The following is a copy of a reply, sent by Green Here, to a council recycling questionnaire. Please feel free to add you thoughts and comments on this post.

Reduction of waste

Our principal concern is with the reduction of waste in the first place. One area to be addressed is packaging of goods sold in shops and stores, which then finds its way into household bins. Packaging of goods in shops has three principal functions – 1 Protection from damage in transit, 2 – maintenance of hygiene, and 3 manufacturers’ or retailers’ advertising or display to encourage sales. We would encourage changes to be made to reduce packaging waste and so avoid excessive landfill, whilst maintaining these three functions. Some suggestions are as follows -:

1.    Encourage a move away from polystyrene packaging to compostable products. This may have to be done by charging in due course for the removal of non-compostable materials.
2.    Where plastics are necessary for hygiene purposes, use only bio-degradable ones, which state on them the period within which they will biodegrade.
3.    Start a campaign in Hull to become a “plastic bag-less” city. We are the city of Wilberforce and also a Fair Trade city. Let’s start a campaign to be the first city to significantly reduce the use of supermarket plastic bags. Some towns have already done so. There are many manufacturers who make cotton or linen shopping bags, and some of the stores are providing re-usable alternatives now. Let’s have a city-wide campaign to enthuse and encourage people.

Community Composting

Even with the current packaging materials, much more composting is possible. Additional composting facilities are going to be essential if landfill is to be reduced, especially if in due course more packaging materials are made to be biodegradable. Many people are willing to take part in this type of initiative, but are helped if they have to make as little extra effort as possible.

We suggest the following -:

1.    Set up a network of community composting sites in every neighbourhood where people can bring cardboard, kitchen and garden waste and other biodegradable materials. These could be attached to allotments (gardeners would welcome it), and to council owned sites such as schools and offices, where space allows. This could also form a useful additional teaching aid.
2.    Encourage the voluntary National Master Composter Scheme, (as other Local Authorities are currently doing) and use the Master Composters at the community composting sites and for talks to groups and schools.
3.    Provide every household on request with a small kitchen waste bin for composting. This will help with segregation of materials at the time of use and encourage a higher level of composting for kitchen waste. These can then be emptied into the green waste sacks for transport to the local community composting site.

Recycling

1.    The black recycling bins for glass, cans and plastics seem to be well used. For some households it is apparent that the small black bins are not large enough. We suggest that a new generation of larger black bins be provided for addresses where the bin is regularly overfull, to encourage further effort.

2. The blue bins for paper are also well used. Some institutions such as schools, colleges and the Universities need to have a clear policy on paper use and paper recycling. This should be encouraged.

4.    We also recommend that regular research is carried out by the Council into the usage of household recycling bins by area. Having only global data on recycling is not sufficient. If messages are to be put out about recycling, it is essential that it is specifically targeted, based on evidence.

David Westwood
“Green Here”
6th December 2007

Green Here, a network of local community projects actively involved
in caring for the environment was launched on United Nations Day,
24th October 2007, by the Lord Mayor of Hull, Brenda Petch.

Janet Blackman, our local UNA Chair spoke of the role of the United Nations
in urging governments to address the issue of climate change and
commended the people of Hull for the lead they are taking in caring
for our planet.

It is official, Hull is the third most environmental friendly city
in the country. Community based projects designed to make our
environment cleaner, greener and more sustainable are flourishing in
the city. For every child born in Hull, a tree is planted.

Green Here’s open topped bus visited just a few of these projects on
Tuesday. The enthusiasm and dedicatioln of the young and
not-so-young people who have set up and run them is inspiring.

Darron Donken of Eternal Benefits works to ensure the smooth running
of the store where furniture is recycled and sold at affordable
prices, friendship, refreshments and learning resources foster self
worth and pride in the community and flood victims will be assisted
to re-furnish homes. Funding will run out in December for Eternal
Benefits on the Quadrant, North Hull unless a new sponsor can be
found.

Tucked away in New George Street, in the heart of the industrial old
town is a community garden of outstanding beauty. Cared for by 81
year old Lilian and 62 year old Jackie, and other residents, this
garden is a haven for wild life and humans to share.

Jeanie Webster takes great pride in The Rainbow Gardens, North Hull,
a small area in the middle of a large housing estate which enables
children to care for wild life. Planted amid the flowers is a notice,
‘Love grows here. The garden ‘ is an oasis of calm, ingenuity and
recycling ideas, where old boots become flower holders, basins, plant
tubs and discarded bricks decoratre raised beds.

Since 2004 Friends of the Earth have been planting trees, hardy
shrubs and plants on Barmston Drain bank to provide habitats for wild
land natural flora and fauna and discourage predators. . In this
drain, swans rear their young, water voles hide away and kingfishers
are able to hunt successfully.

Hallgate Junior School in Cottingham has won awards for
its environmental work and green minded pupils at Parkstone Road
School are helping plant 85,000 fruit trees in eastern Africa by
recycling cans and foil.

Pickering Road Community Orchard has 400
trees in over 2 acres, boasting 24 different varieties of tree dating
from 1707 to 1986.

Recycling Unlimited on Newland Avenue provides a
homely café, work experience and recycled garden furniture.
Bransholme Enterprises offers hands on training for work in their
nature conservation area.

Please log on to Green Here’s web site
htpp://greenhere.wordpress.com with details of your efforts, however
small, to keep Hull and the East Riding top of the Green Table.

Photo’s from the launch event can be viewed here.

There is a lot of information now available from a wide range of sources telling us how to live more sustainable lives and to reduce our carbon footprint. There are also concerns about the effects of climate change on poor areas of the world.

At the same time, people can sometimes feel isolated when trying to lead greener lifestyles and believe that what they are doing as individuals will not make much, if any, difference.

The purpose of “Green Here” is to recognise and affirm the contributions already being made by people, to share information on what is being done to make our communities greener and cleaner, and to encourage better use of the earth’s resources to improve lives both in this country and of those on the margins elsewhere in the world.

“Green Here” is a network of interested people and groups rather than an organisation, on similar lines to the successful “Make Poverty History” campaign. We are a grass roots movement which is not seeking to blame, rather to understand the reasons why we are in the position we are and to celebrate the simple things that can be done to start to make changes from which everyone will benefit.

People can use our “smiley” logo as a badge, car or window sticker or in other ways to indicate that they are trying to lead a more sustainable lifestyle. As the badges proliferate, people will be able to see that they are not alone.

It began with a small group of CAFOD and Christian Aid staff and volunteers getting together in Hull to work on the CAFOD campaign, “Live simply”, and the Christian Aid campaign, “Cut the Carbon”. Since then, the group has grown to include other interested individuals and organisations, including Friends of the Earth, the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, the United Nations Association, the local bus company East Yorkshire Motor Services, and Hull City Council. The public launch will be at 10.30 am on Wednesday 24th October 2007, United Nations Day, at the new Hull Paragon Transport Interchange.

The idea of these pages is to be a resource to like minded people. Use the tabs at the top of the page to navigate around and add your comments to the ideas and articles you find. Please feel free to email me articles for contribution to the site.