…The latest News…Week 3…Bioplastics are they really the way forward?

Plastic Free July, was so successful that I decided that I will carry on from Plastic Free July and repost some updated previous posts on plastic from 2019…the reason being sometimes I feel we are going round in circles and promises are made and not kept…

I just want to revisit those initiatives praise those who are and have been as good as their word and taken their ideas forward and made a difference…

It is good to talk the talk but you have to walk the walk…

As you know because I tell you…haha…  I am constantly really heartened by the initiatives which I am discovering that are happening from all around the world…Your comments are also a revelation when I hear from you guys what is going on in your neck of the woods… all good stuff…How you are reducing your carbon footprints and coming up with ideas to cut waste and protect the environment.

Politicians THE WORLD OVER make promises to the electorate…That is us... we need to become Climate Voters…Not because we are told to BUT because we have checked and are sure that who we give our vote to …HAS and WILL continue to make a difference and to honour their election promises…

The time has come for us to make our voice heard…Our beautiful natural wonders are being decimated, polluted we can stop this with our carefully, researched and considered vote… Politicians who endorse and allow what we consider to be environmentally wrong…we have the vote and can VOTE THEM OUT!

Be a climate Voter!

 

green foot prints eco system

 

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Have a look and see what this community in Amsterdam, Holland is doing …

What a fantastic idea…and one which could be adaptable anywhere…Not a plastic bottle in sight…

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Bioplastics…There has been much written and many innovative products like straws made from mango peels which are now a bioplastic product…On the face it even I have thought wow how inventive is that all those mango peels and avocado pits made into something we can use…

That product however still required disposing of correctly…

Let’s look at Coca Cola...we all know who they are and how profitable their products are…

Another Sustainable Innovation they say and want us to believe and continue buying…can you feel the sarcasm?

The world’s first fully recyclable PET plastic bottle made partially from plants…They say!

Planet over profit ..they say!

But what does the small print say?

It’s easy to assume…I hear plant-based and my ears prick up…MADE FROM PLANT-BASED PRODUCTS…Smile…

It all sounds familiar though doesn’t it…Low Fat, Low Sugar, Low Salt, Organic, Fair Trade…I could go on but I am sure by now you got the picture…

Not all bio-based plastics are biodegradable, and not all biodegradable plastics are bio-based. And even biodegradable plastics might not biodegrade in every environment. Sounds confusing? It certainly is…

The answer does not lie in Bioplastics say the experts...experts who did not go to… The Google University or the elite Facebook University…Real experts who know more than me as they have studied and trained for years for their degrees…

Only a minority of these plastics are home compostable, so, the label “compostable” most often means industrially compostable. That coffee cup with a Seedling logo you’re drinking from won’t decompose very quickly, if at all, on your home compost heap, but will break down inside the right kind of industrial equipment.

We need to be more aware… we need to read the small print we also need to home in on words…home compostable…the right kind of industrial equipment…much of our waste can be compostable BUT only if your state, province has the right kind of equipment IF not our carefully sorted waste still goes to landfill or just a garbage mountain.

That my friends unfortunately is the stark reality!… Companies like Coco-Cola need to be producing bottles that can be recycled at home or pay for proper industrial equipment to recycle THEIR bottles.

Failing that …do your health a favour and stop buying soft drinks in non-recyclable bottles…

All we can do is cut our waste in our homes by buying in bulk, making sure we refill bottles where we can, finding alternatives that are just as good…but are more sustainable…I am doing mine one product at a time…

Choosing glass bottles over plastic when we shop as then we can reuse them when we cook from scratch…or make our own carbonated drinks…Let the kids help they will love it…

Most importantly please do not think that what you do in your own home doesn’t count because it does …It really does every little bit no matter how small adds to the bigger picture and that picture is growing and there will soon be enough to fill many galleries BUT we cannot rest on our laurels there is still much to be done and if you think of an initiative join a group make it a group effort if it requires that…

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Two years ago I posted about the Uk’s first local circular economy drive…when Sky Ocean Rescue campaign, a region of the UK had created the country’s first local circular economy.

The UK has re-affirmed its commitment to recycling 65% of municipal waste by 2035 as it on  (30 July) 2021 set out its approach to transposing the EU circular economy package (CEP) into domestic law.

