A Rubbish Outcome
Electoral expediency and refuse costs lie behind the latest council tax figures
'The real solutions are a radically simplified tendering process for waste disposal contractors so that more of them bid, more competitively; a serious effort to require food manufacturers to cut back on packaging; and vastly more practical household recycling systems.'
Amen. And, one might suggest, investment in any and all ways that
are attractive by incentive or reward to the individual householder and/or
consumer, such as repair, reuse and reduction.
Recycling, while very worthwhile, still pretty much puts the onus on the
individual to act as an unpaid sorter and logistics operative for councils
and vastly overpaid contractors who are motivated more on targets
than any benefit to the environment. And all funded to the tune of
multi-tens of millions by poorly monitored monopolistic quangos with
more interest in empire-building than seeing money go to where it can
and should to deliver the most benefits.
The people know it, and are getting to resent funding words, pensions
but no actual delivery.
Showing posts with label RECYC. Show all posts
Showing posts with label RECYC. Show all posts
Monday, February 26, 2007
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Bin & Gone
I am again indebted to Dave of Solarventi for sending me a piece to twitch the eyebrows: One Bin Day
Like WRAP and all those other fine, funded (sorry, I originally wrote fine-funded, which would not do at all) entities that use our tax-£'s so efficiently, I always look forward to the next stunning initiative that will soar without trace in the communications sector.
You, dear reader, doubtless have heard all about this. I must confess that without Dave I would not have. And if there are more like me that makes two folk who will now be moving to the centre of the room on just this one day and thinking hard on all the money the got blown on meetings with agencies, PR's, etc to come up with this and promote it.
Money well spent, I am sure.
If I can be bothered, I may go back to see how many people did upload pictures of themselves doing it. Maybe I will!
As as I do ponder whether funds and comms efforts have gone somewhere to help save the planet more tangibly.
Like WRAP and all those other fine, funded (sorry, I originally wrote fine-funded, which would not do at all) entities that use our tax-£'s so efficiently, I always look forward to the next stunning initiative that will soar without trace in the communications sector.
You, dear reader, doubtless have heard all about this. I must confess that without Dave I would not have. And if there are more like me that makes two folk who will now be moving to the centre of the room on just this one day and thinking hard on all the money the got blown on meetings with agencies, PR's, etc to come up with this and promote it.
Money well spent, I am sure.
If I can be bothered, I may go back to see how many people did upload pictures of themselves doing it. Maybe I will!
As as I do ponder whether funds and comms efforts have gone somewhere to help save the planet more tangibly.
Monday, February 12, 2007
Nanny will sing to you now
Remember 'Legs Akimbo', the brilliant comic invention and satirical skewer by the League of Gentlemen? A hopeless, internally-riven crowd of PC-trendies tasked with inspiring 'yoof', with whom they have not one jot of cred. I wonder if they decided on 'rap' 'cos it rhymes with WARP.
Enjoy
My twins would have laughed themselves silly if they didn't click over immediately to Runescape. Now there's an idea... work reuse and recycling into online role-playing. Any developers feel like a Junkk-world?
Er.. whatever.
Enjoy
My twins would have laughed themselves silly if they didn't click over immediately to Runescape. Now there's an idea... work reuse and recycling into online role-playing. Any developers feel like a Junkk-world?
Er.. whatever.
'Hmnn, we'll leave it there'
Just watched the almost obligatory daily BBC breakfast eco-slot, this time on how hard it is to be green.
Usual plot. Usual suspects (Lucy Siegel from the Observer and Sue Carroll from the Mirror). Here's my email:
''Great, a quick green-slot with an Observer pro-eco and a Tabloid 'who cares' by way of debate.
Actually Sue did have some good points, as did Lucy.
But what was the actual result for us to act on in anything other than a nanny-state, guilty way? 'Hmmn, we'll leave it there.'
ps: For Mr-Mid, there is another choice for his cereal boxes that is higher on the re-hierarchy than recycling, Re:use:
My office filing system is free and expands daily."
The core of the piece was a study that showed there are 3 green shades: Lite, Mid & Dark.
