Tuesday, December 04, 2007

Aluminium Cans

This is our sturdy can crusher.
The wall mounted one didn't last very long! The lousy summer has meant that it has not been used too much this year. Also the pub that saves their cans for us was closed for some time, while the building was repaired.

So this time as we only had a small load of sorted, crushed cans we took them to Whip Street Motors and received £80 for our recycling fund. In the past, Pearsons would collect large loads of aluminium cans from us.
Our can crusher came from Home Recycling. I understand that it had to be imported from America. That was two years ago. Perhaps they are made in the UK now. If you remember to put a bin liner in the base, the cans can be crushed and bagged in one go.

I haven't tried crushing steel cans yet, but I seem to remember that the information implied that you could if you wanted to. OK if you can get people to wash out their cans first!

Sunday, October 21, 2007

News to You

If you want a global perspective about what's happening to our enviroment, then take a look at Planet Ark. This informative, Australian website tackles most green issues and you can sign up to have a daily list of articles from all over the world emailed to you. I Have to say that most of it is fairly gloomy!
Click on the link at the bottom of the page

Wednesday, October 17, 2007

Recycling to help Others

If you give your old spectacles to Vision Aid Overseas , it's good to know that they will be sent to needy people in developing countries and also give useful employment to the inmates of 6 prisons in this country, who sort, grade and pack them prior to sending them overseas.

For people in the developing world with poor vision, being educated and finding employment is very difficult.
With the correct spectacles, people can learn, work and achieve a quality of life, which was previously unobtainable.

There is lots more information on the Vision Aid Overseas website

Monday, October 01, 2007

Just News

The start of a new educational year is a good time to take stock and plan for the future. The accounts for our recycling centre have been returned, showing a slight downturn in the amount that was raised for school. I'm pleased to report that £6000 was transferred to school funds, to pay for "Computer and School support"

Before I retired from teaching at Elmsett School, we set up an Early Years Unit, paid for by the recycling fund. It was disbanded for a few years but has been resurrected again and the Head Teacher has asked me if the recycling fund can support it as before, something which I am very pleased to do!

Those companies that are interested in Buckle's Wood, our new community woodland, might like to know that Suffolk ACRE, at their recent annual awards ceremony, commended our scheme as an "outstanding Community Achievement".

Sunday, August 05, 2007

Been Busy

There is a big gap since my last report. Not an extended summer holiday, but our Woodland Fayre has kept me occupied for the last two months (as well as keeping an eye on the School's recycling centre).

The rain kept away and everything was more or less ready in time! The organisers had a good time and many visitors asked if our event was to be the first of many more! The answer is Yes, but not at the start of the summer holidays!

We were delighted to be chosen as a winner in Powergen's search for energy conscious Summer Fetes and were given £500 to help develop Buckle's Wood, 500 energy saving light bulbs to distribute and 2 energy saving boxes for raffle prizes.

I took the photo above this morning. It shows the second group of trees that we planted in Bucklle's Wood. The trees that we planted on behalf of all the companies that have supported Elmsett School's Recycling Centre, part of our first planing session, are behind me. All the trees are growing well and it is starting to feel like a woodland. Many people who came to the Woodland Fayre, walked round the wood for the first time and were surprised and enchanted by what they saw. A special place.

Wednesday, May 16, 2007

Green Milk Bottles

Our milk arrives on the doorstep, in glass bottles, which are whisked away when empty and re-used or recycled, depending on their condition.

I think I am right in saying that most milk nowadays is packaged in plastic bottles and sold from supermarkets and shops. The plastic is made from crude oil and can be recycled, but takes about 500 years to rot if it ends up in a landfill site.

Now there is an alternative option to the plastic bottle. Based in Framlingham, Martin Meyerscough at Greenbottle Ltd, has designed a milk bottle, made from moulded recycled cardboard, with a biodegradable insert. The whole lot can be recycled when empty.

It's causing a bit of a stir. Brilliant!

