AWARD - World Juice 2012

http://retiedinknots.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/award-world-juice-2012.html

This is a link to a story on the RE:tie blog, as this is what the award was for.

I include it here as there are some packaging/2nd use-related areas of interest too.

Good news for a wet Monday

Some nice news to start the day!

My invention http://www.REtie.co.uk has been shortlisted in the Best Sustainability Initiative category of The World Juice awards - http://worldjuice.agraevents.com/ 

Goes some way  to offsetting all the grief I've been having on IP for RE:tie with the US Patent Office.

In other news....

We are in the middle (erring on wrong side of that midpoint) of a massive rejig of the entire Firebird.com/Junkk.com/REtie online & social media estate.

So much has moved on since Junkk.com (which, sadly, remains in her 'classic' incarnation, at least as far as the 'guts' are concerned - which, fingers crossed still do what they are meant to, if in a clunky way) was created, with amazing, free scripts now available to allow content to be put up and exchanged across platforms so much more easily.

Hence we are trying to integrate, link and automate them all as much as possible. So, for instance, this news will, with luck, get 'placed' on one platform and then be distributed across others (even LinkedIn) without needing to cut & paste or edit.

In theory.

It's proving a massive undertaking so please be patient.

I'm also hoping to 'split' shares and RTs from such as twitter, that have to now been pooled under JunkkMale, such that what is eco goes under a green section, advertising under Firebird, music under a category for that... etc.

There will still be 'views', but also a bunch of extra shared information that will, with luck, also be easily archived and searched.

IP, IP Hoo... no... make that boo

This really should be on the RE:tie blog (and will be later).

But as it goes to bigger issues, and more people read this, I'll kick off here.

Quick bit of background.

I have, with much encouragement from HMG and her various organs of business promo, patented the RE:tie around the world.

Where its patent has been granted, no questions, or hassles, bar one place: the US of A.

Starting in November of last year, when they blew it out... on the basis that if the inventor of a bottle cap and the inventor of a woman's breast pump met in the pub, they 'could' together, if so minded, have come up with a RE:tie, such that the world's consumers would rush out and by a one-off $30 personal milk expressing device to get a free 0.00000001 cent weekly multiple-use hardware item.

Yeah... me too.

But games have to be played.

But games take time. And if lawyers get involved, expensive.

So two sets of lawyers, and two sets of rejected (the second, by a different USPTO examiner to the first, being a pure cut & paste job) appeals later, I am no further on. Bar being down a set of lawyers. And a ton of money.

Now, when painted into a corner you have little to lose, so you reach out anywhere and everywhere.

Which I did. UK IPO, BIS, British Embassy, UKTI, Chamber... you name the acronym purporting to support SMEs and or IP protection, I told 'em all.

And to a man... or woman... up to Baroness and Minister (or both) level, I got oodles of sympathy. 

'Tut-tut', they said. 'Awful', they intoned. Some thought it fun to share they knew it would happen as that's what always does.

Coming from paid civil servants who are paid to seduce unpaid SME innovators to blow time and money on IP, that can rankle a smidge. No, make that... a lot.

As it stands, I not only cannot argue my appeal, but the US examiner is, to all intents and purposes... hiding. Won't answer phone calls, or emails. Me having danced to every stupid tune and leapt every hurdle and obstacle put in my way.

And on the UK side (from London to Washington) now, the same. Blanked. It can't be happening because they don't have to look at it to see it is.

This... is what country and international governance has come to. Looking like stuff is going on, and spending vast resources on that 'look', but behind the edifice...zippy.

So, Ladies & Gents, let me bring you this gem of a PR email just in, which as you may imagine, was just what the doctor ordered:

----

You are a subscriber to the email alerts service from the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills (BIS). 

A new BIS press release has been issued and is 

UK and US call to make the most of international patent system

Measures to make the international system of patent application faster and more effective were announced today by the UK Intellectual Property Office (UKIPO) with changes to the UK’s Fast Track system. These moves come as part of a wider effort by the UK and US intellectual property authorities to get more businesses to use the PCT system.

