The End... of the week

Well, Enviroweek ended when I was out crook. I tell you what, being home sick has a few good and back impacts environmentally.

The down side is, you've usually got a tv, maybe a heater running when you would normally be out. If you pay for Green energy this is less of an impact. You use more water with the toilet, drinking etc, probably not more that if you were elsewhere, that is unless you're throwing up a lot like I was.

The positives are you sleep a lot, so not using any appliances and conserving your energy; you eat less and you don't go any where to consume anything. The Good out ways the Bad I reckon, so you don't have to feel so down when your sick!

Anyway, in all seriousness, I did have a peak in my rubbish bin to see what was there after a week of trying not to produce any general waste at all. Recycling and compost fine, but I wanted to have zero waste beyond this. I mean, we generally don't have that much anyway. Pre-worm farm the 2 of us + cat only put the general waste bin out every fortnight and even then it's only half full. Our kitchen bin lined with biodegradable bags doesn't even get full before it has to go out for the smell.

At the end of the week, here are some things I found:

1. packets from Fish balls (that I thought caused the dodgy stomach) & puffed tofu for the homemade laksa that feeds for days. fish balls & tofu are locally made, other ingredients are canned organic coconut milk, scoop of laksa paste from a jar (long lasting not the add-the-whole-jar watered down stuff) and organic vegies. The rice noodles were bought in bulk so the packet hasn't been thrown out yet.

2. Tissues. I've made an effort to use handkerchiefs more, but they're not as convenient as tissues, and my bright red sesame street one gets some funny looks.

3. Scraps from the cat's food bowl. The worms can't eat fish.

4. Chicken Bones. When I get a bokashi bucket & compost they can go in, but not while we live here.

5. A couple ends of material & thread from sewing projects. These could compost aswell.

6. Wrappers from biscuits or snacks. Unfortunately there aren't many snacks beyond fruit, bulk foods you pack yourself and homemade goodies, that don't come in a plastic wrapper. Even organic, wholefood or similar items. When are manufacturers going to make biodegradable wrappers? Surely the Use By date is far shorter than the 'Degradable' date. And as for the foil lined for freshness crap? I've stopped buying certain brands because metal sheet around a food packed with preservatives is unnecessary.

7. Onion skin & lime rind. The worms don't like these either.

I think this was about it. I'm sure if there was more, it wasn't mine ;)