Things that have gone- 16

We recently re-configured the storage in our garage, so it was a good chance to go through a whole bunch more stuff. I was able to turn out a variety of items that we haven’t used in the 2 1/2 years since we moved in.

1. 20 mixed cardboard boxes for moving (Since we don’t plan on ever moving again and we’ve redecorated most of the house now, there will be no further need to keep boxing our stuff up. We don’t have the room to store all of these boxes anymore and decided there are other priorities for storage. Also, if we did keep them; we’d have to pay out to board more of our loft which seems crazy for some boxes! They’ll only deteriorate up there, so it was the best decision to let someone who needs them, take them).
2. Bundle of car care stuff (this wasn’t even ours, someone had left it in the shed in our last place and I took it because it seemed wasteful to leave it or chuck it. That daft ‘just incase’ scenario again. Thankfully I was able to give it all to a family member who would use it).
3. 3 metal poles (Used to hold up the storage we removed from our garage. Freecycled on to a gardener who wanted to use them to prop up their plants – perfect).
4. A cake tin (Purchased as a recipe specified it was needed, but it never worked as well because it was too large. Decided to stick to standard tins and freecycled this on to someone who could use it).
5. Bunch of rubbish (Took a large box of broken carpet gripper rods, odds and ends of carpet that were too small to use, empty paint cans and a broken drill to the tip).

That’s actually quite a lot more stuff gone when you look at it! I think I’ll be able to let go of some more, once we’ve organised our new space a bit. Stay tuned minimisers!

Be The Change!

We try not to take stuff to the tip- by following the 3 R’s- Reduce, Re-Use, Recycle we are mostly able to avoid this. Freecycle is your friend people! We recently dismantled a UPVC conservatory that was on the back of our house. It took a while, but after offering it on Freecycle a few times- someone wanted it and was prepared to come and dismantle it, in order to take it away. We assisted them as much as possible and saved ourselves £2,000 in labour and disposal costs. I ended up taking only the cement from between the bricks to the tip who charged me £1.50 per bag (x6 bags), so £9 to dispose of it. Whilst I was there, a kind operative helped me to lift the heavy bags and tip them into the skip. So I got chatting to him about what happens to all the household waste that ended up here.

I was shocked to learn that nothing was re-purposed and even the operatives who worked there are not allowed to remove items that could be re-used. After having lived in an area previously where all re-usable items were pulled out for re-sale at the tip (usually for only £1 or £2) & re-use, I was shocked! The operative admitted his shock at some of the items people throw away- like really decent hi-fi systems and sofas. It also made me think how lazy many human beings are- not even bothering to think if someone else might need this item, or taking it to a charity shop etc.

So great was my level of concern that I decided to contact the Head of the Environmental Services Department at my local council and express my horror at what was being sent to landfill. I will let you click on the link below and discover what is now happening in my area- I am SO excited!

http://www.poole.gov.uk/environment/recycling-rubbish-waste/nuffield-household-waste-recycling-centre/new-to-you/

I will make a new post after I have attended the launch event in a couple of weeks time!