---

 So... businesses... more of you... USE IT!!! Tick them boxes.

That none of it works, at all, and no one wants to go near why, or how to resolve it... that is not a matter of concern.

No wonder this country is stuffed.

The few doers that remain have their very own posse of stoppers ready to knock them out at every turn, and vast PR machines in complement to pretend that it is all going just fine.

With some experience, and well-filed archives, I beg to differ. It's patently clear it's not working. At all.

Addendum 1

In the mail yesterday day I had a letter from the USPTO, apparently sent round the Horn via clipper to beat the Royal Navy blockade of Boston.

A snail mail letter that, frankly, takes the whole thing to a new level of farce if it were not already. If they simply did their jobs as opposed to concocting stuff like this in avoiding doing so, they might clear the 5 million case backlog apparently causing such behaviour.

If I understand what they have written correctly, I am now in some feedback loop of Purgatory, whereby I can't appeal on my own patent's behalf because they refuse to release the US affiliate as power of attorney. This being the one they would never talk with anyway. But is the only one they wish to deal with. But now deny was ever appointed.

Because I note, in amongst the vast legalese, two intriguing statements, especially given what I understood to have happened based on what I was told, and the USPTO's version of events:

1 - 'a review of the record shows that no attorney's/agents were ever appointed power of attorney in this patent application'

Given the USPTO's rather clear dedication to procedure up front before doing anything, if my US affiliate was, as far as they are now claiming, never appointed, why then have they spun this out with them over several months, including costly appeals,  if they never ascertained they were our/my representatives in the first place? They seem pretty clear on who they can or cannot be talking with, and when... if it suits.

As I recall, the USPTO called my US affiliate to complain that I was trying to contact them directly, and they can only talk to them, which was what instigated this latest flurry of activity. Now... they are claiming all this?

2 - 'Additionally, the present request cannot be approved because the requested change in the correspondence address is improper'.

What it goes on to define as 'proper' is beyond me, as it was, presumably, to the person first advising it.

Maybe it is best left here as they surely cannot reject the patent if they are unprepared to live up to their own procedures, which at the very least means that while the patent is not granted it is stuck at not being rejected either, which serves to deny any copycats.

I am stumped. I have reached out for advice and help from UK trade and IP bodies but... so far... nothing.

So now thinking of adding to my lexicon of public sector syndromes, with 'If not you... who?'.

Because a ton of folk earning a ton of money and spending acres of time promoting endless 'initiatives' have suddenly gone quiet. The IPO. BIS. Chamber. UKTI. Embassy.  All the guys advocating the joys of IP and getting me in this deep... mute.

Not hugely impressed. Landed it back at the door of my now IP UK lawyer too, as some of those accusations from the USPTO also go to professional competence and codes of conduct. At least as to the actions of the affiliate they commissioned (or possibly did not) to act on my patent's behalf there.

Addendum 2 -

Have been kindly contacted by Ian Hartwell of http://www.maguires.co.uk/, and offered a further option, for which thanks:


The USPTO has a “Patents Ombudsman” for “when there is a breakdown in the normal application process” – see http://www.uspto.gov/patents/ombudsman.jsp.


As I am painted into a corner it can't hurt, but am not too hopeful, as my experiences with Ombudsmen of any hue, from any country, is not great.

REUSEDviaRE:tie - Age Issues

Just popped this on the RE:tie blog.

And noticed that it has 'languished' somewhat of late, in terms of me writing anything and, hence, folk reading.

So excuse porting (in the name of reuse) over here, which is a bit more active.

Still relevant I hope:)

http://retiedinknots.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/category-age-issues.html

Speaking of which...

Yours truly has been invited to speak at a conference.

And considering our ongoing efforts at sharing the joys of reuse in general and designed-in in particular, it is not a bad one to be up on the podium pontificating at either:

http://www.plasticscapsandclosures.com/eu

Kindly recommended by Junkketeer Neil of Poundland, I am now in the process of preparing my death by .ppt presentation.

And it's not proving easy, or quick.

Not least because new stuff keeps coming along...