The traditional system of getting rid of waste is linear: packaging is made, used and disposed of but the local authority in Cambridgeshire along with a local plastics processor and packaging company have joined together to create a model which is circular.

Waste bin and bags

Image by kalhh on Pixabay

Update 2021

The UK has re-affirmed its commitment to recycling 65% of municipal waste by 2035 as it today (30 July) set out its approach to transposing the EU circular economy package (CEP) into domestic law.

It also seems that the local Cambridge authority is forging ahead and going forward which is good to read…

Lego…The name ‘LEGO’ is an abbreviation of the two Danish words “leg godt”, meaning “play well”. The LEGO Group was founded in 1932 by Ole Kirk Kristiansen. The company has passed from father to son and is now owned by Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen, a grandchild of the founder.

My children and my grandchildren have loved Lego and it has been passed down through our family for years and now Lily plays with it building her shops and houses…

Lego has now taken it one step further and listened to the children and their parents and are turning plastic bottles into Lego…

Thank you for reading this post which I believe will point the way to a few changes we can make to really make a difference as I know I am not doing enough and should be doing more and that seems to be backed up by much in this post… what do you think?… Are you doing enough to Save the Planet ???

Just once I would love to pick something up off a supermarket shelf be it labelled healthy or just junk food and know with absolute certainty that it contained no harmful chemicals or preservatives and that the package was fully decomposable…I can but dream…

Thank you once again for reading this post I hope you all have a great week xx

 

How to Have a Greener Thanksgiving and Christmas…

 

I do think that the tide is turning…I also think that we should nurture our young and encourage their ideas as there are so many young people who have discovered ways to help the environment and I am not talking about those who skip school and carry placards but still carry the latest phones and wear the latest fashions without a thought about how those actions hurt the environment, how much of that cannot be recycled and how much of that is produced using child labour instead they are intent on telling us to turn vegan/vegetarian and ditch the transport… Except of course when we are joining the other traffic as we drop them at school or college having picked their friends up on the way…

I live in the real world I know some transport is essential, I know some local transport isn’t as good and cheap as what it is where I live…I also don’t have to get children to school, to their activities and then go to work, come home and cook dinner…Oh, there is also shopping and cleaning…

I could go on but I won’t I will spare you that and rely on the fact that you also have active imaginations and can fill in any gaps.

Change needs to happen in our homes…our shopping habits…

Eating produce in season …Why? Because produce which is eaten at the height of its season, and close to where it was grown, usually tastes better — juicier, more flavourful, fresher.

Research also shows seasonal food can be more nutritious than food consumed out of season, and purchasing from local farms supports the local economy and requires less storage time and travel, which is better for the environment.

Of course, all you lucky people who live in Northern Climes have a glut of beautiful local fruits and vegetables which are typical Thanksgiving and Christmas fare…Luckily Brussels sprouts are grown in the colder North of Thailand but vegetables like parsnips and swede are imported and horrendous prices and that is without taking into account their carbon footprint…

Yes, I can get beautiful young strawberries around Christmas sweet and lovely …so it is swings and roundabouts …Most Christmases I get root vegetables but this year because of this blessed virus there will be no visitors to bring me parsnips, celeriac and swede…BUT I would much rather everyone stayed safe and well so will have to live with what I can get locally…

Advent Calendars there are lovely reusable wooden ones or you could make your own…or make a book I think this one is lovely and so personal…

Thinking about gifts you’re going to buy for Christmas, consider what kind of presents may be more long-lasting than others, and thus reduce the risk of simply being discarded after a short while.

This year due to all the lockdowns and restrictions we all have more time and I think this is beautiful for any age and a keeper…

Thoughtful, long-lasting presents may include a photo album, a plant or something the recipient has specifically said they want and is likely to use time and time again….Homemade cakes, puddings or sweets are always something a loved one would be happy to receive…

Alternatively, you could buy an experience rather than a material thing for Christmas, such as a trip to the theatre. A fun memory is a present that can last a lifetime, after all…it will also help the theatres once this Covid is over as many of them are struggling and it helps us in quarantine a thoughtful gift and knowing that we have something to look forward to …

This video which Tori who has supported me unfailingly throughout the year sent me the link to is worth a look as it suggests ways we can have a greener Christmas…Thank you Tori xxx Tori has also written some great kiddies books..If you still need stocking fillers then please visit her Amazon link 

 

All the items we have in our homes and would be likely to throw away… some really cool ideas… I love the seed idea and snowflakes…

It is also no secret that I love music...It warmed my heart that Coldplay has taken a stand and won’t tour again until they can ensure that their concerts are “actively beneficial” for the environment.

