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!

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!!!!.

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.

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

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.

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...!

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

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.