Friday, May 11, 2007

Keep in Touch

I try to keep in touch with the companies that support the school's recycling scheme, and am in the process of sending a newsletter to them, so it was good to receive a response from a local company that has supported our cartridge recycling for a very long time!
"Could you mention us and add a link on your website please" was the request from Access Accounting. My daughter, who designed the site, will have to do this, as I can't alter the website. However, I can manage this Blog and I will be very happy to add your company to the list of Supportive Companies in the links section. You just have to ask!!!!.

Thursday, April 12, 2007

Cartridges from Companies

I have been recycling empty cartridges and collecting them from local companies for many years. Some businesses have been supporting school since 1993, when this type of fundraising was a novelty. Now most charities ask for cartridges and mobile 'phones, in fact the market is very competitive!

Each year our recycling fund is audited, so, before the paperwork is dispatched to the accountant, I've worked out that last year, local companies have donated nearly £1,000's worth of cartridges to Elmsett School.

So thank you everyone. We have been able to buy a lot of "extra" resources for our pupils.

Monday, April 02, 2007

Buckle's Wood

Money raised by our recycling scheme has funded many school projects, the latest of which is perhaps the most long term and interesting one. A field at the back of the meadow has been given to the village by a local land owner, James Buckle, in order to develop it as a Community Woodland. The newly planted trees and shrubs will eventually become Buckle's Wood.

The school is closely linked with the scheme; the children have their own planting area and a Governor is part of the management group that is overseeing its development. The recycling fund paid for most of the first lot of trees that were planted.

The photo was taken by Bob Dewes, a Sea King pilot from Wattisham Airfield and parent of a pupil at Elmsett School. Buckle's Wood is the field which is surrounded by a hedge, at the back of the school,
The Green Light Trust has encouraged us throughout and there's more information on Buckle's Wood Blog

Sunday, March 25, 2007

Corporate Cans

Four boxes containing crushed. aluminium cans were delivered to the recycling centre last week. Kevin McDonagh and his colleagues at Sempra Metals in London have supported our recycling efforts for many years and more recently, sent a generous donation towards planting trees in Buckle's Wood.

I know that Kevin has tried hard and not been able to locate and donate the cans to a local, green school in London, hence the special delivery!

So very many thanks to Kevin and the metallic men and managers at Sempra. I shall put your cans in bin liners and take them to Whip Street Motors, who will pay us for their weight and we shall also receive the weight credit from Babergh District Council.

Saturday, March 17, 2007

Green Textiles

I 'phoned them on Monday and by Friday, the Black Country Rags and Wiper Company had emptied our textile bank. Based in the West Midlands, their original name is an indication of past environmental conditions in a great industrial area.

BCR Global Texiles, a recent formed division of the original company, has supported our recycling centre in a reliably efficient way, since 1994.

It's good to know that very little, in the form of waste, leaves their premises. They even recycle the plastic bags that our old clothes and shoes are packed in.

I should think that quite a lot of the clothing from our bank, is sent to developing countries or disaster areas. At least none of ends up in landfill sites, but I'm not too sure about that old pair of patched jeans of mine...!

Tuesday, March 13, 2007

A darker shade of Green

Good news? The frogs have woken up and are busy in our pond. Likewise, our politicians have woken up and are busily trying to impress with their new environmental initiatives. Let's hope we don't have too long to wait to see their plans turn into action. It would be great if our small country could become a world leader in all aspects of sustainable development and environmental issues

Wednesday, March 07, 2007

This is what we do!

Now there are two different aspects for out recycling activities. The Communuity Recycling Centre on the end of the playground where there are collection bins for villagers to use for their recyclable waste We then receive money in the form of weight credits from Babergh District council, and the value of the shoes and aluminium cans from Black Country Rags and Whip Street Motors.
The Recycling Centre has inspired the pupils environmental work, in fact the school was awarded the Eco-schools, Green Flag in 2002.

Takeback Limited
of Thetford collects cartridges from all the local and national companies that support our school and we receive a monthly cheque for their market value. In fact, since August 1996 the recycling fund has transferred £96,000 into the school's account to buy extra resources for our pupils. About 90% of the extra money derives from our cartridge recycling This scheme is brilliant.