Frontman Chris Martin told BBC News that the band would be “disappointed” if their next tour is not carbon neutral.

Of course, they have made their millions and don’t need to tour again and that puts them in a fortunate position that they are able to call the shots…So fair play to them as it will pave the way forward …I think it is a great move…

It will make the concert promoters more aware and they think in $ and £’s so it is in their best interest to look at plastic and solar power…

Chris Martin said “All of us have to work out the best way of doing our job,”  telling the BBC that the group wants future tours to “have a positive impact.”

It is true as we know we all have to play a part however small it is just like a jigsaw …Lots of small pieces make a bigger picture…

Be wary of your Christmas tree’s carbon footprint…

While some may assume that purchasing a plastic tree would be a more environmentally friendly alternative to buying a real one, this isn’t necessarily the case.

The Carbon Trust outlines that a real Christmas tree has a “significantly lower” carbon footprint than an artificial tree, especially if it is thrown away in a responsible way.

According to the organisation, a natural 2m Christmas tree that does not have roots and is disposed of in a landfill produces a carbon footprint of approximately 16kg of CO2.

I just think a lovely fresh tree or when you are on one of your walks look for any broken branches or a nice piece of wood and just simply dressed with a few lights or some holly or mistletoe it can beautiful…I just think however nice an artificial tree is they are not so cosy and warming as a real one…I have explained that very well just to me it just feels better…if that makes sense…A pressie wrapped in brown paper and tied with string just seems right and proper a real Christmas……

A 2m tree that has roots and is responsibly thrown away after being used at Christmas – by burning it on a bonfire, planting it or having it chipped – has a carbon footprint of around 3.5kg of CO2.

Meanwhile, a 2m plastic Christmas tree has a carbon footprint of around 40kg of CO2, more than 10 times greater than a properly disposed-of real tree.

To read more about the environmental impact of real and artificial Christmas trees, click here.

Did you know? 

Turkey…It is estimated that 10 million turkeys were consumed last Christmas. This also means over 3,000 tonnes of turkey packaging was being used.

Taking this into account, 125,000 tonnes of plastic wrapping used for food will also be discarded over the festive period.

Christmas puddings… the majority of which will be packaged in some form of plastic and cardboard packaging…Last year the UK alone ate 25 million.

Mince pies…Brits eat 175 million…

Mince pies

Putting this in perspective, 1 million mince pie cases equates to 1 tonne of aluminium material.

Just these three festive food items…Conjure up in my mind a staggering amount of waste…

The Solution…

Well…The Christmas pudding and mince pies are easily solvable...Cook from scratch and make your own…No packaging required…If you know someone who can’t or doesn’t cook…Make them some and put them in a pretty container…That is their Christmas present sorted…They will love it!

Turkey… If you buy fresh and local… packaging should be at a minimum just some butchers paper…I know not everyone can do that…However, if you are making your own mince pies and puddings/cake…Be pleased with that reduction in waste and it gives you a whole year to think about next year’s turkey…xx

Turn your recyclables into decorations

Rather than buying decorations, get creative with your recyclables. Vodka bottles, wine bottles and even beer bottles can easily be repurposed as table decorations and candle-holders. You can make origami using old Christmas Cards.

Please share your stories on how you plan to reduce your home’s waste at Christmas we would love to hear them…xx

About Carol Taylor:

Enjoying life in The Land Of Smiles I am having so much fun researching, finding new, authentic recipes both Thai and International to share with you. New recipes gleaned from those who I have met on my travels or are just passing through and stopped for a while. I hope you enjoy them.

I love shopping at the local markets, finding fresh, natural ingredients, new strange fruits and vegetable ones I have never seen or cooked with. I am generally the only European person and attract much attention and I love to try what I am offered and when I smile and say Aroy or Saab as it is here in the north I am met with much smiling.

Some of my recipes may not be in line with traditional ingredients and methods of cooking but are recipes I know and have become to love and maybe if you dare to try you will too. You will always get more than just a recipe from me as I love to research and find out what other properties the ingredients I use contain to improve our health and wellbeing.

