IDEA - Xmas Tree - Green Bottles

Better late than never! Happy holidays!

http://www.junkk.com/junkkdetail.asp?slevel=0z622&parent_id=622&renleewtsapf=1994

Kept in the dark and fed...

I am usually the first to try to see the industry or food brands' side on matters packaging.

Here it is hard not to feel a tad... vexed.

Our local Morrisons has gone all 'veggie', which is actually pretty neat.

The missus is thrilled, with all manner of Chinese veg. on offer (I presume grown hydroponically here rather than in a dioxin-dusted paddy field).

Me... I like mushrooms.

So now going beyond the usual button, field and chestnut options is great.

And most are in baskets to be scooped lovingly by hand into paper bags (albeit with a plastic window). Though one, at £700/kg, may need restraint in the scooping.

However, some are in sealed plastic.

It's hard not to see a possible reason.

The pack is labelled as 100g.

What is a bit naughty is the majority of that is in the base bundle that most will cut away... and is conveniently hidden under the printed segment.

Hey, who says growing up can't be fun?

Today I reached another grand age.

Not old, but suffice to say, the 'middle' qualifier is a stretch to any with a command of basic maths.

Like, my sons.

However, bless 'em, they had been pestering me what I want for my Birthday for a week.

Thing is, I usually go and get what I need, and what I want seems a luxury these days, so it's not top of mind.

Then fate intervened last night. We were wandering around Morrisons, and there they were.

Yes, you are looking at 3 metal component construction sets. By FIA toys, of the UK.

Better still, guess how much? The two wee ones were a fiver, and the monster... £10. Bang on teen budgets.

And first impressions are... sweeeet.

I may not make the actual intended toys, but I now have a ton more stuff for my prototyping adventures.

There is no mention of Meccano, so I can only presume they are competitive.

Certainly the hole spacings are different, which is a pity, but the hole diameters are a good enough match to engage in some cross-over, which is a real plus (see pix - green and red 'old' Meccano, silver this new stuff).

The quality of metal is nowhere near comparable, but it will suffice for my needs, and beats plastic hands down.

The only critique I'd have is the box, which is pretty big for what's in it, and the foam liner tray, which is unnecessary.

But otherwise, my fun, and hopefully more productive avenues (major prototyping underway on some post RE:tie Junkk.com reuse projects), are assured.

And despite still being a big kid, I feel all grown up.

Thanks boys and missus... best prezzie I could have wished for.

Who knows, maybe even lure them from the XBox as I tinker? Well, a boy... man... old guy can dream.

Palming On

Funny old world.

A week ago I noticed the local Morrison's was again running the 'Let's Grow' promo, and pondered if we might again unleash the Voucher Palm again (click the links below for archive backstory)

Well, a bit like careless kings and troublesome priests, no sooner muttered than rushed out... without telling me! Nice 'n all, but I might have helped with the proof-reading too.

Plus actually delivering as promised.

Hence a bit of flashing around this weekend to get the new one up.

All's well that ends well....

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Don't Be Shy, Schools and Shoppers - Choose Your Coconut Today!

Voucher Palm Ready To Do The Business Again in 2010

Another Autumn, another Morrison's 'Let's Grow' Promo.

And, of course, in Ross-on-Wye at least, the Voucher Palm blossoms in complement again, made from all-reused materials by local eco-ideas website Junkk.com, to help shoppers around town 'post' their vouchers to donate to local schools.

Two have so far have asked to have their own coconut on the palm, but there is space for plenty more. Plus plenty of room inside each to donate vouchers to the school of your choice.

So when around town, if you have some vouchers in your wallet in danger of being lost in the back of the kitchen drawer, pop by the EnviroAbility Book Swap Shop, Cantilupe Rd to ensure they get to... and help make even nicer... some very good local home schools... and gardens.

Caption - Eleanor Bennett of the EnviroAbility Book Swap Shop, Cantilupe Rd, Ross-on-Wye, graciously demonstrates Voucher Palm 3.0

The Voucher Palm lives!... again:)

Just had a call from my chums at EnviroAbility.

Seems they have had customers coming in all week asking why there is not another voucher tree in the place as the Morrisons Let's Grow promo is back.

Their wish... is my not really needed excuse to get back in the shed to make some more coconuts (as all the schools in the last one got their vouchers in theirs).

Nice to see a bit of reuse... reused:)

And to think I wasn't going to 'push it' by suggesting we do it again. Especially as, following the massive redemption success of the last one, Morrisons have again forgotten to mention it to me to see if we can put one in their foyer, where it would do most good:)

Curse this shy, retiring personality.

IDEA - Store bought, but free store

Getting later and later, but this is a good tried and trusted one.

DATA LOOKING FOR IDEAS - Smells like?

Ok, here's the first, 100% no idea... yet.

Nice little cap, mind.

Jar
Cap

There's talking the talk. But it will always be 'money rules' first.

A new day, a new opportunity. Though I might have forgone any pussy-footing.

When food packaging can reduce climate change gases

Reduction of any consumable will inevitably reduce GHGs.

