Selfsufficientish.com

Rather than just grump and groan about what councils are or aren't doing to reduce waste, I thought it might be interesting to see if we could come up with a plan which might actually work to encourage people to recycle?

As far as I can see it the main issues that (people think) need to be addressed are;

'it doesn't effect me' syndrome - saving the planet won't effect our own quality of life - but it will effect future generations

'I don't have time' - sorting waste, taking recyclables to the right place and/or alternating the bins is time and effort which some people cant be bothered with or genuinely find difficult

'I don't have the money' - organic and unpackaged produce is perceived as expensive by many people

'its not convenient' - recycling centres are too far away, supermarkets don't make it easy and farmers markets are during the week when most people are working

' I want to but....' its a long wait for a lottie/there's no car share scheme around here/stolen bikes aren't treated seriously/there's no christmas tree recycling dump etc etc


So is there a sensible list of things councils could be doing to encourage people to do something extra?

My contribution is that I think households which use a black box recycling scheme should be allowed a small refund on the poll tax.

I also think councils should oinsist that all new house plans include enough space for a recycling bin system and bike storage - a lot of modern ones only have a tiny bin cupboard and its not really practical in a terraced house to have multiple wheely bins on the front lawn, and nowhere at all to store a bike which is safe.

Good suggestions. Things like this definitly need to be made easier for the general public and more incentives need to be provided whether they be monetary or something else. People should be encouraged to make less rubbish rather than made to feel they are subsidising the people who make a lot of waste. We pay in our rates for rubbish and recycling collection - then we have to pay even more per rubbish bag. Doesn'[t make sense. And they dont' even collect all that can be recycled, and in some areas there is no rubbish service but its still part of the rates. I've put out only one bag in tow months and the recycling bin twice - thats not good value for money. whilst others on my street have huge bins and overflowing recycling every week. Where does all their rubbish come from. Think I am getting off the subject off the subject a bit, but peoples escalating creation of rubbish makes me so mad! But yes, definitly things need to be made easier so more of us can have a positive contribution to the environment. And councils should have a much stronger role in encouraging this.

I reckon that there should be a bit of a lottery.... it's been done before by some councils.... where my mum lives there was (not sure if it is current) a random prize for putting out recycling...

Someone on a forum (might have been this one actually) entered a 'message in the bottle' incentive... and won something.

Incentives definitely work best... fines just encourage fly tipping or other such behaviour.

Bit late, but I've been away for a few days.

Back on subject: Leicester City Council gives out £50 per week to someone (not sure how it's decided, but something to do with recycling box being out & having the only acceptable contents within), but - like others here have mentioned - I only put out my bin & recycling box about once every 6wks. So, producing less rubbish essentially means I'm not only paying more for its collection, but I'm less likely to win the weekly £50 lottery too.

I'd reduce, reuse, repair & recycle anyway, but think there needs to be an incentive for those that need immediate payback. Making it easier just isn't working.

Could you win the £50 for putting out an empty bin? I mean that must be the most correct contents in terms of reducing waste. I think you should take that up with your council.

Have just been going through our local council minutes.

This is the town where recycling is a myth, remember.

Lady wrote in asking for repairs to roads and noting a heap of damage to her vehicle as a result of a particular bend that was particularly bad where she had left the road and sustained damage to her vehicle. (Roads here are rated Bad, Particularly Bad and Appalling)

Council has voted to send her a sympathy card.

Another couple wrote in asking that a tree on the side of our HIGHWAY be inspected as large branches were falling onto the road randomly as the tree had been killed by termites.

Council voted that the tree was not a priority but it would be knocked over when the works supervisor was able to get to it. No mention of the termites.

A timber company has requested that the requirement for installing power be waived on a large property they have purchased and intend to clear, subdivide and sell.

Council agreed to the waiver.

An application was received to up the funding from 50,000 to 100,000 to display the endangered and PROTECTED lungfish in aquariums at a newly constructed dam.

Council agreed to up the donation.

Does anyone know if I need council approval to build 10 foot fences made out of recycled bottles like Shirlz's greenhouse thing... Just so the dumb twits can still see in and maybe learn a bit about environmental security without actually being able to touch it and mess it up?