Packaging News - Open season on an age-old issue

... I am very glad to say.

With luck, there'll be food, too

As noted before, my family is a tough crowd.

Many's the time I have bounded into the living room with news of a nice bit of PR, or an award, but these days I usually get a 'Great. Well done. But... can we eat it?'

Well, this time, at least literally, eventually... yes.

There is a 'do' to go with the fact that we have secured yet another welcome award.

And I am rather hopeful, given the calibre of folk we're amongst, and where the ceremony is, there may be the opportunity to parlay this into even more of a tangible rent-paying, food-on-the-table nature.

For now, I am merely rather proud of another notch on the scoreboard that suggests that whatever we are doing, at least some nice folk agree we're still doing it quite well.

---
Letter from Organisers

PROJECT: RE: TIE PACKAGING

I am delighted to confirm that you have won a Green Apple Award in connection with the above project, and I hope you will be able to join us to be presented with your trophy at the House of Commons on November 14.

You have definitely won a Green Apple Award, but we never reveal who has won exactly what until the presentation ceremony itself.

Also enclosed you will find a draft News Release to help you publicise your success up to this point.  

Once you know exactly what you have won at the House of Commons, you can once again adapt the News Release to announce your level of success; and you will find most newspapers and radio stations are keen to carry positive news about organisations doing their best to help the environment.

Please convey our congratulations to everyone connected with your award-winning project and we look forward to the pleasure of your company at the House of Commons.

Yours sincerely,

Roger Wolens

Director

Press Release (Local use) provided by organisers (I hope they are right):

Media Advisory

THE GREEN APPLE ENVIRONMENT AWARDS 2011

TEL/FAX: 01604.810507

LOCAL COMPANY ON THE WAY TO GREEN GLORY

Eco-website and second use design advocates Junkk.com, based in Ross-on-Wye, have won a Green Apple Environment Award in the national campaign to find Britain’s greenest companies, councils and communities.

They competed against more than 500 other nominations and will be presented with their Green Apple Award at a glittering presentation ceremony in the House of Commons on November 14.

As a result of this success they have been invited to have their winning paper published in The Green Book, the leading international work of reference on environmental best practice, so that others around the world can follow their example and learn from their experience.

They will also be considered to represent their country in the European Business Awards for the Environment.

The Green Apple Awards began in 1994 and have become established as the country’s major recognition for environmental endeavour among companies, councils, communities and countries. 

The awards are organised by The Green Organisation, an independent, non-political, non-activist, non-profit environment group dedicated to recognising and promoting environmental best practice.

Judges for the Green Apple Awards are drawn from the Environment Agency, the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health, the Chartered Institution for Wastes Management and other independent bodies.

Peter Martin, Junkk.com CEO comments: ‘Beyond a great honour to be in such great company at these awards, it is also another real endorsement for the concept on top of such as the International Exhibition of Inventions Gold  Medal with Congratulations of the Jury in Geneva. And with ‘triple bottom line’ innovation on top of any ‘green business’ agenda these days, we’re hoping this award and our latest new public 'two thumbs up' consumer market research will bring RE:tie’s global potential to the attention of ethical business folk who care about 'green'... in all its forms.

  

ENDS 

Ch-ch-changes

An article in the latest FMCG (p24) caught my eye.

Entitled 'Closures: a changing industry', it could have been written for and about RE:tie.

Just look at the subhead! Helping environment and 'ageing population'.

Heeeeellloooo!

Naturally, I am trying to reach the author.

As so many doors close, maybe this one may see a chink of opportunity?

Blimey, who does a guy have to sleep with these days to cop a break?

Many will know of our RE:tie concept.

Some may be aware that not only does it confer some advantages eco-wise to the packaging diaspora, the public is on board and we can prove it. Big time.

Many in the industry are aware of this.

Many public bodies, quangos and professional bodies, often flush with green funds to throw about, are aware of it.

Even a few media are, though I do need to get my act together on more PR pronto.