The Dark was that Irish guy Don-something Mac-something who actually came across less didactic than I have experienced before. He was singing the praises of his free electricity. I did note his turbine was a pigeon perch, and somehow they had manged a sunny day. But the rest of his stuff was quite inspirational.
What was not was the main conclusions. Going green is stressful.
And here's a major innovation: more will go with it if it's made easier and cheaper. Now, what initiative can help with that. Well... D'uh.
What's the odds of getting a plug on the BBC?
'Hmnn, we'll leave it there'
I decided to write:
Dear Ms. Carroll,
I am quite a committed environmentalist, so I was most interested, if not surprised, but still disappointed with the BBC Breakfast TV piece you took part in.
Don’t worry, this is not going to be an eco-tirade: I pretty much agreed with all you said, or at least your reason for feeling the way you do to say it.
Yes, it is hard...er to be green, in many ways. But, depending on your acceptance or not of certain predictions we may need to think hard about embracing many of them.
But they are being sold appallingly. Hypocritical government, corporate-style e-activists and green elite media jollying around the world to climate conferences to tell the rest of the population they can’t fly. Or domestic initiatives under a green banner with no substance, no hint of where money may actually go, and hence zero trust or public support. Heck, I almost feel like getting a 4x4 and booking RyanAir myself!
It’s no surprise, with the only thing grabbing headlines being endless guilt trips or ‘may as well give up and by a Humvee to get to the Apocalypse quicker and in style’ vs. ‘Share an eco-lodge in Mauritius’ commentators trying to knock spots off each other as to who is better informed.
Such Prius persons are nothing to do with Mondeo Man. They don’t understand the things that matter, and impinge on most normal, average working folk who need to get to work, need to get the kids to a party at the weekend and get two weeks holiday... so slow travel at only £10k isn’t really an option. But they do care.
Going green is only stressful because a load of folk with a vested interest in playing it that way have captured the high, or at least broadcast ground. And offer little but talk.
But there are practical, proactive initiatives out there that are not costing the taxpayer a fortune (or anything), are not designed to meet targets as opposed to actual environmental ROIs, and can be inspirational. A few even have the odd notion that you can have fun and be re:warded whilst saving the future.
And I’m hoping your readers may appreciate hearing about more solutions like these.
Usual plot. Usual suspects (Lucy Siegel from the Observer and Sue Carroll from the Mirror). Here's my email:
''Great, a quick green-slot with an Observer pro-eco and a Tabloid 'who cares' by way of debate.
Actually Sue did have some good points, as did Lucy.
But what was the actual result for us to act on in anything other than a nanny-state, guilty way? 'Hmmn, we'll leave it there.'
ps: For Mr-Mid, there is another choice for his cereal boxes that is higher on the re-hierarchy than recycling, Re:use:
My office filing system is free and expands daily."
The core of the piece was a study that showed there are 3 green shades: Lite, Mid & Dark.
The Dark was that Irish guy Don-something Mac-something who actually came across less didactic than I have experienced before. He was singing the praises of his free electricity. I did note his turbine was a pigeon perch, and somehow they had manged a sunny day. But the rest of his stuff was quite inspirational.
What was not was the main conclusions. Going green is stressful.
And here's a major innovation: more will go with it if it's made easier and cheaper. Now, what initiative can help with that. Well... D'uh.
What's the odds of getting a plug on the BBC?
'Hmnn, we'll leave it there'
I decided to write:
Dear Ms. Carroll,
I am quite a committed environmentalist, so I was most interested, if not surprised, but still disappointed with the BBC Breakfast TV piece you took part in.
Don’t worry, this is not going to be an eco-tirade: I pretty much agreed with all you said, or at least your reason for feeling the way you do to say it.
Yes, it is hard...er to be green, in many ways. But, depending on your acceptance or not of certain predictions we may need to think hard about embracing many of them.
But they are being sold appallingly. Hypocritical government, corporate-style e-activists and green elite media jollying around the world to climate conferences to tell the rest of the population they can’t fly. Or domestic initiatives under a green banner with no substance, no hint of where money may actually go, and hence zero trust or public support. Heck, I almost feel like getting a 4x4 and booking RyanAir myself!
