The Unwanted Mail Campaign, headed up by the Staffordshire Recycling Partnership, has been shortlisted for a National award at the Local Authority Recycling Advisory Comittee (LARAC) Awards due to take place on the 17th October 2012.

The campaign, which encourages residents to take simple steps to reduce their unwanted mail, such as joining the Mailing Preference Service (MPS), has been nominated for the Best Waste Minimisation or Prevention Project Award. Since the campaign began in April 2011 more than 13,500 residents of Staffordshire have joined the MPS and more than 7,500 households have displayed letterbox stickers to say no to receiving unwanted leaflets and flyers.

Emma Ray, Waste Minimisation Officer for the Staffordshire Recycling Partnership said, “The award shortlisting is all down to the fantastic response we’ve had from the public to this campaign. It’s great to have received recognition for all the effort our residents have put in and we hope this will encourage people to sign up now if they haven’t already.”

If you are interested in joining the Mailing Preference Service to reduce your addressed unwanted mail and haven’t already then:

• visit www.mpsonline.org.uk

• Call the automated registration line on 0845 703 4599

• Or write to MPS, Freepost 29, LON 20771, London, W1E 0ZT with your name and address details stating you would like to register.

For instance did you know that:

• It takes around 100 buckets of water to produce a loaf of bread (800g)
• It takes around 54 buckets of water to produce one chicken breast (150g)
• It takes around 6 buckets of water to produce one potato (75g)
• It takes around 1 bucket of water to grow one tomato (50g)

Love Food Hate Waste’s survey highlights that the current awareness amongst consumers of the level of water needed is startlingly low with:

•    97% unaware that around 1,200 litres of water are used to produce a loaf of bread (800g),
•    98% unaware that around 650 litres of water are used to produce one chicken breast (150g).

Or that for every glass of milk⁶ we drink in Staffordshire it takes over 250 litres of water to produce it.

For many this might seem inconceivable. However, when you look at the journey your food has gone through to be produced you can see why.

Take the humble chip; water is used by the farmer when he plants the seed potato, fertilises it, and during irrigation to help the crop grow. More water is then used in the factory where it’s cleaned and chipped and yet more to make the packaging to keep it in good condition and finally in the freezer. That is a lot of water, time and energy spent in producing the product. If we then cook more than is needed, or throw the leftovers in the bin, that’s a waste of the food, the water and your money.

Not surprisingly, Love Food Hate Waste research shows that saving money is what motivates us most when it comes to wasting less food⁷. This autumn harvest time, Love Food Hate Waste is encouraging us to realise the value of our food, and benefit the environment and save money for our families.

So regardless of whether it comes from your local supermarket, or is the abundance of tomatoes from your allotment or the glut from a friend’s apple tree, value it. Because it costs money and precious resources to buy or produce it.  For simple tips on how valuing food, through planning your meals, following the storage guidance and cooking the right amounts can save you up to £50 per month, visit www.lovefoodhatewaste.com.

Emma Marsh, Head of Love Food Hate Waste, said “The key thing here is to just buy and cook the food that is needed: throwing food or drink away is bad for our wallets and the environment. If you do have any spare harvest from your garden, it might be worth thinking about sharing it with family neighbours and friends.”

• All AAA and AA cells
• Sizes C and D
• Button batteries (e.g. watch batteries)

If you have larger batteries then don’t despair as car batteries or batteries from items like power tools, mobile phones etc can be taken to one of the 14 recycling centres across Staffordshire for recycling.

Did you know that since 2010 it has been a legal requirement for any shops who sell more than 32kg of batteries per year, thats approximately 345 four packs of AA batteries, to provide battery recycling facilities. This means that many supermarkets and local shops also have battery recycling facilities available. Why not take a look next time you are out and about as you may be suprised how many places recycle batteries now.

 Since its launch in April 2011 the “Stop Receiving Unwanted Mail” campaign led by the Staffordshire Recycling Partnership has seen a significant rise in the amount of Staffordshire residents registered with the Mailing Preference Service (MPS). This service, which allows residents to opt out from receiving addressed unwanted mail, has seen registrations increase by more than 12,000 people since April 2011.

The MPS is free to join and once registered your name will be removed from 95% of direct mailing lists within 4 months. Once signed up, MPS registration lasts for 5 years. If you are not already signed up but would like to register you can either:

• visit www.mpsonline.org.uk

• Call the automated registration line on 0845 703 4599

• Or write to MPS, Freepost 29, LON 20771, London, W1E 0ZT with your name and address details stating you would like to register.

As well as the MPS there are a few other ways you can reduce the amount of unwanted mail you receive:

Royal Mail opt out service

Joining this opt out service will reduce the amount of unaddressed mail you receive at your home. Registration with this service lasts for 2 years. To register you can either email optout@royalmail.com with your name and address or write to:

Freepost RRBT-ZBXB-TTTS
Royal Mail Door to Door Opt Outs
Kingsmead House
Oxpens Road
OXFORD
OX1 1RX

Please note:  the Royal Mail service does not differentiate between unaddressed mail you would like to receive, such as council newsletters/service information leaflets/government information and unaddressed mail you don’t want to receive like sales flyers. Once you have joined this service all unaddressed mail will be stopped within 6 weeks.