The environment is also something I am passionate about and there are now regular columns on my blog this year. It is important that we are mindful of the world we live in…We all need to be aware of our own home’s carbon footprints…where does our food come from? How far does it travel…Simple to do but if we all did it…Not only would we support local businesses but reduce our carbon footprint…

green foot prints eco system

 

Exciting for me hence the title of my blog, Retired No One Told Me! I am having a wonderful ride and don’t want to get off, so if you wish to follow me on my adventures, then welcome! I hope you enjoy the ride also and if it encourages you to take a step into the unknown or untried, you know you want to…….Then, I will be happy!

Thank you once again for reading this post I hope you all have a creative week ahead xx

CarolCooks2…weekly roundup 5th July -11th July 2020…Climate Change, Recipes, Health, Whimsy, and Jerk Fish…

Welcome to this week’s edition of my weekly roundup of posts…I hope you are all staying safe and well…and social distancing…I know many of you are on lockdown once again…Let’s hope it is for the last time, stay safe and strong…Here’s something to take your mind of what’s going on…Let’s take a pew and have a read… I hope you enjoy it!

Relax and Enjoy! (1) Weekly Roundup

Monday always starts with Climate change as there is always something new to discover…This week was no different…Recycling and Climate Change… 6th July 2020…

It seems the last few months have brought about many changes, on the one hand, everyone is cooking far more and wasting less food but recycling seems to be on the wane apparently due to the increase on takeaways and maybe collections.

Which means we must try hard not to slip into bad habits and recycle responsibly.

https://carolcooks2.com/2020/07/06/recycling-and-climate-change-6th-july-2020/

Tuesday: Finger Rolls.

Tuesday was just a recipe for finger rolls which turned out great really tasty and everyone enjoyed them …Definitely a recipe I will make again…

Finger Rolls
smart

I have also had a request for Pretzel Bread something I haven’t made before and the recipe is totally different but I am excited to give it a go…If anyone makes Pretzel Bread and has any tips me please share…

https://carolcooks2.com/2020/07/07/bread-finger-rolls/

Wednesday: Smorgasbord Blog Magazine – Food Column – Carol Taylor – A – Z of Food – ‘M’ is for Mayonnaise, Mango, Mousse, Morels, Khao Neow Manuang and Marengo

I was over at Sally’s for my Food Column where Sally is repeating one of my favourite series the A-Z of food where I am having fun going through the Culinary Alphabet…

carol-header letter M

I am discovering much I didn’t know or didn’t know I knew…I hope you are enjoying it as much as I am…

via Smorgasbord Blog Magazine – Food Column – Carol Taylor – A – Z of Food – ‘M’ is for Mayonnaise, Mango, Mousse, Morels, Khao Neow Manuang and Marengo

Thursday: Virtual screening of the story of Plastic…

This is an exciting opportunity to watch the film and then take part in a discussion…I hope some of you will join me it is always lovely to get different views…Please click the link below to secure your spot…

https://zerowastechef.com/2020/07/08/virtual-screening-of-the-story-of-plastic/

Friday in my kitchen…Fresh Dates, Jerk Fish and Tomato Soup…

smart
smart
Jerk Fish

I have just eaten a bowl of the tomato soup and it is the closest I have made to Heinz…and fish I love fish and prefer fish to meat…I hope you enjoy the recipes.

https://carolcooks2.com/2020/07/11/friday-in-my-kitchen-fresh-dates/

Saturday Snippets…

Whimsical Wednesdays have morphed into Saturday Snippets…It is the same but different…Just me being whimsical…some music and dancing, an abandoned farmhouse and a Secret Garden…Enjoy!

secret-garden-2413804_640

Image by Rebecca Xibalba from Pixabay

As a child, I loved the story of the Secret Garden…

https://carolcooks2.com/2020/07/11/saturday-snippets-7/

If anyone has a weekly roundup they love or they write then please send me the link and I will share here…Happy to help spread the good news and views..x

Here is Smorgasbord Blog Magazine’s Weekly Roundup…

Packed with music, recipes, poetry, health advice, books reviews too much to mention just a delightful jam-packed week something for everyone to enjoy…and Josh Groban I just love listening to his music…Just pop over to Sally’s and you can enjoy it as well xx