It’s no surprise, with the only thing grabbing headlines being endless guilt trips or ‘may as well give up and by a Humvee to get to the Apocalypse quicker and in style’ vs. ‘Share an eco-lodge in Mauritius’ commentators trying to knock spots off each other as to who is better informed.
Such Prius persons are nothing to do with Mondeo Man. They don’t understand the things that matter, and impinge on most normal, average working folk who need to get to work, need to get the kids to a party at the weekend and get two weeks holiday... so slow travel at only £10k isn’t really an option. But they do care.
Going green is only stressful because a load of folk with a vested interest in playing it that way have captured the high, or at least broadcast ground. And offer little but talk.
But there are practical, proactive initiatives out there that are not costing the taxpayer a fortune (or anything), are not designed to meet targets as opposed to actual environmental ROIs, and can be inspirational. A few even have the odd notion that you can have fun and be re:warded whilst saving the future.
And I’m hoping your readers may appreciate hearing about more solutions like these.
I'm glad I got my petition in now
When I did, the site announced that there had already been 1,000, so I see a log jam on the horizon, if not already. It's all about access, and while this looked/s like a great idea in theory, I do wonder how long it is before there is a selection process, which in turn will get hijacked that know how and/or know how to get paid to play the system.
Anyway, here's the next one: No 10 site faces fresh petition
This one is about rubbish taxes, which I have blogged upon already. Frankly the similarities between this and the road pricing one are striking.
It is to be hoped the results will be given worthy consideration by our elected leaders.
Indy: Critics seize No 10's petitions website to slate Government
Speaking of trust in stated aims vs. suspicions of income generation:
Telegraph - Speed cameras fail to halt a rise in fatalities on the roads
Telegraph - Democracy will never be the same again
Telegraph - No 10 site faces fresh petition
Anyway, here's the next one: No 10 site faces fresh petition
This one is about rubbish taxes, which I have blogged upon already. Frankly the similarities between this and the road pricing one are striking.
It is to be hoped the results will be given worthy consideration by our elected leaders.
Indy: Critics seize No 10's petitions website to slate Government
Speaking of trust in stated aims vs. suspicions of income generation:
Telegraph - Speed cameras fail to halt a rise in fatalities on the roads
Telegraph - Democracy will never be the same again
Telegraph - No 10 site faces fresh petition
Saturday, February 10, 2007
I think my buttons got pushed
Is the rubbish tax a rubbish tax?
Pay for what you use... or in this case.. refuse... no problem (unless you are a politician. Ask Mrs. T about the Poll Tax).
Pay on top of what you are paying already.... big problem. That is not an economic incentive. That is a very uneconomic disincentive. And smacks of yet another not very stealthy tax grab under the guise of green to try and prop up runaway public spending on failed or inefficient systems, policies and campaigns (how many waste quangos dispensing how much to ad agencies do we now have?), imposed on those few making something (plus the poor, pensioners, etc) to support those who advise, empire-build (how many compost-awareness officers do we need?) assess, monitor, target-meet and beancount's gold-plated pensions and index-linked salaries.
While I can accept and admire the wisdom of such an approach and the obvious success elsewhere, I no longer have any faith in the self-interested, dis-jointed central and local authority systems and knee-jerk policy-addicted wonks who will try and fail make it all happen fairly, sensibly and efficiently, without mainly lining the pockets of those most able and least deserving.
I have a big house. I can stack as many RE-Boxes as the council issues in my cellar. My mum has a combo kitchen/lounge/dining area. So she needs to get stuff out as simply and quickly as possible. How do we make that work? It has to, but I doubt the fine-first brigade cares so long as they can whack a chip in a bin or give a dust-person the power to impose charges and fines on a par with a court of law.
I write this as one who produces almost no waste beyond that recycled and composted because I make things out of it using sites such as Junkk.com, which truly believes that you incentivise with genuine re:wards. A lesson those in power seem to have completely overlooked.
I have written to the editor:
Dear Sir,
We need to get a handle on waste.
But what amazes me is the massive gap between those who are being asked to address it (the public), those staked to help them (gov, local gov and NGOs such as WRAP, etc).
