The Waste Wise Armadale Project

A little from you; a lot for Armadale.

Updated 26 August 2009

 Internet Interview with Paul McOscar about The Waste Wise Armadale Project

Cheers, Paul! We would like to thank Paul McOscar for his good-humoured determination and for his positive management of the Waste Wise Armadale Project.  We wish him well in his future endeavours and we hope that the initiative he introduced to our community will develop and will produce fruitful outcomes in the future.

Although The Armadale Waste Wise Project has finished, this page will remain as website visitors have shown considerable interest in the development of the Project. At the top of the page are useful links, which may interest you.  Below you can read about  some of the people and activities involved in the Armadale Project.  If you would like to know more about the Project, e-mail Rosie

USEFUL Reduce, Reuse and Recycle LINKS

LOCAL RECYCLING LINKS

May 2008: As part of West Lothian's latest green initiative, cloth, textiles, food and drink cartons (often known as Tetrapack) can now be deposited in the blue bins kerbside recycling collections.  Please note that items such as belts, shoes, duvets and blankets cannot be collected at present.

You will be interested to know that the Murray Court recycling site in Armadale is now at Watson Park (near the tennis courts).  It provides facilities for the collection of brown green and white glass  for recycling.

Have you visited 'Love Food Hate Waste' site yet?

Waste Wise Armadale Project Update, 25 March 2008

ARMADALE RESIDENTS ARE WISER ABOUT WASTE

Edinburgh-based sustainable development charity Changeworks has today released the results of its innovative Waste Wise Armadale Project. And they show that the Armadale residents who received doorstep conversations to help them to reduce their waste threw out 6.1 per cent less compared to last year ...

To find out more click here: http://www.changeworks.org.uk/news_detail.php?id=43

A little from you; a lot for Armadale.

Congratulations to the Waste Wise Armadale team and especially to Paul McOscar!   Rosie

Waste Wise Armadale Project Update, 26 October 2007

The Armadale Blue Whale is smiling because of the "ok saving" in Grey Bin waste during the last fortnight,

but

"C'mon Armadale," says the Whale, "we have done better.  I love to smile!  Encourage others to follow the 3Rs"

Have you reduced your waste by 1kg this week?

A little from you; a lot for Armadale.

Waste Wise Armadale Project

WASTE WISE ARMADALE: Schools Waste Free Lunch Challenge

As part of the Waste Wise Armadale project, a waste free lunch challenge was held at Armadale Primary, St Anthony’s Primary and Eastertoun Primary. Each school was challenged to reduce the waste created at lunchtime over the period of one week between the 20th of September and the 3rd of October.

With the help of staff from Changeworks and West Lothian Council’s waste management department, pupils from the Eco Committee and Pupil Council weighed the amount of waste produced in their school during one lunchtime. One week later the waste from lunchtime was weighed again. The school with the biggest reduction in its lunchtime waste won a prize of £50 and Waste Wise Armadale reusable water bottles for every pupil in the school.

All three of the schools worked hard to reduce their waste. Letters were sent home with information on how to pack a waste free lunchbox and pupils from the Eco Committees in each school went around each class to encourage other pupils to have a waste free lunch. On the day of the challenge, they were on hand to ensure that as little food waste as possible was collected. Any waste that could be recycled or composted was also collected.

Their hard work paid off and all three schools managed to reduce their waste. Armadale Primary managed to reduce their waste by 38g per pupil making it the Waste Free Lunch Challenge winner. They will win £50 for eco projects in the school and Waste Wise Armadale reusable water bottles for every pupil. St Anthony’s and Eastertoun Primary are awarded cheques for £25 to be spent by the Eco Committee.

Rona Gold, Environmental Education Officer at West Lothian Council, said, ‘The waste free lunch challenge has been a great way of reducing the amount of waste produced in schools at lunchtime. It’s a fun way to wise up to waste at school and reinforces the messages of the WasteWise Armadale project. All the pupils have worked really hard to successfully reduce their waste and they should all be pleased with the results.’

A little from you; a lot for Armadale.

Waste Wise Armadale Project Update, 3 October 2007

The Armadale Blue Whale is smiling again because of the 5% reduction in Grey Bin waste  during the last fortnight.  We are back on track after the previous disappointing result - keep up the good work.

• The FREE letterbox flap sticker has been well received and there are only a few copies left.  Remember the sticker will not stop unwanted mail, so you must also use MPS, the Mail Preference Service.  to contact MPS, visit: www.mpsonline.org.uk or telephone 0845 703 4599

• A total of 466 pledges were received through doorstep conversations from 1331 Armadale homes visited in June and July.  This means that over 35% of Armadale homes have taken steps to reduce their household waste.  This is an excellent response and demonstrates support for the project and community pride in Armadale. Even if you did not make as pledge or were not visited, why not join the community in their efforts to reduce, reuse and recycle?

• The Real Nappy Project:  Do you know of someone who would like to try a Real Nappy Trial Pack and save ££££s?  Nappy lending packs are available to try for two weeks.  They are funky, with no pins, are easy to use, and they reduce waste.  Remember: it is thought that it takes over 80 years for a disposable nappy to decompose in a landfill!

• You are welcome at the FREE Compost Workshop on Saturday 6 October and Sunday 7 October 2007, at 11.00am to 12 noon, at The Mill Garden Centre, Mill Road, Armadale.  Come and learn how to make good organic compost that's great for your garden.

• Waste Wise Armadale Schools Waste-Free Lunches: this programme has been active in Armadale Academy and Armadale and Eastertoun primary schools over the past three weeks and it has been well received by pupils.