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2020/07/11/smorgasbord-blog-magazine-the-weekly-round-up-july-5th-11th-2020-josh-groban-mango-pigeons-dublin-1944-books-health-and-laughter/

God bless you all in these turbulent times…be safe and stay well…

My hopes…for the future…

When this is all over my hope for the future is a cleaner world… I do want to see communities, and caring for your neighbour becoming the new norm…WORKING TOGETHER INSTEAD OF WORKING AGAINST EACH OTHER…Being kind to each other…Loving someone whatever their religion or skin colour…Can we make this happen? We have to but in the right way…Are we willing to make a stand? Personally, I would love to see lessons learnt ..realistically I have my doubts…

Thank you for reading be well and stay safe xxx

About Carol Taylor: Enjoying life in The Land Of Smiles I am having so much fun researching, finding new, authentic recipes both Thai and International to share with you. New recipes gleaned from those who I have met on my travels or are just passing through and stopped for a while. I hope you enjoy them.

I love shopping at the local markets, finding fresh, natural ingredients, new strange fruits and vegetable ones I have never seen or cooked with. I am generally the only European person and attract much attention and I love to try what I am offered and when I smile and say Aroy or Saab as it is here in the north I am met with much smiling.

Some of my recipes may not be in line with traditional ingredients and methods of cooking but are recipes I know and have become to love and maybe if you dare to try you will too. You will always get more than just a recipe from me as I love to research and find out what other properties the ingredients I use contain to improve our health and well being.

Exciting for me hence the title of my blog, Retired No One Told Me! I am having a wonderful ride and don’t want to get off, so if you wish to follow me on my adventures, then welcome! I hope you enjoy the ride also and if it encourages you to take a step into the unknown or untried, you know you want to…Then, I will be happy!

Thank you once again for reading this post I hope you all stay safe and healthy xx

Recycling and Climate Change…4th May 2020…and Covid-19…

A new month already nearly half a year gone…A few months of sadness and grief for many but for all of us unprecedented times and restrictions which many of us haven’t experienced in our lifetimes…

I am coping...worried about my family overseas I find it a struggle sometimes to write and even contemplated not writing/blogging last week and then I received a beautiful comment which made me cry…It cheered me on…Thank you…you know who you are…

I have spent more time in the kitchen...just because…my creative streak was waning as my waistline spread…I was eating all the pies…sigh…watching far too much Netflix…dreaming of a Cadburys CHOCOLATE BAR…says she who doesn’t eat chocolate…

Then the boxes of mangoes and bananas arrived at my gate…I shared some bananas with my neighbours who then gave me more mangoes…My son on his shopping trip told me about the queue for free food …someone was giving out free food, masks, handwash and checking temperatures…He said social distancing was being observed and everyone was masked up and waiting patiently…It puts it into perspective really doesn’t it?… I need to stop wallowing and count my blessings…Buck my ideas up…

Let’s have a look at the good things I can find…

Nature is showing us that we are only tenants in this world…That without us the animals will return…we need to learn big lessons from this in so many ways…I hope the people will remember, speak out and cast their votes wisely…

Food waste…I have always thought I have been a good model and wasted little ..I hold my hands up I could waste far less and be more frugal not mean just aware of more…

While I think many are being more frugal and mindful at home what about the bigger picture?

Food waste is increasing…What can we do?

Food Hubs could be the solution we are looking for…I think this is a brilliant idea which has taken off really quickly…In fact, it took only 11 days to survey farmers and pantries throughout the region about what they were facing, establish a plan to raise money to pay farmers to supply pantries and bring on partners.

Food Hubs have happened with GROUNDWORK…

What else can you do?

You can eat sustainably, cook sustainably, dine out sustainably…How to do that…You can take action by clicking this link…

Recycling…These are cool…I love the extension lead idea…The clutch bag so clever…

Lots of brilliant ideas!