I have blogged on this further on your pages and my own site, and offer this cut-down for hard copy:
Pay for what you use... or in this case.. refuse... no problem.
Pay on top of what you are paying already.... big problem. That is not an economic incentive. That is a very uneconomic disincentive. And smacks of yet another not very stealthy tax grab under the guise of green to try and prop up runaway public spending on failed or inefficient systems, policies and campaigns to support those who advise, empire-build assess, monitor, target-meet and beancount.
While I can accept and admire the wisdom of such an approach and the obvious success elsewhere, I no longer have any faith in the systems and knee-jerk policy-addicted attempts to make it all happen fairly, sensibly and efficiently, without mainly lining the pockets of those most able and least deserving.
It has to be made to work, but I doubt the fine-first brigade cares so long as they can whack a chip in a bin or give a dust-person the power to impose charges and fines on a par with a court of law.
If you'd like to discuss any further on how the war on waste is being fought more between us than on it, I'd be happy to share.
Telegraph - Common sense: a virtue Labour lacks
Pay for what you use... or in this case.. refuse... no problem (unless you are a politician. Ask Mrs. T about the Poll Tax).
Pay on top of what you are paying already.... big problem. That is not an economic incentive. That is a very uneconomic disincentive. And smacks of yet another not very stealthy tax grab under the guise of green to try and prop up runaway public spending on failed or inefficient systems, policies and campaigns (how many waste quangos dispensing how much to ad agencies do we now have?), imposed on those few making something (plus the poor, pensioners, etc) to support those who advise, empire-build (how many compost-awareness officers do we need?) assess, monitor, target-meet and beancount's gold-plated pensions and index-linked salaries.
While I can accept and admire the wisdom of such an approach and the obvious success elsewhere, I no longer have any faith in the self-interested, dis-jointed central and local authority systems and knee-jerk policy-addicted wonks who will try and fail make it all happen fairly, sensibly and efficiently, without mainly lining the pockets of those most able and least deserving.
I have a big house. I can stack as many RE-Boxes as the council issues in my cellar. My mum has a combo kitchen/lounge/dining area. So she needs to get stuff out as simply and quickly as possible. How do we make that work? It has to, but I doubt the fine-first brigade cares so long as they can whack a chip in a bin or give a dust-person the power to impose charges and fines on a par with a court of law.
I write this as one who produces almost no waste beyond that recycled and composted because I make things out of it using sites such as Junkk.com, which truly believes that you incentivise with genuine re:wards. A lesson those in power seem to have completely overlooked.
I have written to the editor:
Dear Sir,
We need to get a handle on waste.
But what amazes me is the massive gap between those who are being asked to address it (the public), those staked to help them (gov, local gov and NGOs such as WRAP, etc).
I have blogged on this further on your pages and my own site, and offer this cut-down for hard copy:
Pay for what you use... or in this case.. refuse... no problem.
Pay on top of what you are paying already.... big problem. That is not an economic incentive. That is a very uneconomic disincentive. And smacks of yet another not very stealthy tax grab under the guise of green to try and prop up runaway public spending on failed or inefficient systems, policies and campaigns to support those who advise, empire-build assess, monitor, target-meet and beancount.
While I can accept and admire the wisdom of such an approach and the obvious success elsewhere, I no longer have any faith in the systems and knee-jerk policy-addicted attempts to make it all happen fairly, sensibly and efficiently, without mainly lining the pockets of those most able and least deserving.
It has to be made to work, but I doubt the fine-first brigade cares so long as they can whack a chip in a bin or give a dust-person the power to impose charges and fines on a par with a court of law.
If you'd like to discuss any further on how the war on waste is being fought more between us than on it, I'd be happy to share.
Telegraph - Common sense: a virtue Labour lacks
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Bagging a plug
What's your legacy?
Of course the witches' knickers are as much about cultural and legal ignorance, as it is illegal to litter.