However, in a consumer society there are pragmatic constraints and limits, and they need to be worked towards.

Other mitigations can include recycling, and it is clear there are many issues surrounding this that can be improved from all sides, though I'd say the public is the only one doing their darndest in the face of some epic finger-pointing distractions from bottom-line driven business and quango-ridden, target-obsessed authorities. About the only binding feature would seem to be bonus-structures.

I had not before heard of Morrisons' Keep It Fresh test and packaging laboratory, and will try and track it down. Some of the insights are already surprising: 'We have found, for example, that wrapping peppers in plastic has no impact on freshness or quality so we have stopped doing it. But wrapping cucumbers in recyclable plastic - a target for anti-packaging campaigners - means they last five times as long.'. My question would be more along the lines of 'why on earth had you then gone to the cost and expense of wrapping those peppers, for so long, until now???'. Ignoring history seems to be a feature of senior types in the news at the moment.

The 'Great Taste Less Waste' campaign is also to be lauded, though I hope the sticker labelling will be clear to an already confused public assaulted by various initiatives.

And for those who do still end up with packaging material, especially plastics, they'd prefer not to throw away, might I direct you to http://www.Junkk.com, which tries to help with reuse ideas. There's even a competition running currently which is trying to motivate through reward... a bit of a novelty in many quarters.

Morrisons may even be inspired to hook up with such a low cost-high benefit initiative.

Though the last time we tried, with them, they said their foyer need to be kept clear of distracting promotions such as sharing the joys of reuse, as customers 'didn't like it'. Ironically the day that rejection email came in was the same our local store felt a conservatory company was actually indeed worthy of the space in question.

There's talking the talk. But it will always be 'money rules' first.

I really hope a PR, and maybe even the author reads this.

One less reason to shop...?

Has the the lucky Rabbits' foot that is Junkk.com struck again?

Well, for some.

Now, I'd be hard-pressed to say our little effort in Ross is much more than a drop in the ocean, but our local Morrison's has run out of Let's Grow vouchers.

Just popped over to get the boys' lunch, and as the cashier handed me my bill I smiled and asked for my vouchers, too.

"We've run out', she said.

'Well, what do I do to get them,' I asked.... "See the supervisor".

Oddly, I had only got a few words out before this lady was in full 'It's not my fault" mode.

They've run out, they didn't get any more and at this stage (it ends Nov. 6) there may not be any. No offer to log my receipt in case they do.

Now.... I don't know much about marketing, but that rather smacks of a bit of poor planning and rather suspect customer relations at head office.

Happy to play our part in making the scheme a success. Shame we seem unlikely to get any more vouchers, mind.

Anyway, every little bit helps. And maybe we did, a bit, too.

Reaction is probably the best form of complement

News from the "Voucher Tree" front.

We've made two, and they are in two local locations: Terry's Digital and the EnviroAbility Book Swap shop.

The PR has been picked up quite well, with local papers the Ross Gazette and Hereford Journal, and local radio BBC H&W (we think - they interviewed me for sure, but the advised date for airing keeps moving) and WyvernFM (on air and online - we'll try and get MP3s of both stations) being most supportive. It was gratifying to find hard-bitten press folk not seeing a down side to what we are trying to do.

And two more primaries, Weston-under-Penyard and Kings Caple, have asked for a 'coconut' to be added, which has been done.

Though Morrisons has yet to get back to us, we have noticed that in the last few days, if oddly well into the promotion, some 'A frames' have been put in the foyer to advise which schools have signed up. Better than nothing for sure. Shame no invitation to add a tree (or tell us they were doing this, as we could have added it to the PR), but we'd like to think our efforts may have inspired them a bit. That a sister store in the nearby city, Hereford, has only a few schools mentioned to the big list we have in Ross (like, by a factor of 10), would suggest a lot of local interest... for some reason. Still seems a pity not to just get the vouchers from till to tree in one shot.

And we've just been told of an ASDA promo around now that is very similar.

All in a good cause! As is said: 'Every little bit helps', if you know what I mean.

IDEA - Voucher Tree

This, I hope, can be the start of something big.

Let me quote from some PR going out, which I hope will explain:

Sow What?

Local schools and businesses team up to make the most of national retail chain promotional opportunity

Have you got a bunch of vouchers still in your kitchen draw from some supermarket promotion that was over last year? It seems such a pity that these opportunities to get free stuff to the benefit of the local community, especially when they are our schools, often pass by without really being taken advantage of fully.

Well, a locally-organised community collaboration has been launched to try and avoid any such waste this time, and help our nearby schools too.

Shoppers in Ross may have noticed that Morrisons supermarket is running a 'Let's Grow' promo, whereby your purchases can generate free vouchers that your school can use to buy gardening equipment.

There have been many such similar schemes before, but how easy is it to pop these in you wallet at checkout and then never get them to the right person at the right school to be of use?

Well, meet the 'Voucher Tree'. Made by local re:use-advocacy voluntary Junkketeers from old packaging, the 'Voucher Tree' will be available for you to post vouchers when in around town shopping.