Masks…most of us now are wearing a mask at some point when shopping or out walking …This N95 scarf filters the air around you and they are washable…

Also on the Good News Network...I found this…Air Pollution in Major World Cities Has Dropped By as Much as 60% During COVID Shutdowns, Says New Report. It also reports how the Earths Ozone layer is repairing itself…

corona-4971013_640

https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/air-pollution-in-world-cities-drops-by-60-percent/

Even though we are in trying times and often very sad times there are lots of changes for the good and we are becoming more aware…I know I am… as to how quickly this world is repairing itself…

My hope for the future is a cleaner world… I do want to see communities, and caring for your neighbour becoming the new norm…WORKING TOGETHER INSTEAD OF WORKING AGAINST EACH OTHER…

Thank you for reading be well and stay safe xxx

About Carol Taylor: Enjoying life in The Land Of Smiles I am having so much fun researching, finding new, authentic recipes both Thai and International to share with you. New recipes gleaned from those who I have met on my travels or are just passing through and stopped for a while. I hope you enjoy them.

I love shopping at the local markets, finding fresh, natural ingredients, new strange fruits and vegetable ones I have never seen or cooked with. I am generally the only European person and attract much attention and I love to try what I am offered and when I smile and say Aroy or Saab as it is here in the north I am met with much smiling.

Some of my recipes may not be in line with traditional ingredients and methods of cooking but are recipes I know and have become to love and maybe if you dare to try you will too. You will always get more than just a recipe from me as I love to research and find out what other properties the ingredients I use contain to improve our health and wellbeing.

Exciting for me hence the title of my blog, Retired No One Told Me! I am having a wonderful ride and don’t want to get off, so if you wish to follow me on my adventures, then welcome! I hope you enjoy the ride also and if it encourages you to take a step into the unknown or untried, you know you want to…….Then, I will be happy!

Thank you once again for reading this post I hope you all stay safe and healthy xx

 

 

Recycling and Climate Change…16th March 2020…App in the Air…

Hello and welcome to this weeks edition of the latest news on Climate Change and recycling…Thank you so much to everyone who reblogged and commented last week…Your comments are valuable to me and even when I am feeling a little down they brighten my day…It is lovely to see how many of you are doing what you can to recycle, buy local, grow your own very heartening…

vegetables-2299716_1280

 

It was also lovely that so many of you were both surprised and pleased to see the video of Maggie Thatcher,  her commitment and call to arms all those years ago… she still inspires…Great lady…

I know many you are being affected by Covid-19 I hope you and your families keep safe and well…if you are self-isolating it gives you time to read, write and reflect as I am sure this is foremost in most peoples thoughts…

But the world carries on and food waste is still much higher than it should be … watching a programme on the FOOD waste I was appalled at the amount of waste still coming from the stores and manufacturers…

When people…Children are starving this should not be happening so please lobby your stores either in person, by writing or your local government official flood his/her inbox…Food still within its sell-by date nothing wrong with it…should not be thrown in the trash…it could be given to food banks, churches a number of organisations…No excuse for it!

How did they react to the programme-makers…Not by talking to them and certainly not by cutting waste but by locking the bins fencing the bins in cages…It still exists and nought is being done so come on mum and dads army show your commitment to food waste…while you are under quarantine and if you are feeling well take your mind off Covid-19 as those children are still starving…

Wow!… This makes me hopeful for the future…

Air Travel…There has been much in the news about the impact of flying and many high profile people have been named and shamed…unfairly I think in some cases…

Life and work goes on...sometimes other methods of travel are not available or due to time constraints or cost unreasonable…Tori found this app which allows you to offset your flight and compensate by planting trees…It is called App in the Air which has integrated a carbon-offsetting widget within the app, which can give travellers an estimate on how their travelling can affect their carbon footprint based on a “carbon calculator”.
Travellers that offset their carbon footprint the most receive a
Carbon Neutral Traveler badge.

That should please the against air travel activists…

Tori also alerted me to the fact that Wales has plans for a national forest running the length and breadth of Wales have been launched by the first minister.

Mark Drakeford said the scheme – which includes £15m of woodland creation grants – would help protect nature and boost tourism.

nature-forest-trees-path-3

The idea is that people would be able to walk the entire length of the forest, from one end of the country to the other, drawing inspiration from the Wales Coast Path which attracts millions of visitors a year.

That is a massive project but sometimes you have to think big as the world is a big place and I think we need to be upping the ante…Thank you for these Tori xxx

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-51837146

New York recycles less than 20 per cent of the 3.1 million tons of garbage that its residents produce each year, a number well below other major cities. But as of March 12th plans to propose the New Yorkers have to mandatorily compost are being put forward…Will it go ahead?