But you are right. Recycling seems to be the main mantra du jour, despite being pretty low on the re:totem. Hence I am also a keen advocate of re:use and re:pair (some great little outfits around turning the bikes in canals into ones that can cycle beside them again - link - I would love to know of more to upload and share). And speaking of turning things into something useful try link , link , or, as India has been mentioned: link
Re:duction is at the pinnacle (well, if you ignore 'avoid buying/don't make it', which is an extreme, if logical one). But then it's so hard to figure what's best. In a recent blog elsewhere I was advised by a plastics expert that the foam trays are much better at protection, and are indeed more enviro-friendly than the more prevalent hard-plastic ones, but are not 'seen' as eco-friendly.
Another discussion, which sadly I do not.. yet... have the answer to (it will be posted very soon on the Prof's Poser's section of our site) is to the merits of biodegrading. If oil and energy goes into making the bag, and hence produces greenhouse gasses, which is better? Burying it for eternity, or burying it for a while and kicking out more 'geegees' as it gets consumed? So 'we' look better and safe face, if not the planet.
So thank you for a delicate wander though the dilemmas that we all are confronted with, and with none of the usual 'you should's' that I tend to feel are foisted on a willing majority by a more privileged, or geographically-eco-blessed minority.
Oh, and since you asked (and to gain another small plug to at least five more folk), my legacy is http://www.junkk.com, a free website I created to offer a small extra opportunity to help people help themselves and each other in a truly re:warding way. It's my kismetic korrection for years spent in the ad world persuading folk to desire, buy and dispose of stuff they don't need, or at least less wastefully.
You may even find, or get to suggest, nice ideas on what to do with that mousse cap. You could then write about it. And people will try it. The manufacturer will notice that (a small% of) people are also buying their product because it has a second use and take an ad out to help me survive. All of us gain. And then other manufacturers and retailers see what is happening and start to find or build in second uses to their products and packs, so much less gets wasted.
And that is a practical legacy of something done, which I will be proud to leave my kids.
Of course the witches' knickers are as much about cultural and legal ignorance, as it is illegal to litter.
But you are right. Recycling seems to be the main mantra du jour, despite being pretty low on the re:totem. Hence I am also a keen advocate of re:use and re:pair (some great little outfits around turning the bikes in canals into ones that can cycle beside them again - link - I would love to know of more to upload and share). And speaking of turning things into something useful try link , link , or, as India has been mentioned: link
Re:duction is at the pinnacle (well, if you ignore 'avoid buying/don't make it', which is an extreme, if logical one). But then it's so hard to figure what's best. In a recent blog elsewhere I was advised by a plastics expert that the foam trays are much better at protection, and are indeed more enviro-friendly than the more prevalent hard-plastic ones, but are not 'seen' as eco-friendly.
Another discussion, which sadly I do not.. yet... have the answer to (it will be posted very soon on the Prof's Poser's section of our site) is to the merits of biodegrading. If oil and energy goes into making the bag, and hence produces greenhouse gasses, which is better? Burying it for eternity, or burying it for a while and kicking out more 'geegees' as it gets consumed? So 'we' look better and safe face, if not the planet.
So thank you for a delicate wander though the dilemmas that we all are confronted with, and with none of the usual 'you should's' that I tend to feel are foisted on a willing majority by a more privileged, or geographically-eco-blessed minority.
Oh, and since you asked (and to gain another small plug to at least five more folk), my legacy is http://www.junkk.com, a free website I created to offer a small extra opportunity to help people help themselves and each other in a truly re:warding way. It's my kismetic korrection for years spent in the ad world persuading folk to desire, buy and dispose of stuff they don't need, or at least less wastefully.
You may even find, or get to suggest, nice ideas on what to do with that mousse cap. You could then write about it. And people will try it. The manufacturer will notice that (a small% of) people are also buying their product because it has a second use and take an ad out to help me survive. All of us gain. And then other manufacturers and retailers see what is happening and start to find or build in second uses to their products and packs, so much less gets wasted.
And that is a practical legacy of something done, which I will be proud to leave my kids.
Thursday, January 25, 2007
At least it's good for the planet..ish
The other night I was watching a documentary channel, and was about to switch off when I saw: 'Next - Megastructures: Recycled Tanks'. How could I resist?