• At the end of November, the community engagement stage of the project will near its completion.  If you are interested in assisting the Project's continuation in Armadale, your support will be more than welcome.  Remember that the pride of Armadale is at stake to in crease its waste prevention record far beyond the national average.

Why not try reducing your waste by MORE than 1kg this week?

A little from you; a lot for Armadale.

Waste Wise Armadale Project Update, 20 September 2007

The Armadale Blue Whale is grimacing because of the 22% increase in Grey Bin waste during the last fortnight.

Have you reduced your waste by 1kg this week?

"C'mon Armadale," says the Whale, "we can do better!"

A little from you; a lot for Armadale.

Waste Wise Armadale Project Update, 3 September 2007

• There has been a massive 18% reduction for the last week in August, (i.e. a four tonne reduction going to the landfill for that collection period).

• During the later part of August and early September, over 450 homes that provided Waste Wise pledges to reduce, reuse and recycle were re-visited by Project Advisers to provide support, guidance and any other resources.  The good news is that few people have lost interest.

• In response to Armadalians' views about unwanted junk mail, a letterbox flap sticker stating "We are reducing our waste... NO unwanted mail please" will be available soon.

• In response to residents' interest, free Saturday and Sunday compost workshops will be staged in early October at Mill Garden Centre.

• Spread the message: if you know someone that you can encourage to reduce, reuse and recycle, encourage them to join in!

A little from you; a lot for Armadale.

Waste Wise Armadale Project Update, 28 August 2007

This week's GREY BIN reduction indicates a minimal saving, but there has been about a 16% reduction in the last 6 weeks.

Have you reduced your waste by 1kg this week?

"C'mon Armadale," says the Whale, "we can do better!"

A little from you; a lot for Armadale.

Waste Wise Armadale Project Update, 15 August 2007

• The Armadale Blue Whale: The Armadale Whale smiles again due to continuing Grey Bin waste reductions. The Armadale target to reduce 200 tonne, the weight of a blue whale from going to a landfill is going well. Look out for the Whale Scale indicator posters in local shop windows.
• No Landfills After 2010: The European Community has decreed that Britain is required to close all its landfills by this date. This is why “reduce, reuse” and of course recycling must be carried out in each home. Britain’s councils will incur million £ penalties if landfills operate after this date.
• Composting Workshop: Want to learn how to make good compost and benefit your garden as well as reducing green waste.  By reusing green waste this will help enrich your soil. Two workshops will be staged locally on Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 October. Watch out for details.
• Nappucino’s/Real Nappies: Does your early childhood or mothers support group wish to learn how you can save over £500 using Real Nappies? We can arrange a Nappucino’s (coffee session) to bring you the good news. Demonstration and trial packs are available. Did you know that if you and your youngster both live to a ripe old age a disposable nappy would still not have broken down in a landfill?

A little from you; a lot for Armadale.

Competition Update 12 August 2007

WASTE WISE ARMADALE PROJECT

ARMADALE GALA DAY COMPETITION RESULTS

The crushed can block in the photo above was the subject of a Waste Wise Armadale Competition,

which ran in the town until 30 July 2007.

Competition entrants were invited to guess the number of crushed cans in the block.

Correct number of cans in the Crushed Can Block to be recycled .  . . . 698

Winner . . . 17in Flat Screen Television

      Ian Kelly            No. cans guessed . . . 713

Brenda Dunsmore          No. cans guessed . . . 741              

Ewan Prentice           No. cans guessed . . . 650       

Elizabeth Bonnar

Terry Roberts

R Drummond       

I Bryce

All winners will be contacted.      

Waste Wise Armadale Project Update, 2 August 2007

STOP PRESS>>>>>>>Just over 10% reduction so far!>>>>>>STOP PRESS

The Waste Wise Armadale Project has adopted the Whale to help communicate how the Armadale community is responding to waste minimisation as part of the existing project. After each grey bin collection the Armadale Whale Scale will be seen about the town showing a Whale that is either "happy", "indifferent" or "sad." If waste reductions have occurred that week the Whale will be seen as a happy Whale, if no change an "indifferent" Whale and if waste has increased in the grey bin collection the Whale will be "sad".


Households who have not responded to the Waste Wise Armadale Pledge can still do so. Complete the pledge card (found in the Project Booklet) and return it Freepost.

Community response figures, regarding the recent visit by the Project Advisers to many Armadale households, will be available shortly. The response so far indicates that Armadale residents are very supportive and interested in the project.

This certainly supports the status of Armadale as one of the formost recycling communities in Scotland.

A little from you; a lot for Armadale.

Waste Wise Armadale Project Update, 11 July 2007

Did you miss your doorstep discussion with a Waste Wise Adviser and still wish to make a contribution to Armadale's waste minimisation project?

 Just complete the 'pledge' from the A5 Resource Booklet and freepost it.

The community engagement door-stepping stage was completed on Saturday 7 July. Over 2000 Armadale households were visited over 9 days. The response has been excellent with large numbers of residents providing a 'pledge' to reduce and reuse.

Shortly, the Project's waste minimisation Armadale 'blue whale' will be seen about Armadale, to show the level of waste being reduced. The levels in the blue bin and the brown bin can go up while the grey bin level, the residual waste, goes down.

If this can be achieved, Armadalians will have succeeded in showing the rest of Scotland what a waste conscious community can achieve.

A little from you; a lot for Armadale.

Paul McOscar, Daniel Prince and Ian Smith who were involved in the briefing about The Waste Wise Armadale Project at Armadale Community Centre on Tuesday, 5 June 2007. 

REDUCE REUSE RECYCLE

A strong, caring community working together to change our behaviour towards waste.