Initially, local environmental social enterprise EnviroAbility have kindly offered to place one in their Cantilupe Road shop.

They will then make sure they get to the school you specify (each 'coconut' lists a local choice, plus a generic one whose contents will be divided equally) at the end of the promo.

It is very much hoped that the store itself will also soon be able to have one behind the checkout rows so it can be a simple ‘shop and pop’ in one smooth motion as you leave. But first head office approval is being sought before this will be possible.

As an interesting aside, with some experience in such charitable endeavours, Dennis Humble of EnviroAbility has advised that for some reason many customers still turn down such free vouchers even when offered at the till. Hopefully this initiative, and any publicity that may be generated, will result in higher responses through better awareness combined with more immediate and convenient ways to get the vouchers where they will do most good.

So, when you shop, remember when they ask if you'd like your vouchers – please think 'Sow What' and then come and add them to the tree.

The scheme runs until November 6th.

Now, what we're hoping is that the big guns at Head Office see opportunity staring them in the face. It's happening with or without them. With is better for all, all round.

Because... there's more sinking in:

As an interesting aside, with some experience in such charitable endeavours, Dennis has advised that for some reason many customers still turn down such free vouchers even when offered. Hopefully this initiative, and any publicity that may be generated, might result in higher responses through better awareness combined with more immediate and convenient ways to get the vouchers where they will do most good.

If it works here in Ross, it is hoped it may catch on elsewhere in the county and country and with other promos, too. Hey, it’s a free and easy way to get free and useful stuff to help the community!

If anyone wants to copy the “Voucher Tree” just go to Junkk.com and look in the 'Ideas Section'. But feel free to adapt and/or improve!

Here to help

I don't mean to single out Morrsions in this, but it just so happens they are where we mostly shop, and they have a (doubtless well-intentioned) pack-recycling labelling policy.

It's just that I, as a consumer, all too often either don't have a clue what they are talking about, find what they are talking about to be daft, or... can DO precious little about what they TALK about. The latter is part of a bigger picture, but then we all need to see this for what it is to address it properly.

These two packs were from last night's meal. The plastic wrappers from a frozen veg and a fresh veg.

One, quite clearly, IS recyclable, though 'facilities may be limited'. In the bin or in the the... er... what again? They carrier bag slot? The binliner hanging off the plastics skip? I don't know.

The other is 'partly' recyclable with all due caveats as above. Being that this initially appeared to be a printed clear plastic bag this was odd. Other than the contents and the bag, what else was there?

Well, irony of ironies, on closer looking there was an extra clear sticker in the mix. A bonded-on effort (why? The rest is custom to contents) whose principle function was to tell me it country of origin. Holland, since you ask.

ps: I went to the recyclenow.com site to find out what to do and where. Maybe it was just me, but when it came to sorting out these babies... nothing leapt out. In the bin liner then.

Public - one for trying.
Business - zero for being anything other than a useless gesture.
Authorities - minus points for wasting so much money on ineffective systems and pointless comms efforts.

Hidden Gems

Recycling award for Morrisons

And a big-up to them

Thing is, as a weekly Morrsions shopper, I can honestly say I have never noticed the things. Or if I have, acted any differently.

As a metaphor for most green initiatives, that's about tops.

Bumper (crop of) Stickers

I'm confused. Just a few days ago I blogged (not very flatteringly) on the latest proposals on pack-side eco-labelling that 'may' be brought in, and here we have, wham-bang, it's happened: Morrisons unveils on-pack recycling scheme

Thing is, this looks a bit like it yet another one-off by one outfit, and again we are treated to the same choice we were faced with food-health, namely a version of traffic lights.

Is it just me, or is this all unravelling already?

ADDENDUM: Just had a nice chat (poor girl, she got a full-force hobby-horse rant first) with Nathalie, the author of this piece. I'd called simply to make sure of my facts, and that I hadn't missed something in the last announcement and this wasn't simply a spin-off from it.

No, it seems this is pretty much another version that's been rushed out.

And, more encouragingly, journalists like her are well aware that this is all not adding up to much that makes much sense.

Brand Republic - Morrisons flags recyclable levels

How will this integrate with the proposed industry-wide initiative I read about the other day? Is this an 'as well as', an 'instead of' or an 'until it arrives'? And, if so, what is the consumer going to make of it all, especially if, one presumes, it is sharing what must be getting a pretty crowded space with the health labelling which, if I recall, will already be one of the competing traffic light/bar standards issued more to look like something is being done rather than having any hope of actually achieving anything.

If i am in the market for Tarte au Citron and Morrison's version doesn't do it for me greenly, I shall certainly put it back on the shelf to go past its sell-by date and drive across town to by the ASDA one. Oh, hold on... that wouldn't help the planet at all!

You couldn't make it up, again

With our beloved supermarkets - Supermarket chain stops petrol sales - still flogging petrol how many days after the silicon story broke with the great advice that 'it should be alright' in some stations, it is a confusing time to be a motorist.

And just when you thought those in power could not screw it up any more, well... enjoy...

'Pay as you drive' schemes are in disarray