So it was a bit of a surprise to find it was about a factory that... recycles tanks. Dirty great big, Storming Norman Mk whatever Abrams battle.. tanks.
Now I'm a big kid. I like guns and stuff, so long as they are not pointed at me and no one gets hurt, except the bad guys (sooooo open to debate, that one). So I was hooked.
And it was a great show. Even if you are a pure re:anything fanatic. Because these things were/are designed to be recycled all the time. In fact they haven't made a new one in years! As an exercise in engineering and indeed forward planning it ticked a lot of ROI boxes.
There is however the small matter of them doing 10 litres to the mile and knocking down a lot of perfectly stuff with that cannon, of course...
So it was a bit of a surprise to find it was about a factory that... recycles tanks. Dirty great big, Storming Norman Mk whatever Abrams battle.. tanks.
Now I'm a big kid. I like guns and stuff, so long as they are not pointed at me and no one gets hurt, except the bad guys (sooooo open to debate, that one). So I was hooked.
And it was a great show. Even if you are a pure re:anything fanatic. Because these things were/are designed to be recycled all the time. In fact they haven't made a new one in years! As an exercise in engineering and indeed forward planning it ticked a lot of ROI boxes.
There is however the small matter of them doing 10 litres to the mile and knocking down a lot of perfectly stuff with that cannon, of course...
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
How Un-PC can I be?
As I stare at the screen of my Mac, as we are setting examples this is not comforting reading: Greenpeace slams Apple’s lack of ‘green’ credentials
But then as I look across at the Windows effort we have and think of this 'Dell unveils 'plant a tree for me', and I feel... better. Shame it's in the US and I can't raise a peep from the UK PR guys.
Also, is slamming a fir in the firmament really doing much? I have my doubts. It has a slight whiff of something green, and it ain't pine essence.
But then as I look across at the Windows effort we have and think of this 'Dell unveils 'plant a tree for me', and I feel... better. Shame it's in the US and I can't raise a peep from the UK PR guys.
Also, is slamming a fir in the firmament really doing much? I have my doubts. It has a slight whiff of something green, and it ain't pine essence.
Tuesday, January 09, 2007
Shame if your bin caught fire, squire
As we're on the topic (see last post) of self-interest, I note this: Councils want to charge you for rubbish
Way-hey! This can only serve any initiative designed to help you put less in your bin, like a certain reuse .com I could mention. Junkk.com.
But, as per the last post again, I hope they have figured out the difference between penalty and incentive is by then.
There's also the small matter of how this will all be measured, charged and policed, but I reckon we're about due for some further breaches of justice by now, combined with the mass hiring of several more layers of Big Brother index-linked, gold-plated bloodsucking.
Way-hey! This can only serve any initiative designed to help you put less in your bin, like a certain reuse .com I could mention. Junkk.com.
But, as per the last post again, I hope they have figured out the difference between penalty and incentive is by then.
There's also the small matter of how this will all be measured, charged and policed, but I reckon we're about due for some further breaches of justice by now, combined with the mass hiring of several more layers of Big Brother index-linked, gold-plated bloodsucking.
Monday, January 08, 2007
Who cares about the Ashes?
One I thank Dave of Solarventi for passing on: 'Dustbin' UK tops landfill table
Friday, January 05, 2007
Year End Sail
This is another one that's a bit late, but still relevant: Santa's ship swaps gifts for garbage
But it also allows me to further test the links between our site articles, this blog and the newsletter.
Other than that, it rather makes you think... and want to weep.
But it also allows me to further test the links between our site articles, this blog and the newsletter.
Other than that, it rather makes you think... and want to weep.
If a tree gets recycled in a Council shredder, does the planet smile?
This is a 'just askin', because I don't know.
I just watched BBC lunchtime news, and at the end we had the obligatory and expected post-Xmas eco-pitch.
First up we had the tree man from the council, and then the Xmas card man from Woodland Trust giving us some free ads for Tescos, TKMaxx and WH Smiths, who will take back your old cards and 'use them' (not sure how) to plant trees. If I remember a recent Tesco ad right, they also get turned into loo paper. So no leaving any holly in them, now!