Something has to happen with that track record…maybe restaurants there should adopt the Singaporean A1…

City Officials also want attractive trash cans and for business have more storage inside their premises and not litter the sidewalks as is now the case…Time will tell I guess…

The Naughty Corner!

According to The Recycling Association...Pringles and Lucozade are the villains.

With its metal base, plastic cap, metal tear-off lid, and foil-lined cardboard sleeve – Pringles’ combination of materials makes the packaging harder to separate and were described in the report as a “nightmare”.

pringles-331944_640

The Lucozade’s bottle is recyclable but, again, its combination of materials featuring a sleeve made from a different kind of plastic makes recycling hard.

Having read their comments the manufacturers are not trying very hard to change their packaging…my response neither product is healthy so don’t buy them…

On a happier note …All you ice cream lovers…Magnum launched tubs made from recycled polypropylene plastic packaging …said to be a first in the ice cream industry…

Up to 600,000 tubs are now available across Europe, with millions more to roll out globally.

The move is part of Unilever’s wider global commitment to ensure that at least 25% of its plastic packaging will come from post-consumer recycled content by 2025.

Julien Barraux, vice president Magnum, said: “We are proud to be one of the world’s first food brands to pioneer this ground-breaking technology.”

The tubs are available in Belgium, Spain and The Netherlands, with over three million more due to be launched globally in 2020.

That’s good news...Well done Magnum…aka Unilever…

Thank you if you are still here and reading to the end…I look forward to your comments xx

About Carol Taylor: Enjoying life in The Land Of Smiles I am having so much fun researching, finding new, authentic recipes both Thai and International to share with you. New recipes gleaned from those who I have met on my travels or are just passing through and stopped for a while. I hope you enjoy them.

I love shopping at the local markets, finding fresh, natural ingredients, new strange fruits and vegetable ones I have never seen or cooked with. I am generally the only European person and attract much attention and I love to try what I am offered and when I smile and say Aroy or Saab as it is here in the north I am met with much smiling.

Some of my recipes may not be in line with traditional ingredients and methods of cooking but are recipes I know and have become to love and maybe if you dare to try you will too. You will always get more than just a recipe from me as I love to research and find out what other properties the ingredients I use contain to improve our health and wellbeing.

Exciting for me hence the title of my blog, Retired No One Told Me! I am having a wonderful ride and don’t want to get off, so if you wish to follow me on my adventures, then welcome! I hope you enjoy the ride also and if it encourages you to take a step into the unknown or untried, you know you want to…….Then, I will be happy!

Thank you once again for reading this post I hope you all have a great week xx

 

 

Recycling and Climate Change…How to have A Greener Christmas…

Firstly I would love to wish you all a Very Merry and Green Christmas…xx

A green christmas-2991508_640

I would also like to thank you for your ideas and support throughout the year…xxx

I do think that the tide is turning…I also think that we should nurture our young and encourage their ideas as there are so many young people who have discovered ways to help the environment and I am not talking about those who skip school and carry placards but still carry the latest phones and wear the latest fashions without a thought about how those actions hurt the environment, how much of that cannot be recycled and how much of that is produced using child labour instead they are intent on telling us to turn vegan/vegetarian and ditch the transport… Except of course when we are joining the other traffic as we drop them at school or college having picked their friends up on the way…

I live in the real world I know some transport is essential, I know some local transport isn’t as good and cheap as what it is where I live…I also don’t have to get children to school, to their activities and then go to work, come home and cook dinner…Oh, there is also shopping and cleaning…

I could go on but I won’t I will spare you that and rely on the fact that you also have active imaginations and can fill in any gaps.

Change needs to happen in our homes…

This video which Tori who has supported me unfailingly throughout the year sent me the link to is worth a look as it suggests ways we can have a greener Christmas…Thank you Tori xxx Tori has also written some great kiddies books..If you still need stocking fillers then please visit her Amazon link 

 

All the items we have in our homes, and would be likely to throw away… some really cool ideas… I love the seed idea and snowflakes…

It is also no secret that I love music...It warmed my heart that Coldplay has taken a stand and won’t tour again until they can ensure that their concerts are “actively beneficial” for the environment.

Frontman Chris Martin told BBC News that the band would be “disappointed” if their next tour is not carbon neutral.