But the old eyebrow does crank when such as this comes out:

http://www.packagingnews.co.uk/news/wrap-report-calls-for-lighter-tint-caps-to-boost-milk-bottle-recycling

Just how much more, more quickly, could I get a genuine, public-pleasing, actual green concept to market, if blessed with new Wrap-sponsored research? Like some others, more blessed.

http://www.wrap.org.uk/downloads/Milk_Bottle_R_D_Final_Report1.26ade849.10344.pdf

An important day for RE:tie

Karma is a funny thing.

With the 'brimming with vindication' consumer market research burning a hole in my filing cabinet, yesterday was supposed to be the day of a big meeting with a PR whiz to get the media, at least (hopefully followed by consumers, groups and government) to sit up and take note of RE:tie as a green, disability PR, CSR and sales dream come true.

Sadly, snow stopped (well, postponed, possibly until next year) play.

Suitably snookered, I was licking my wounds when I happened across this:

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/finance/ianmcowie/100008829/grey-pounds-100bn-christmas-warning-to-retailers/

Bearing in mind that equal to RE:tie's 'green' cred is its contribution to enablement, this was not unfortuitous.

Of course I have weighed in:

'Retailers risk repelling some of their wealthiest customers with excessive and poorly-designed packaging which older people find difficult to open or use...

+

...Nearly half of more than 2,000 people questioned said they are sometimes unable to take lids or caps off products such as plastic milk bottles or jars because of the packaging

As one with more than a passing interest in PR & marketing, what surprises me is how resistant many brands are to initiatives designed not only to boost their CSR, but which may also confer more than a slight USP/sales advantage too, which one has to presume is the holy grail.

With luck it is but a matter of time before design initiatives such as http://www.retie.co.uk/ or http://www.squeezeopen.com/ get noticed, embraced and appreciated as much by those marketing whizzes (and their bosses forever on the TV claiming to be in support of 'innovation') as much as they may be by consumers.

I have also contacted the professional bodies cited, and downloaded a useful research aid:

http://www.ageuk.org.uk/
http://www.ilcuk.org.uk/
http://www.ilcuk.org.uk/record.jsp?type=publication&ID=80
http://www.ilcuk.org.uk/files/pdf_pdf_155.pdf

PR COVERAGE - And idea gaining traction?

Actually, this is more IP coverage.

But as it is a pretty nice article about what we're up to, I think it's worth sharing.

WIPO is not an insignificant force in global IP, so to be noticed and so covered is a very nice thing to enjoy.

Product RE:view - Sainsbury's Milk Pouch

Disclosure: This little effort is going to compete pretty much with my RE:tie idea. Not directly, but with the caps used on many milk bottles. So it is hard to be totally objective in seeking its success. Looking on the bright side, it may make the cap & bottle guys find some merit in a device that not only promotes reuse, but gives their products an edge, too. Just sayin'

Update - a few very interesting comments has made it worth reposting since the 24/05/10 first publication.




Background

As part of a greening initiative, supermarket Sainsbury's have put on a push to promote the use of these milk pouches in the JUGit

They have seen some success. Interestingly another retailer, Waitrose, has not. An odd difference in light of their demographics, which I would have pegged as pretty similar.

Use

Buying is no problem, though there is a trust factor in carrying it in your basket and or bag home. They claim it can be dropped and not burst, but I was more concerned with being pierced. As were a few others. Hence, ironically, all of us asked for a plastic bag to put it in in case it leaked onto our eco-reuse bags.

Oh, and you'd better like semi-skimmed, at least for now. At least it is..'green'

Once home, set up was a breeze. Simple, neat design.

However, it is not so neat in terms of fridge footprint. Where the bottles stand high and fit neatly. the jug sucks up space.

Eco

It's about waste, right?

Well, I am biased. I don't throw milk jugs away. I reuse them. And if they do end up in the bin, in this neighbourhood they get recycled. But I do concede that, where this does not happen, a bag is a lot less plastic than a bottle.

Thing is there are also the contents. Now here I can put hand on heart and say I am not convinced. With my lovely 13-year old assistant to set up as I shot the pix, the initial spout pierce sent a gollup up into the pouring ring. This was impossible to rescue easily and ended up missing the cup. The rest of the bag drained fine, but there was some left over due to the spout pierce design. Now, you can get at this, but it is fiddly. With a bottle you get it all... easily.

