What have you done for the Environment Today?

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TeeDee

Full Member
Nov 6, 2008
10,498
3,701
50
Exeter
That looks awesome! Any chance of a how to?

For the 'base' you can either go super crispy burnt Toast or make a Hard Tack :-


I use a homemade nut butter for the main bulk which is obviously mixed with some colouring agents. - I've colour shaded it to go from light at the top to darker at the bottom.

The rest is food stuffs , bird foods picked up and separated for the decorations - the tinsel bows are made from super fine budgie seeds just cast over the edge of a saucer.

Half cut ( not drunk ) Fresh cranberries for the Orbs.

Diamonds of Lemon peel.

The 'bark' at the bottom of the tree is Pecans.

Just various things.
 
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grizzlyj

Full Member
Nov 10, 2016
181
126
NW UK
Finally found a semi decent solution for storage of fish when I'm going fishing. Normally what happens is this: I catch the fish, have to put them in a plastic bag to clean later, or if I'm lucky to be at the coast on the kayak clean them whilst a float, then bag them on shore. Either way I get a placky bag very mucky and it ends up in the bin rather than reused. Today I visited a dairy that made there own ice cream, and outside they had a bunch of plastic tubs, large grey ones with lids, very heavy duty and free to be good home. Probably 45-50cm long. So I snagged a couple. They will be plenty big enough for even the largest whole mackerel, and and should happily fit the largest of any fillets from fish that I happen to catch. If I get a fillet too big, I'll be a very happy man!
I bought some second hand plastic 5l mayo tubs off fleabay which were maybe a quid each? They would do as good a job perhaps for fish, cafes and restaurants may have armfulls of the like. Nicely fitting lids securely clip on although not air tight which is weird. Recently cut holes in the top of one as a collection bucket at a community Xmas thing, handles allow easy use for harvesting, not a bad bucket for earth, mortar etc.
 
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Paul_B

Bushcrafter through and through
Jul 14, 2008
6,186
1,557
Cumbria
A kayaking friend was walking round the back of a Indian restaurant when he saw them throwing out those big, blue bdf barrels canoeists and rafters use. He asked and left with two large barrels. Apparently mango pickles and other things get imported in them and then get thrown away. It did take him a very long time to lose the smell in them though. Mind you, it was only to store wet canoeing clobber when in the car.
 
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henchy3rd

Settler
Apr 16, 2012
611
423
Derby
A kayaking friend was walking round the back of a Indian restaurant when he saw them throwing out those big, blue bdf barrels canoeists and rafters use. He asked and left with two large barrels. Apparently mango pickles and other things get imported in them and then get thrown away. It did take him a very long time to lose the smell in them though. Mind you, it was only to store wet canoeing clobber when in the car.
Their really handy for canoe trips..I have a black screw lid one which I got for free,they can be a pain in the rear to get off..especially with cold hands.
So I opted for the blue clamp lid one, much easier to open & more water tight, it’s a bit bigger too.
 

henchy3rd

Settler
Apr 16, 2012
611
423
Derby
I wear a wool jumper & maybe a fleece jacket instead of lighting my stove when it gets chilly & damping it right down to save burn time.
Saves burning fossil fuels, helps our precious environment & saves me a bit of cash.
 

henchy3rd

Settler
Apr 16, 2012
611
423
Derby
Our Village Reading Room (similar to a Village Hall but set up for the peasants to get self educated and still with books to read or buy) has an agreement with the Council.
Committee members can get special refuse bags that are not counted in our rationed domestic rubbish bags and members pick up roadside rubbish on their daily walks...
On my walk today I found no rubbish (1 mile circuit of the village) but took time to appreciate the environment I live and play in...
View attachment 58966View attachment 58967View attachment 58968
Not great shots of the Woodpecker - but my point and shoot camera was at max range.
I then had to go and do the weekly shop and totally lost the calm vibe the walk had given me!
Definitely a Great spotted woodpecker.
 

TeeDee

Full Member
Nov 6, 2008
10,498
3,701
50
Exeter
Just finished planting in 18 various Fern plants ( Lidl had a boat load in last week )

After my initial investigation into potentially getting some Fern Spore and planting that way I learned that , weirdly , Ferns are actually quite difficult to grow and not as easy as I had assumed. They are a bit of a precious little thing to get off the ground.
 

Broch

Life Member
Jan 18, 2009
8,063
7,854
Mid Wales
www.mont-hmg.co.uk
Just finished planting in 18 various Fern plants ( Lidl had a boat load in last week )

After my initial investigation into potentially getting some Fern Spore and planting that way I learned that , weirdly , Ferns are actually quite difficult to grow and not as easy as I had assumed. They are a bit of a precious little thing to get off the ground.

Tell that to the Bracken :)

If your interest grows I can recommend this book:

ferns book.jpg
 
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Broch

Life Member
Jan 18, 2009
8,063
7,854
Mid Wales
www.mont-hmg.co.uk
No, the included clubmosses are not actually mosses :)

The whole subject of mosses would take up another volume! There are over 1,000 bryophyte species (mosses and liverworts) in the UK; there are 30 species of Sphagnum Moss!
 
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