Opt out boxes

When you give your name to an organisation such as through order forms, surveys and application forms, check the bottom of the form for opt out boxes to stop your name from being added to any new mailing lists.

Return to sender

If the mail you receive had the senders address you can return it to the sender for free by crossing through your name and labelling it return to sender.

Contact the sender directly

If you continue to receive mailings from a specific company then write to them and ask for your name to be removed from their mailing list.

2012 is set to be a bumper year for plastic bottles with the Jubilee, Olympics and Euro 2012 all taking place. But with less than 50 per cent of them currently making the recycling bin, national Recycle Week wants to turn it into a bumper year for collecting them too. 

The now-annual recycling push, running from 18-24 June this year, reminds us all of the value of recycling and just how easily we can do it.  For 2012, it wants us to think twice before jettisoning our plastic bottles into the rubbish bag – because now, thanks to technology, it’s possible to recycle ALL shapes and sizes of bottle.  Milk, shampoo, bleach, shower gel, and even plastic bottles used outside in the garden or kept in the shed.  You name it; all you have to do is wash ’em and squash ’em.

Amazingly if all of us in the UK recycled just one extra plastic bottle during Recycle Week, this would save enough energy to power over 71,000 plasma screen TVs for a year. Recycling also benefits the environment by significantly reducing air and water pollutants. 

So what happens to bottles during recycling? They’re first separated by colour, cleaned, melted down and then turned into plastic pellets.  These are used to make fences, bags, flooring, window frames, fleeces, fibre fillings… or even more bottles! 

It’s also getting easier to recycle your plastic bottle when out and about with a number of Recycle Zones being set up across the country; these provide designated areas where special units will help you recycle a whole range of items.  You can find them in airport departure lounges, sporting venues, theme parks, shopping centres… and even on the local high street.  Why not look out for them when you’re away from home.

Residents of Newcastle under Lyme will have the opportunity to take away a free sample of the compost which can be picked up at the event while stocks last. Children can also take part in the day by planting seeds in the compost to take away and grow. Staff will also be on hand to offer advice and guidance on home composting so if you have any questions it’s worth popping along.

Available in newborn and toddler sizes the kits contain a variety of real nappies giving parents the opportunity to find out which nappies work best for them. The kits are free to borrow but a £25 deposit is required which will be refunded on return of the kit.

With potential savings of more than £500 per child real nappies not only make a significant difference to the amount of waste in the bin every week but can also save parents a significant amount of money. Andrew Bird, Recycling Strategy and Commissioning Manager at Newcastle under Lyme Borough Council said: “We’re hoping more families will try cloth nappies as part of the trial and realise the difference they make to the environment and their pockets.”

If you live in Newcastle under Lyme Borough and are interested in borrowing one of the kits please contact the Council on 01782 717717 , email customerservices@newcastle-staffs.gov.uk or visit www.newcastle-staffs.gov.uk to find out more.

It’s safe to freeze almost any food including meat, fish, vegetables, fruit and even bakery and dairy items. If it’s got a ‘use by’ date freeze before the date, defrost and use it within 24 hours.

Here are some great examples to inspire you to get freezing!

• Eggs – don’t freeze in the shell. Beat into a mixture or freeze whites and yolks separately. De-frost in the fridge, not at room temperature. Adding salt (for savoury), sugar (for sweet) stops yolks going lumpy. Use as you would fresh eggs.#

• Milk – freeze as soon as possible and thaw in the fridge. Plastic containers are okay for freezing milk in, but the milk will expand so pour out a small amount to allow for this.

• Cheese – try grating Cheddar cheese before freezing and use as toppings on pizza or shepherd’s pie from frozen. Stilton can be frozen without grating.

• Fruit – slice and freeze lemons then use them straight from the fridge in iced drinks.

• Cooked meat – such as chicken and turkey. Thaw in the fridge and use as normal, in casseroles, curries and stews.

• Bread – use from frozen as toast or make sandwiches for work – by lunchtime they’ll be de-frosted.

• Potatoes – parboil and freeze them for later, thaw and roast. Mashed potato freezes well.

• Yoghurt –pots can be placed straight in the freezer but the yoghurt will expand, so make sure there’s enough space in the pot to allow for this. If there isn’t, transfer to another container before freezing. Defrost and use in smoothies or straight from frozen as a frozen yoghurt dessert.

For lots more freezer ideas why not visit www.lovefoodhatewaste.com

The working area of the site will be increased within the existing perimeter, enabling the site to expand the range of existing services it offers and to adapt to future needs.

The current hard standing surface will be replaced with a new, more user friendly design.

The site will be closed between 11^th January and the 9^th March while the work is carried out.

Residents will be able to use other recycling centres across the county including those at nearby Cannock, Burntwood, Lichfield and Stafford during the redevelopment period. Residents are advised to check the opening days of their preferred alternative recycling centre.

Staffordshire County Councillor Mark Winnington, Cabinet Member for Environment and Assets, said the investment would improve the site for Rugeley residents.

“The Household Waste and Recycling Centre at Rugeley is a well used facility and we want to invest now to make sure the site continues to give the best service to the local community for years to come.

“We appreciate that the short closure of the site will be an inconvenience to people, but we would ask for patience as we improve the site for the benefit of local residents.”