Speech for PAFA – Plastics & Films Association AGM (May10)
The AGM for the Plastics and Films Association was held at the Dorchester Hotel. I was the key note speaker following David Bebee the PAFA Chairman. With some challenges for the plastics industry, I concluded with a poem about plastic bags. See my blog by clicking here. “Everyone I have spoken to has commented on […]
M&S Suppliers Conference on Plan A (Mar10)
M&S suppliers came to be briefed on the M&S‘s groundbreaking Plan A initiative. Sir Stuart Rose announced that M&S planned to be the world’s most sustainable retailer by 2015. I was asked to talk to packaging suppliers about key issues for them. One particular them I covered in my presentation was the switch in emphasis […]
Joining Waste Watch Board (Feb10)
Recruited by Stewart Crocker, the executive director of Waste Watch, my first board meeting was early in February 2010. It’s a really exciting time to be a part of this organisation as it’s revising its strategy putting less emphasis on recycling and more on reducing the amount we consume. I think we should be making […]
Julia Hailes on recycling plastic bags (Jan10)
Jonathon Vernon-Smith, from BBC 3 Counties, rants to Julia Hailes about why he doesn’t like being made to feel guilty about using lots of plastic bags. Julia robustly responds and the debate is followed by a phone-in! This was aired on his lunch-time programme in January 2010.
BBC 3 Counties Radio – plastic bag rant from presenter (Jan10)
Jonathan Vernon Smith from BBC 3 Counties Radio rants to Julia about why he doesn’t thing people should be charged for plastic bags. Julia gives a robust response and explains that he shouldn’t be complaining about something so trivial. [embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4C0WkuoiZs&&width=200&height=125[/embedyt]
Recycling plastic mountains (Nov09)
Omer Kutluoglu – Plastics recycling entrepreneur In the UK we throw away mountains of plastic waste and use lots of plywood. Apart from a small amount of plastic bottles and an even smaller number of plastic bags, pretty well all the rest of our plastic debris is discarded, never to be used again. Omer Kutluoglu, […]
Somerset Waste Partnership (Nov09)
“Julia brings a fresh and challenging perspective to the issue of packaging. She’s keen to puncture the myths and misconceptions consumers have about packaging but she doesn’t let the retailers off the hook. Not afraid to be controversial, Julia’s presentation got people talking at a higher level” Steve Read, MD, Somerset Waste Partnership (Nov09) “Meeting […]
Water refill stations are coming (Oct09)
I generally carry a water bottle around with me when I’m travelling. It saves on buying bottled water on the move. Anyone who has read previous blogs of mine will know that I’m not a great fan of bottled water – lots of energy used in transport, packaging, waste etc… However, according to the Guardian, […]
Bottled water – Eau de Vie or ‘Eau de tap’ (Jul09)
I was invited to eat a ‘Water-Rich Menu’ at Quo Vadis in Soho. The host was Nicholas Stanley, Managing Director of Eau de Vie. Although his new enterprise is all about water, he seemed quite surprised when I – and a number of the other guests – declined the champagne in favour of water. But […]
Generation Green visit recycling plant (Jun09)
I was impressed by the passion, enthusiasm and knowledge of many of the children who are participating in the Generation Green youth think tank, sponsored by British Gas. Age 7-14 we met at Dagenham docks to have a look around the Closed Loop recycling plant. They were told all about recycling plastic bottles and were […]
Regifting – eek (May09)
Photo: A rather well-wrapped present… I don’t just recycled my rubbish, I recycle presents too. I’ve recently discovered that this is called ‘regifting’. Apparently this is an American phrase and I learnt it from my sister-in-law, who comes from the state of Washington but is now living in Devon. If I get a present that […]
Yo Sushi is Wasteful (Dec08)
It’s a shame there’s not a Yo Sushi at Waterloo because that’s my regular train station and I’m a fan. If I’m going through Paddington I often perch on one of their stools and help myself to something exciting from the conveyor belt – and at airports too. If you’re interested, it’s not too difficult […]