Of course, they have made their millions and don’t need to tour again and that puts them in a fortunate position that they are able to call the shots…So fair play to them as it will pave the way forward …I think it is a great move…

It will make the concert promoters more aware and they think in $ and £’s so it is in their best interest to look at plastic and solar power…

Chris Martin said “All of us have to work out the best way of doing our job,”  telling the BBC that the group wants future tours to “have a positive impact.”

It is true as we know we all have to play a part however small it is just like a jigsaw …Lots of small pieces make a bigger picture…

This made me so happy...For years I have followed the work which is being done to clean up the River Thames…There have even been whales sighted and animals and fish which had deserted the Thames are coming back…

THE RIVER THAMES RUNS 215 miles, from Gloucestershire through London to the North Sea, and it hasn’t always been much of a source of English pride. In the 19th century it was known as the “Great Stink,” and Charles Dickens called it a “polluted stream” in David Copperfield (1850). By the late 1950s, after World War II bombings had destroyed much of London’s Victorian sewage system, it was declared “biologically dead.”

But the Thames is back. 

Sea Horses are unknown…But they have appeared…For me, like unicorns, they are magical creatures…

Numbers are steadily increasing… It is all great news for the old lady Thames …she is home to seals, otters, and all sorts now …

This was all achieved by people just doing it…Getting on and doing it…Quietly going about the business of cleaning up the Thames…For some it was their job for others it was their passion.

Last week I talked about wrapping presents…This week I will give you a few facts about the food we eat and what it comes packaged in…

Did you know? 

Turkey…It is estimated that 10 million turkeys were consumed last Christmas. This also means over 3,000 tonnes of turkey packaging was being used.

Taking this into account, 125,000 tonnes of plastic wrapping used for food will also be discarded over the festive period.

Christmas puddings… the majority of which will be packaged in some form of plastic and cardboard packaging…Last year the UK alone ate 25 million.

Mince pies…Brits eat 175 million…

Mince pies

Putting this in perspective, 1 million mince pie cases equates to 1 tonne of aluminium material.

Just these three festive food items…Conjure up in my mind a staggering amount of waste…

The Solution…

Well…The Christmas pudding and mince pies are easily solvable…Cook from scratch and make your own…No packaging required…If you know someone who can’t or doesn’t cook…Make them some and put them in a pretty container…That is their Christmas present sorted…They will love it!

Turkey… If you buy fresh and local… packaging should be at a minimum just some butchers paper…I know not everyone can do that…However, if you are making your own mince pies and puddings/cake…Be pleased with that reduction in waste and it gives you a whole year to think about next year’s turkey…xx

Please share your stories on how you plan to reduce your home’s waste at Christmas we would love to hear them…xx

Like Peggy who is a self-confessed recycling, re-use, re-purpose nut. A newspaper makes good gift wrap. And I’m still using the three strings of Christmas lights I bought in 1981.

I am impressed that lights last that long and well done to Peggy for re-using her lights year after year…I have some which are a few years old but I think the point is that if they work why do we want to buy new ones?

About Carol Taylor:

Enjoying life in The Land Of Smiles I am having so much fun researching, finding new, authentic recipes both Thai and International to share with you. New recipes gleaned from those who I have met on my travels or are just passing through and stopped for a while. I hope you enjoy them.

I love shopping at the local markets, finding fresh, natural ingredients, new strange fruits and vegetable ones I have never seen or cooked with. I am generally the only European person and attract much attention and I love to try what I am offered and when I smile and say Aroy or Saab as it is here in the north I am met with much smiling.

Some of my recipes may not be in line with traditional ingredients and methods of cooking but are recipes I know and have become to love and maybe if you dare to try you will too. You will always get more than just a recipe from me as I love to research and find out what other properties the ingredients I use contain to improve our health and wellbeing.

The environment is also something I am passionate about and there are now regular columns on my blog this year. It is important that we are mindful of the world we live in…We all need to be aware of our own home’s carbon footprints…where does our food come from? How far does it travel…Simple to do but if we all did it…Not only would we support local businesses but reduce our carbon footprint…

green foot prints eco system

 

Exciting for me hence the title of my blog, Retired No One Told Me! I am having a wonderful ride and don’t want to get off, so if you wish to follow me on my adventures, then welcome! I hope you enjoy the ride also and if it encourages you to take a step into the unknown or untried, you know you want to…….Then, I will be happy!

Thank you once again for reading this post I hope you all have a creative week ahead xx