Yet Another Cycling Forum

General Category => The Knowledge => OT Knowledge => Topic started by: The Family Cyclist on 02 December, 2019, 07:47:03 pm

Title: An eco question
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 02 December, 2019, 07:47:03 pm
Firstly I know that cutting a bit of plastic or a bit of derv is like pissing on a forest fire in the grand scheme of things but I have a question

I like to feed the birds... They get through loads of fat/suet balls. Problem is they come in plastic buckets which aren't sturdy enough to reuse but I don't think recyclable.

I can get boxed ones but it's off that interweb thing. Apparently there is more to it then YACF. Prices are similar so what's better buying a box of day 150 and getting them delivered via courier or buying them in plastic tubs that get chucked away. For the basis of this we can assume I am already at the shops where I buy them so not travelling specially to buy
Title: Re: An eco question
Post by: fuaran on 02 December, 2019, 07:56:11 pm
I've had the same issue. Those plastic buckets can be handy to reuse a few times, though sometimes end up splitting. And there's a limit to how many buckets you need.

Have now found Poundstretcher have fat balls in cardboard boxes. So usually buy those instead. Think they are a bit cheaper as well.
Title: Re: An eco question
Post by: jiberjaber on 02 December, 2019, 08:01:57 pm
Yep - we use the buckets to store bird food, but as noted, you can only have so many buckets of stuff :)
Title: Re: An eco question
Post by: rafletcher on 03 December, 2019, 11:03:01 am
I tend to transfer the sunflower hearts (I buy 30kg at a time) from the bags/sacks they come in into empty plastic buckets, it helps with mouse-proofing the store!

Some buckets get reused as parts washing bowls for greasy bicycle bits. Some as paint "kettles". Some as seed storage from my wife's gardening / seed swaps - again, mouse proof, and generally dry storage.
Title: Re: An eco question
Post by: FifeingEejit on 03 December, 2019, 11:14:45 am
You could make your own and store in a real bucket?

(http://designresearcharchive.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/oor-wullie-1.jpg)
Title: Re: An eco question
Post by: Ham on 03 December, 2019, 03:11:25 pm
When we used to feed the bird population of East London (prior to the arrival of a cat) I used to make my own suet sticks, very easy, more economical and easier to deploy.

Suet/lard from sainsbury/tesco with oats/grain/bulk peanuts/sunflower seeds/cheap dried fruit/whatever. Heat the fat to melt and stir in the gubbins. I used old sealant tubes or bits of drain pipe to set them in, then placed in a feeder. Any issues pushing it out, just warm lightly. Of course it is a bit more faffage than buying, but fun all the same.
Title: Re: An eco question
Post by: ElyDave on 03 December, 2019, 03:16:40 pm
I'm not a lifecycle analysis specialist as such, and tbh I think you'd need to make so many assumptions it'd be meaningless.

Remember, though it has it's own eco-problems, plastics actually locks up quite a bit of carbon, so depending on the provenence of the buckets and their final disposal, there could be a wide range of impacts.  I'm working on one project at the moment that diverts a currently flared gas stream to a PP/PE production plant as an example
Title: Re: An eco question
Post by: hubner on 14 December, 2019, 07:57:51 pm
Yes to making your own but why the need to feed at all?

They can bloody well look for their own food!

I suspect it's more for the benefit of the feeder than the fed.