Also not too impressed by the different but near identical instruction sheets supplied; one from maker and one from retailer. I'd say a single combo might have been more 'on message'.

So... not too convinced, TBH, on almost all counts bar the raw materials one.

So it will be interesting to see how it gets received elsewhere.

At least I now have a nice new jug. That is pretty much useless for any other function.

ADDENDUM

Seduced by the offer (frankly, I think they might need to offer more savings for longer, as the deal is not too great), I have just made a complete horlicks of the next one, thanks to not having my spex on.

I put the bag in upside down. Not sure this made much difference to the now familiar fountain that went everywhere on piercing, but it certainly doesn't work on the pouring. Most ended up in the jug and coming out the edge rather than the spout. Now all, ironically, decanted into a more traditional milk bottle I had handy (well, about 1,000 odd)

Addendum 2 - Tescos trying too now, ironically, the day I get a very sensible comment from a reader. Why have the jug, at least in this form, at all?

Addendum 3 - Have revisited the trade mag piece above, and only now via comments got reminded of ASDA Green Bottle, or Greenbottle (Google, amusingly, tries to correct one to the other, though it seems wrong). Couple of issues here. First up, I'd forgotten all about it. Now, we shop at ASDA rarely (though pop in, like we do with the protagonists Sainsbury's, Waitrose and Tescos already cited), and I don't recall ever seeing it. So, as with all things, how these options are presented are crucial in the whole consumer acceptance mix.

For all the preference expressed for these by the posters, I'd have to say that my feelings on this option are equally mixed. Seems like a more familiar, possibly convenient design, but there are a new set of eco-compromises. In this case, it's less a matter of reduction but almost purely recyclability. And that, again, depends on the facilities provided from retailer to local authority. You pays yer money and take yer chances... even with what's best for the planet.

Addendum 4 - The product manager for JUGIT has taken the trouble to write, and is well worth checking out for his views.

If you go down to the stores in the next few days...

...You might be in for a big surprise!

Well, that is, if you are in or near Poundland Worcester over the next week or so.

Because, after many stops and starts, our grant supported proof-of-concept consumer research for RE:tie has at last been signed off, and the team from the University of Worcester Business School Research Department is today being briefed ready to head off and tackle the public for their views.

It's a big deal for Junkk.com, as RE:tie is our best shot at some actual decent commercial revenue, not to mention being a potentially awesome poster child for the potential of designed-in reuse.

It's also a time of great anticipation, if tinged with nerves. This is totally independent research. I have even been banned from attending, as it seems I am a potential contaminant of the methodology and results. It will be based on store-exit surveys using our Video Pitch and a brief questionnaire regarding green shopping habits, plus of course the disability assist feature.

Anyway, once the results are in I'll of course share them, and am keeping all digits crossed that it will be a) good, and b) at last enough to help get onside the hard-nosed number crunchers in brands and retailers who have been saying up to now: 'How can we be sure the public will see this as a worthwhile benefit?'

Meanwhile, many thanks to all involved, and especially Poundland for being so supportive in helping with this research by providing the venue. It is especially appropriate that they be involved, as of course the Junkk.com URL is featured as a source of eco-info on their products' packaging, and in the period since they kindly added this, thousands of their customers have as a consequence signed up to the Junkk.com site.

There will be more on this, and I will be PR'ing it up the whazzoo, especially as a great example of public/private collaboration, with a regional flavour which will hopefully pique the interest of the media around here.

So good he posted it twice

The RE:tie is a pet project.

It has its own little blog, but I don't update it often (though I should... need to) and (maybe as a consequence) few I suspect read it.

However, this is worth a quick sidebar, especially as I try and figure what gets updated automatically, or not, via the various social networking outlets and systems interlinked around here.

For a start, i gets this story pride of place on the new homepage as I rush around like a headless chicken on a few other things, like the latest newsletter.

Funny what arrives in the mail

For obvious reasons, I try and figure out, or collect uses for RE:tie.

