How it all began…

Just over two years ago, my family and our neighbours began to transform our shared alleyway. At the time, it was a rubbish-strewn wilderness, used only for the storage of our communal bins. Now it is a community garden in which we are growing flowers and shrubs, trees, fruit, vegetables and herbs. Given our limited resources and our desire to improve the environment globally as well as locally, recycling has been an important part of the project.

Minted bathtubs

The simplest way to recycle in a project of this kind is by reusing containers, many of which may originally have been designed for quite a different purpose. Perhaps our most unusual containers are our four baths, which were otherwise destined for landfill when their previous owners redecorated their bathrooms. Baths make sizeable planters for shrubs or small trees, though one of ours is entirely full of peppermint. This does at least mean we can make mint choc chip ice cream, mojitos, peppermint tea and mint sauce all on the same day – and still not run short!

Don’t throw, grow!

Wheelie bins also make two good-sized planters when cut in half horizontally with a reciprocating saw. Of course, this only makes sense if the wheelie bin is no longer needed, as was the case when our area converted to using communal bins. The top half of the bin can be made to hold compost if you line the base with old compost bags. Due to other changes in the recycling system we also ended up with some large plastic recycling boxes and a surplus food recycling bin, all of which we are now using for container growing. In order to turn these various bins and boxes into planters, the only thing we needed to do was to clean them and drill a few drainage holes in the bottom of each, so that the plants would not get waterlogged. The plug hole seems to provide sufficient drainage for the baths.

Repurpose it

Many of our more unusual planters have been given to us by people decluttering or salvaged from the bins, often when student tenants move out. We are using mop buckets, kitchen bins, mugs, a cutlery drainer, plastic crates and even a child’s pull-along dinosaur trolley! Old food containers such as plastic milk bottles can also be upcycled into mini hanging baskets and we also have plants growing in industrial size mango chutney containers!

Greening our alleyway has really changed the way I look at people’s discarded belongings. Some strange objects end up in our communal bins, but these days I see their potential. Metalwork gates and bed headboards have become trellises for plants to grow up; nesting tables are used to raise small pots to a convenient level, and keep young plants further from slugs and snails; an old blackboard was repurposed to record alleyway wildlife sitings and an old cupboard became a pot store.

Upcycle it

Upcycling projects can be as simple or as elaborate as you want them to be. Reclaimed bricks and wood can be used to build raised beds. My husband Mike has been inspired to create a mini pond out of an old whisky barrel, using reclaimed roof tiles to build a tiny waterfall. (We had to buy the barrel…unfortunately whisky barrels don’t routinely end up in our communal bins!) He has also made a bird bath out of a standard lamp and has built a green roof using slats from a discarded futon. The waterproof layer is made from an inflatable bed which was damaged beyond repair.

How to start your own alleyway project

If you’re interested in setting up your own alleyway project, the first thing to do is start talking about it! If you know your neighbours, ask them to get involved. If not, decide on a day to start work and post a note through all your neighbours’ doors, encouraging them to join in.

We have found WhatsApp to be the most effective way to keep in touch, so maybe include a phone number in your note and set up a WhatsApp group. It’s also a good idea to look for help a little further afield.

In our area of Moss Side we’re lucky enough to have a local network of green alleyways, which means it’s easy to borrow tools and share expertise, as well as passing on plants and unwanted materials. It’s also worth chatting to friends and family about the project.

We’ve had really generous support from all sorts of people who have given time to help us with clearing or gardening, or who have donated plants from their own gardens, as well as garden supplies and all sorts of oddities that can be turned into planters. You might even inspire someone else to start their own community garden!

With the rise of people choosing to pass on plastic, the range of more sustainable disposable items has sky rocketed. As a result, we are getting lots of people asking whether compostable coffee cups, straws and cutlery can go in the food and garden bin.

Unfortunately, the answer is no. No matter what’s on the label, compostable or biodegradable cups, straws and plates can’t go in your food and garden bin. And here’s why.

First of all, let’s clear something up. Biodegradable and compostable do not mean the same thing.

The terms biodegradable and compostable are sometimes used interchangeably but they actually mean very different things. Let’s look at the dictionary definitions.

biodegradable
adjective
1. A substance or object capable of being decomposed by bacteria or other living organisms

compostable
adjective
1. Something that can be used as compost when it decays

This means that biodegradable items can break down within the environment with the help of bacteria or other living organisms. But this doesn’t necessarily mean it’s good for the planet. For example, some plastic bags can biodegrade into tiny pieces in around 20 years but they are still harmful to the environment.

Meanwhile, if something is compostable, it means it is made of organic matter and it can completely break down to make nutrient rich compost.

So if all these things say they are compostable, why can’t I recycle them in my food and garden bin?

They may be made from natural materials, and therefore compostable, but compostable coffee cups take years to breakdown whilst food and garden waste only takes six weeks at a In Vessel Composting facility.