All better than nothing, I guess. Well, of course nothing is better than making, buying, sending, delivering and recycling cards that say 'Happy Xmas, How's Things' each year. I must did out my blog on how they really mean 'Hope you're still alive. We are', for all the useful information they ever hold.
We're on our 15th Xmas with out fake tree, bought in Singapore waaay before I decided to do right by the planet. And it will stay with us until the loft gives up.
Next year I intend to get to the bottom of the real vs. fake debate. No idea how it will turn out. On balance I figure letting a new one grow must be good for the carbon thing, but there is all the other stuff to factor in. Our fake comes down, goes up. That's it.
And it was the scene at the end as the vanilla with the mic and the worthies in their parkas watched a fir tree enter the maw of something like the 'Dip Dispenser' in 'Who Framed Roger Rabbit?'. It was huge. And had a huge diesel that revved and belched and turned out wood chips. I just wonder whether that met a target for recycling at the expense of serving the environment
I just watched BBC lunchtime news, and at the end we had the obligatory and expected post-Xmas eco-pitch.
First up we had the tree man from the council, and then the Xmas card man from Woodland Trust giving us some free ads for Tescos, TKMaxx and WH Smiths, who will take back your old cards and 'use them' (not sure how) to plant trees. If I remember a recent Tesco ad right, they also get turned into loo paper. So no leaving any holly in them, now!
All better than nothing, I guess. Well, of course nothing is better than making, buying, sending, delivering and recycling cards that say 'Happy Xmas, How's Things' each year. I must did out my blog on how they really mean 'Hope you're still alive. We are', for all the useful information they ever hold.
We're on our 15th Xmas with out fake tree, bought in Singapore waaay before I decided to do right by the planet. And it will stay with us until the loft gives up.
Next year I intend to get to the bottom of the real vs. fake debate. No idea how it will turn out. On balance I figure letting a new one grow must be good for the carbon thing, but there is all the other stuff to factor in. Our fake comes down, goes up. That's it.
And it was the scene at the end as the vanilla with the mic and the worthies in their parkas watched a fir tree enter the maw of something like the 'Dip Dispenser' in 'Who Framed Roger Rabbit?'. It was huge. And had a huge diesel that revved and belched and turned out wood chips. I just wonder whether that met a target for recycling at the expense of serving the environment
Mouths of Babes
There's a site called postsecret, where folk post 'confessions'.I only share this one because so far it is the one that's been used in every review I've ever read.
I wonder why?
Thursday, January 04, 2007
Wonder what you can recycle in Boreham Wood
And I don't mean timber!When I was Creative Director of my agency, we isntituted a thing called the Creative Review Commitee (CRC), whereby, David Brent-wise (cue holding up two fingers as in apostrophes), 'nothing is a bad idea'.
Well, of course there is a lot that can be, how do you say, 'not necessarily a good idea', either. And that was where the CRC was used as a first line of defecne to shoot down the dire, the obvious, the silly, the trite, the cliched, the boring and, hand in hand with this, the really bad puns.
Out they'd trot, we'd laugh, say no and move on to create the good, make a difference concepts that communicate and effect a useful result.
So seeing money my taxes contributed to (then given (minus cut) to the EU to give back (minus cut) to HMG to give (minus cut) to a Quango NGO to give to (minus cut) and agency to create and give to (minus cut) the media) used for such tripe is... a bother.
At best I, who has a sliver of interest in all this, may say 'Huh?, but what exactly is yer average SKY mag reader going to do? Drive from Reading to Cardiff to recycle their cards?
I love posters, and banner ads. You have to get a full story and message across in eight words or less.
My views on blowing all this dosh to tell people to recycle and what they can recycle are well known. But to do it this badly is a real waste. Especially when it's so self-serving, as the only direction to ad is pointing is at the website, and the stats on the website will be used to justify the spend.
Meanwhile, a lot of great little initiatives (ours included) are either not being funded or finding themselves competed with by those staked to aid us. Nuts.
So much to hear. So little to say.
I would love someone to explain what the point is to this news snippet.Other than the choice 'efforts' (as in, 'nothing need come of it, but we can say we tried... and issued a PR'), did the publication in question ponder for a moment asking where or how this could take place, if it does at all?