Helps when folk say... 'but who would use it, and what for?'

So it's nice when things fall in your lap.

Baby steps

Little increments.

Individually maybe not so significant, but cumulatively...

Got a call the other day from a lovely chap, who edits the newsletter for the IPO (Intellectual Property Office).

He was interested as much in my journey with RE:tie as much as the product itself.

Enough to stretch to two long chats.

With luck, it will result in some PR, and to some useful folk. Baby steps.

And in the course of this he mentioned some invention (especially 'green' related) resources I was not aware of, which I happily pass on here:

Low Carbon Innovation Centre. Good guys. http://www.ipo.gov.uk/news/newsletters/ipinsight/ipinsight-200903/ipinsight-200903-3.htm

Plus some info on speed patents (which now apply to clean tech in particular): http://www.ipo.gov.uk/news/newsletters/ipinsight/ipinsight-200905/ipinsight-200905-4.htm

And a recycling case study: http://www.ipo.gov.uk/news/newsletters/ipinsight/ipinsight-200901/ipinsight-200901-4.htm

Breathing space

Just about to set off, in glorious sun, to the BIS show, when I discover that today is the set up for the big boys.

Tomorrow morning, just before the media arrive, is when we minnows get to play.

M40... do not do your usual at 8am .... pleeeeease:)

The upside is I do get to kiss the missus Happy Birthday tomorrow morning.

The down side is... I am now meddling.

One, thanks to prodding from IT guru David at sound-i, is to create a competition to encourage sign-ups from visitors. Hence, if you come along, you stand a chance to win one of two awesome eco-prizes!

Well, some dryer balls or a bin thing that kinda looks like a huge RE:tie.

As to the rest.... well, with luck there will be some constructive critics in next-door stalls.

And with no 'leccy (too tight to spring for that), I am also wondering if I have enough time to get down the shed and knock of this awesome baby to run my PC:

Pedal-Powered OLPC Laptop for Kids in Afghanistan

Beats standing around all day:) Might even lose the paunch.

Getting there...

Yesterday started in the pits.

I was being stalked by a nutter on a BBC blog, the boiler didn't work, the washing machine repair was 2 weeks' off, it was raining... and I was staring at a potential 'efinsaftee disaster to my proposed stand to next week.

Fire regs on non-certificated plastics.

Notwithstanding that any Junkk stand is usually 95% plastic junk anyway, this was going to be a real issue.

Anyway, in the course of the day the nutter got modded (might be back mind), the boiler fixed (on insurance), the washing machine fixed (on insurance) thanks to me being a home worker and getting a cancellation, the sun shone again, and.... the lovely organisers of BIS said they had no problem with my stand proposal. Especially as it is made from two reused climbing frames the boys are two old for.

Now all I have to do is figure out what to put in it, on it and around it, and then get it all to London to set up in a few hours on the 13th.

RE:tie - another evolution

Well, things progress on RE:tie.

Working with JIIC at BCU, we now have the CAD rendering of its latest incarnation.

This solves some moulding issues, but at the same time enabled us mentor Mark Sheahan's input to incorporate what we hope will be a design aid for those who might have trouble gripping and tearing off tamper evident closures.

Oh, and it looks like it also uses just the same amount, and possible even less plastic to do the same job.

The prototype is en route as I type.

packaging news - Prototypes: Giving design an extra dimension - good piece to note!

WRAP rage!

No, not my favourite quango.

A term I have heard before, but thanks to My Zero Waste have not before seen it articulated as well.

Other than nodding along, I also see opportunity for the RE:tie, as we are working on evolving the design to make it not only reusable, but easier for those who may have trouble 'unzipping' tamper-evidents, through such as arthritis.

CATEGORY - RE:tie support info

Sorry, just using a bit of back-up space to start filing useful info to help the RE:tie efforts.

However, as most pertains to consumer attitudes to environment in their purchasing, especially with packaging, some may find it interesting too.

Daily Express -

Times - Hard-up shoppers abandon organic and fair trade goods

COMPANIES -

Times - New lease of life for the Co-op