Sustainable living: announcing our new magazine supplement

I second that.

Ours are threatening to open bags and inspect the contents, returning bags to owners to be re-sorted. I agree there should be guidelines that cross the country especially as a trawl round a supermarket produces many and varied packaging challenges. Package tops are unwanted while the container is. I resent throwing away polystyrene from product boxes, but no one wants it. Fortunately many now use compressed, moulded cardboard which can be recycled. It would be handy to have a glass caddy, but our glass has to be taken to the “tip” . Of course no one wants four or five different coloured containers with associated bin liners cluttering up space and in this respect we are lucky to have three choices: recycle, food or chuck. Visiting our recycle centre the automated conveyor belt deals with metal while ten hard working individuals sort paper, plastic and anything else as it passes by them. I have much admiration for them. We have made progress since the black dustbin was collected every week in the past. It is an example of how, with a plan, and a step by step approach, the public can accept change and “do their bit.” Let’s extrapolate that to all other fields of environmental care.

It is not just a question of standardising bins ( I have 4 that work sensibly) but how the disposal of that waste is sensibly handled. We should have a network of specialised recycling centres across the country that all councils use, to recover for recycling as much of our waste as possible, and to minimise what goes into landfill.

However, if we are to have a meaningful and urgent campaign I’d suggest it should be one that seeks to minimise waste in the first place, before it even gets to our bins.

I’d start with unnecessary packaging – even if it is recyclable it costs money to handle – but, in particular, I’d require the absolute minimal use of plastics (unless they are of a type that can be indefinitely recycled). We have a plastics crisis and alternative methods of packaging need to be used, where packaging is necessary; other properly recyclable materials are available. As are customers reusable containers.

Until we act, the accumulation of vast quantities of waste plastic will continue to pollute the environment in a way we cannot reverse.

I also look forward to reading the supplement.

I think wavechange’s suggestion for Which? to push for standardisation of how councils handle our waste is an excellent idea. Every item that can go into the recycling bin needs to have a recycling code or logo on it and standardisation and cooperation is needed across the whole of the UK.

We cannot count burning rubbish as recycling.

We have 9 rubbish containers:
1 large bin for recycling
1 large bin for non-recyclable rubbish
3 large bins for garden waste
1 kitchen bin for recycling
1 kitchen bin for non-recyclable rubbish
1 kitchen bin for Tetrapak cartons to take to a collection point
1 old council recycling container now used as the collection bin for the shredder

I also agree with malcolm in that we need to reduce all packaging.

That’s not only an excellent suggestion which I would fully support, but I would add that the language in the typical car review is unhelpful and borders on the meaningless. We’d be better off without it.

It’s not that different to the language used by TV or HiFi reviewers, many of whom seem to aspire to be wine connoisseurs. This is a typical example:

Deep purple colour. Aromas of rich dark currants, nectarine skins, gushing blackberry, but lots of fragrant tobacco, rich soil, white flowers, smashed minerals and metal. Medium-bodied and saucy but racy acidity stabilises the wine nicely with the robust tannins. Deep red currants and ripe cherries, laden with mocha, loamy soil, charred herbs, pencil shavings, roasted hazelnut. Dense like characters that make it perfect for cellaring, however it is drinkable straight away once you expose it to the earth’s atmosphere. This is a delicious Sonoma Cabernet! Has been matured for 24 months in 2 year old 55% Tronçais and 45% Vosges oak. 95 points.

I remember when Which? used to publish various small booklets giving useful advice on particular topics. I cannot remember if they were included with the magazine but new members were offered these as an incentive for trying the magazine. In these days, Which? also produced various hardback and paperback books. Now that we have the internet, I don’t suppose it is economically viable to sell supplements and books, even where they provide more reliable information.

For years I have replaced my car after about ten years and for me, having an annual supplement on cars is pointless. If I know someone who is looking at buying a car I pass on this supplement. I very much support what John says that environmental performance is what matters when choosing a car, and that is the most difficult information to find.

Ribena?

I’ve unearthed some examples of what I consider to be dubious descriptors:

Unfortunately, all that tranquillity quickly comes undone when you mash the accelerator too hard

really does feel sharp and sporty to drive

a tendency to employ…colourful phrases whcih add little in terms of detail and precision

an entertaining drive, whichever model you go for, although it isn’t quite as exciting as its more overtly sporting rivals.

feels far more urgent and willing to perform

and the odd sentence which defies comprehension completely

The steering is full of feel and extremely fast-acting. It may feel too nervous for some tastes, but it allows drivers to judge to perfection the exact amount of steering needed for each corner.

Am I alone is making the assumption that all steering should do what it says on the box, or is the reviewer suggesting that most cars have steering which is ‘lacking feel, slow to respond and doesn’t allow drivers to judge the amount of steering needed for cornering?

This type of writing is essentially a pastiche of the grotesque style of the wine connoisseur, something of an oxymoron in itself.

So yes, John; drop the car reviews and instead concentrate perhaps purely on EVs.

I would still like to see an annual review of cars, but one that just focuses on their fuel consumption and emissions (real values), their reliability, cost of repairs and servicing, and their perceived failings – just the practical matters – so anyone wanting to buy a new or second hand car has some reliable guidance to help them shorten their short list. The effusive descriptions simply waste space.

We might not buy a car very often, but neither do we buy tvs, washing machines, vacuum cleaners every year and yet we (well I) still welcome the reports.

A Dietary supplement – sounds like a pill. I agree that selling these supplements to the public would both bring in income and maybe widen the Which? message and membership. However, I wonder how self-contained they would have to be to be of use and appeal. One I have by me on “Planning home improvements” did not inspire me as a standalone document. Just as an example, 3 paragraphs on “convert your loft space” gave no information on strengthening joists, required height and area, requirement for fire doors, access….. However, what these guides do is point to relevant topics on the Which? website where the “loft-design” pages are usefully comprehensive. If that model works – if people are prepared to follow the links – then they are useful.

I have been impressed by the replacement of polystyrene with cardboard packaging in a variety of forms during the last two or three years, but maybe it’s not sufficient to rely on manufacturers behaving responsibly. What continues to disappoint me is the use of plastic bags for small parts, where paper would be adequate.