New initatives.

Plastic carrier bags are a plague on the natural world, so I've started to collect them at the recycling centre. Not convinced if, or how they are recycled by the large supermarkets, but they will be taken to one of their collection points unitl I find a better alternative. I understand, if the price is right, they are shipped to the Far East in the empty container vessals that bring goods to this country. Not too sure how they are  dealt with there! Otherwise they are put into landfill sites. If anyone knows better, please let me know.

Still recycling

 

I apologise for the slight pause with blogging over the winter, partly due to sorting out the recycling accounts and then getting used to a new laptop when my very old computer died.

 

Our  recycling centre was opened 20 years ago!  The drawings above are from that time and are self portraits drawn by some of the children that I taught. My weekly assemblies were always about caring for our environment (in  its broadest sense, from waste to wonder) with the children went to secondary school  quite a few of them were eco-warriors  and still are, I hope!

We continue to collect paper, glass, textiles, drinks cartons, books and aluminium cans at our recycling centre in the fenced off area at the end of the school playground.

I  pick up toner and inkjet cartridges from local companies and Takeback Ltd  collects  from other local and national companies on our behalf.

Spectacles are given to Vision Aid Overseas, via our local optician and aluminium foil is collected   by members of the Sudbury Resource Centre.

Everyone can do their bit to help the environment and there's a wonderful new website hat can inspire you. Check it out 

 www.worldchanging.me

 

 

More on Bargain books!

Looking back over the year, I've spent a busy and fruitful time selling the best books that have been donated to our recycling centre.

Over 400 have been bought from the stall at my gate for 20p each, but more if the buyer thinks they are worth it.  There is a selection of over 300.on my Amazon.shop, all reasonably priced and in very good or better conditition.  I've also sent quite a few to Amazon to be  "traded-in".
This is one of the latest books to go on   Amazon. It's "as new" and the pocket that hold the CD is unopened.

This weekend I shall be working out the amount of money to give school!
Watch this space.

Another new Textile Bank?

Well--the rag raiders have been again! This time they damaged our bank and no-one could open it. So  thanks to prompt action by Black Country Rags (BCR), we now have this FORT KNOX style container on site.
The police have reacted quickly and perhaps this might be the last time that I have to contact them.
If any rag raiders read this, they should know that we are hatching a cunning plan!

Company rescues Can Crushing efforts!

I bought this super, sturdy can crusher from Home Recycling about 8 years ago. Last weekend the black crushing mechanism  on the lid broke. Home Recycling came to the rescue and  the new part was attached  to a cleaned lid, ready for action! 
Our thanks to Chris Hasling and his team. This is a small, successful company, provides an excellent, friendly service. Great!

Money Matters

RECYCLING
to help the environment,
as well as raising funds

At about this time every year I send the records for the recycling fund to the accountants Larking Gowen to be checked. Next term, I shall give a copy of their report to the Governors.
The income for this year is quite pleasing, bearing in mind that a lot of textiles were taken from our textile bank at the end of last year.
Most of the money raised derives from the cartridges that are donated from local and national companies and the weight credits from the paper, glass and textile banks (just over £3800.00).
We raised an extra £200.00 plus from aluminium cans, CDs and book sales.
Not bad for a small village school, with less than 100 pupils.

Renewable ideas - win £1000

Tetra Pak and the WWF-UK are looking for ideas to get everyone to think and buy renewable. For example: “Create a renewable App to help shoppers”. Be imaginative and you could win £1,000 for yourself and £25,000 to make your idea happen.

Click here to go to the Renewable Idea website to find out more.

We'd never do this, but ...

Wash and Squash

Hurray---our carton recycling bank has arrived (thank you, Jonas, at Babergh D.C.) and looms large at the back of recycling area.
No artistic pictures though. The said bank does look a trifle tired, as if it's had a very long journey along wet, muddy Suffolk lanes to get to us. But never mind. We like re-use nearly as much as re-cycle!

Some new recycling fundraisers

Don't throw them away! If they are in their original cases, Music Magpie will pay for them and then sell them to new, appreciative customers.
However, if you are feeling magnanimous, you could post your unwanted goods to Elmsett CEVC Primary School IP7 6PA and help our small, very green Eco-school to raise funds for two large projects that are in the planning process.
The building work for the final extensiion is due to start later this year and as it will take up a large area of the playground, plans are afoot to have an all-weather surface area constructed on the meadow, next to the school.

Money Well Spent

The new covered area, paid for by the recycling fund, has just been completed.
It will be a super space for the younger children to do outdoor activities, and the only sheltered place for parents to gather at the beginning and end of school.

The school owes a great deal to all the companies that support our cartridge recycling program and all the people who use our community recycling centre. I don't know the total cost of our new structure yet, but it will be around £9,000. Thank you all very much. You have improved the "school experience" for pupils and parents in one go. Excellent!

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!

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.

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.