Wednesday, December 27, 2006
Money goes where it gets made
A rather typical festive post from a usual suspect, one suspects: 'Tis the season to be wasteful
He's right, of course, if a little bit too 'don't/nanny' for the season*. And you do wonder who it is targeted to is reading it. But the replies were interesting. I especially liked the fact that a certain monopolistic govt. quango with millions to (spend on) waste (but not us), was mentioned a few times. It seems like a few others are not sure what they do, whether they do whatever it is well at all, and who is accountable for the ROI we are covering for offices, staff, boards, salaries and pensions.
My addition:
'We could, of course, also consider the benefits of reuse (and repair).
While recycling is vastly more significant (after reduction) in the great Re-scheme of things, other than to those with boxes to tick and targets to meet it can often be less stimulating. The sense of doing our bit is a great one, but let's not forget the individual is doing a lot of work standing at the kitchen sink each night separating stuff, boosting other folks' profits or career-making quotas. So it's a shame that it still takes millions of our money to tell us that a can can become a plane or another can, to achieve 'significant increases in our rates' (that's recycling rates, not local taxes). Or injecting more public cash into ways to catch the public when they get confused with cotradictory or inadequate initiatives. So I'm hoping to see a lot more incentive based schemes in 2007 and a little less of the 'fine first' stuff we've been seeing this last year.
Reuse is directly and tangibly rewarding personally, often quite a lot of fun, and can save some time (all those trips out to buy something that's been lurking in the back of a cupboard all along), some money (if it's junk in your home it's free, and simply gains in value as junkk) and the planet (no reprocessing energy/consequences in collection, etc).
And, best of all, it provides an immediate sense of making a difference in your own home.
Today I'm making a Warhammer Necron Monolith with my kids out of bits and bobs from blister packs and debris from other plastic presents (not everything is practical to avoid). It's going to be unique, awesome, the envy of their mates and save me thirty odd quid... I hope (to the awesome claim).
Season's Greetings!
http://www.junkk.com'
*I'm hoping mine comes across as a bit more you can do rather than not do. 'It's is the way of Junkk, Grassshopper'.
He's right, of course, if a little bit too 'don't/nanny' for the season*. And you do wonder who it is targeted to is reading it. But the replies were interesting. I especially liked the fact that a certain monopolistic govt. quango with millions to (spend on) waste (but not us), was mentioned a few times. It seems like a few others are not sure what they do, whether they do whatever it is well at all, and who is accountable for the ROI we are covering for offices, staff, boards, salaries and pensions.
My addition:
'We could, of course, also consider the benefits of reuse (and repair).
While recycling is vastly more significant (after reduction) in the great Re-scheme of things, other than to those with boxes to tick and targets to meet it can often be less stimulating. The sense of doing our bit is a great one, but let's not forget the individual is doing a lot of work standing at the kitchen sink each night separating stuff, boosting other folks' profits or career-making quotas. So it's a shame that it still takes millions of our money to tell us that a can can become a plane or another can, to achieve 'significant increases in our rates' (that's recycling rates, not local taxes). Or injecting more public cash into ways to catch the public when they get confused with cotradictory or inadequate initiatives. So I'm hoping to see a lot more incentive based schemes in 2007 and a little less of the 'fine first' stuff we've been seeing this last year.
Reuse is directly and tangibly rewarding personally, often quite a lot of fun, and can save some time (all those trips out to buy something that's been lurking in the back of a cupboard all along), some money (if it's junk in your home it's free, and simply gains in value as junkk) and the planet (no reprocessing energy/consequences in collection, etc).
And, best of all, it provides an immediate sense of making a difference in your own home.
Today I'm making a Warhammer Necron Monolith with my kids out of bits and bobs from blister packs and debris from other plastic presents (not everything is practical to avoid). It's going to be unique, awesome, the envy of their mates and save me thirty odd quid... I hope (to the awesome claim).
Season's Greetings!
http://www.junkk.com'
*I'm hoping mine comes across as a bit more you can do rather than not do. 'It's is the way of Junkk, Grassshopper'.
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