The only thing you can put in your food and garden bin (aside from food and garden waste) are compostable food bags with the EN13432 seedling logo on which are used to line the kitchen food caddy. These bags are made from potato starch so break down at the same rate as food and garden waste. This also includes Co-op’s new compostable carrier bags which are being rolled out across Greater Manchester.

So if it’s not food or garden waste, it belongs in your general waste bin.

What’s the solution?

Ditch single use items and choose reusable alternatives. There are so many reusable coffee cups and straws available now. Lots of coffee shops with give you a discount when you take your own cup in too! Why not put a set of cutlery in your bag so you can say no to single use forks? Check out our blog post on reusable items for more great ideas.

Stamps

You’ve got mail! Used stamps from cards and parcels can be donated to some charities such as Macmillan Cancer Support, RNIB and Oxfam.  Just tear them off the envelope and start collecting!

Electrical items

If you have electrical items still in good reusable condition, whether it’s a toaster, a hairdryer or a lamp, you can donate them to some charity shops. If you have a broken electrical item why not see if you can get it repaired before replacing? Find a repair cafe near you. Or if it’s beyond repair, take it to your local Recycling Centre – never put electrical items in the bin!

Pens

We all have a surplus of pens scattered here, there and everywhere around the house but when we really need one we can never find one. If you have one too many pens or other stationery you can donate them to some charities and education projects.

Make up and toiletries

If you have any unused makeup or toiletry gift sets from Christmas and birthdays you can donate them to Elle for Elle which will help women and children in refuge accommodations. There are six drop off points in Greater Manchester.

Hazel from Emmaus Mossley explains why shopping second hand this Christmas is the way to go.

If you’re here and reading this guest blog then you’re sure to know some of the benefits of shopping second hand and reducing your consumption of new products. I want to share with you some of the wider benefits of shopping second hand, and also give you some food for thought in your preparations for this Christmas.

Spend less, waste less

Depending on how you do it, shopping for Christmas – whether it’s decorations, gifts, presents or even food shopping – can become stressful and may cause you guilty feelings as a result of consumption, waste and the big impact on our planet. The climate emergency is causing anxiety for a lot of people and, as a society, there are many issues around how we shop and consume products generally, not least at Christmas.

By choosing to shop second hand first, you are making a conscious decision to support the environment. Your purchases will keep items in use for longer, reduce waste and limit the consumption of fresh resources. The second big benefit of shopping second hand is price. You can bag some fantastic bargains at prices much lower than when they were new, despite little, if any, difference to their quality and function.

The range of pre-loved items available is another reason why you may choose to shop second hand. How else could you find some unique retro baubles or that original first-edition book as a gift for a family member? There are so many places to source fantastic second hand items – whether it be online places such as eBay, Depop or Facebook marketplace, or more traditional outlets such as vintage emporiums, antique stores and my area of expertise, charity shops.

In my role of Retail Manager at the Emmaus Mossley Secondhand Superstore, over recent years I have seen how people from all walks of life have embraced second hand at Christmas time. You really can source a pre-loved Christmas tree, decorations, lights, cards, presents, secret Santa gifts, stocking fillers and vouchers all from charity shops.

Make your pound do more

Greater Manchester is blessed with so many fantastic charity stores dotted across our city region. When you purchase pre-loved items from these shops, you’re not only keeping items in use for longer, you’re also helping to fund charitable work across all areas of society. Whether it’s homelessness, support for children, help for older people or animal welfare, combating health issues or some other local cause, a pound spent in a charity shop is a pound well spent.

Here at Emmaus Mossley we support 26 formerly homeless people by providing them with a home, work, training and individual support. All of the funds raised in our Secondhand Superstore goes to support formerly homeless people at the Emmaus Mossley community. We are possibly one of only a few charity shops where the people serving you are the direct beneficiaries of your purchases.

Of course, in the run-up to this Christmas I would love for you to shop with Emmaus Mossley but equally, I’d encourage you to shop second hand and support your local charity shops too. Visit the Charity Retail Association website to find a list of charity shops in your area. Another benefit of shopping second hand from charity shops is that you’re shopping local – reducing emissions from the delivery miles of new products produced in all corners of the globe.

Despite the second lockdown, there are still many ways you can shop secondhand and support your local charities. Check out if they are selling online and, if they offer gift vouchers, purchase some for when charity shops can reopen.

Our Christmas sale plans

This year, more than others, we know that many people and households may be cutting back on what they usually spend in the run up to Christmas. We want to help everyone get sorted for Christmas without breaking the bank.

In order to minimise risk and not attract a large number of people on a single day, we decided not to have our usual big Christmas launch event. Instead, our original plans were to spread the Christmas sale over multiple weeks, but news of the second lockdown put pay to that.

We now plan to sell much more via our online channels and our eBay Charity Store, offering both delivery and a click and collect service. We know that both Emmaus Bolton and Emmaus Salford are also planning to sell more online during the next few weeks and no doubt many other charity shops too.

Despite all that is going on in the world I do hope you have a good Christmas. If you’d like to find out more and support Emmaus Mossley, please visit our website and call in to our Secondhand Superstore when we’re allowed to reopen.