UK retailer tests new packaging return policy

British based Tesco, the worlds fourth largest retail outlet is testing out a new recycling system at select stores in the UK.

An article in The Guardian reports that the retail giant is asking customers to discard unwanted and bulky packaging near the tills. They will use this to find out what packaging consumers are prepared to do without.

The store aims to divert 95% of its waste stream away from landfills--largely through reduced and recyclable materials--by the end of the year. They are currently at 87%. Tesco uses the least packaging measured against a group of similar retail outlets.

The pilot project will also ensure that materials are recycled properly. Head of energy, waste and recyling Alasdair James said, "We know our customers expect us to help them recycle easily and we have also committed ourselves to cutting our own waste."

Reduce Food Waste

The average American wastes about 25% of the food that they buy. In the UK, food waste numbers are up to one-third. The good news is, much of this food waste can be reduced through fairly simple measures.

The short version: buy less food, serve smaller portions and plan ahead. If all else fails, compost.

The long version can be found through numerous websites with tips and techniques to reduce food waste. Here are a few:

The Daily Green
Love Food, Hate Waste
US News
Green Right Now
My Zero Waste

Growing food is fashionable again in Britain

According to an article in the Telegraph, vegetable gardens have risen drastically in popularity. A survey of over 1,000 people found that 26% are growing their own fruits and vegetables. Many of these people are doing so to save money, but there is an environmental motivation at work.

During the 1970s, a television sitcom called The Good Life made gardening in backyards and allotments fashionable, but its popularity waned. Gardening was generally viewed as a hobby for older people with a lot of time on their hands.

Now, under the encouragement of Environment Secretary Hilary Benn, gardening is becoming normal, and many of the new gardeners are young. The article does not discuss the yield of these individual gardens, nor the effect it has had (if any yet) on produce sales in groceries. However, the implications of a quarter of the population taking agriculture into their own hands are enormous.

- Largely organic agriculture; cuts chemical waste from system

- Reduces carbon emissions two ways: reduced demands for transport of produce; increased production of oxygen through photosynthesis

- Potential health benefits: people are more likely to eat the vegetables they grow

- Increased awareness of global food and environmental issues