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Latest Articles
Allotment Gardening
Grow all you can eat on your own allotment.
grow your own
20:32, 10th May 2014
Smallholding for Sale in North Devon
Three bedroom detached house in 18 acres for sale - North Devon, UK
smallholding
20:48, 17th Mar 2013
Nettles
Find out more about nettles - how to benefit from them and how to get rid of them
foraging
16:12, 13th Apr 2012
Making Nettle Beer
Find out how to make your nettle beer
recipes
16:10, 13th Apr 2012
How to Make Sloe Gin
Find out how to make your own sloe gin
recipes
14:40, 13th Apr 2012
Grow Your Own Chilli Peppers
Find out how to grow your own chilli peppers
grow your own
13:33, 16th Mar 2012
Home Beekeeping
Find out more about keeping bees in your garden for honey
grow your own
15:40, 4th Jan 2012
Storing Apples
Find out how to store apples
fruits
13:23, 28th Jul 2011
Recycle Aluminium
Recycle aluminium cans and foil to save energy and even earn money
Recycle Aluminium
recycle
Aluminium is obtained from a raw material called bauxite predominantly in Latin and South America, Africa, and Australia. Recent technological improvements have seen the energy cost of producing one tonne of aluminium drop to 15,000 kW, but that is still a hell of a lot of energy on top of which must be added the energy of transporting the metal obtained around the world. Therefore aluminium recycling is extremely important and very easy for everyone to do.
Because of the energy used during extraction of aluminium from bauxite, aluminium is the only commonly used packaging material with a value that exceeds the financial costs of recycling it. To recycle an aluminium can costs only 5% of the energy used to create it in the first place. Aluminium can be recycled many many times without any loss in quality.
Currently in the UK 57% of aluminium used is already recycled, but only 42% of aluminium drinks cans and just 11% of aluminium foil is recycled (stats from International Aluminium Institute). Therefore everyone should get involved in ensuring their aluminium foil and cans end up being recycled and not in landfill.
Collected cans are sent to reprocessors where they are melted down and formed into 25 tonne ingots which can then be taken to rolling mills to be used in manufacturing, or to make more cans and foil.
At present aluminium cans are worth £0.40 / kg, but that price is increasing at the costs of aluminium increase along with other commodities. Around 50 to 60 cans make up one kilogram which is the minimum most aluminium dealers will accept. Aluminium foil should be kept separately as it is made from a different alloy to cans. (Aluminium foil includes take away food packaging, chocolate wrappers, and pie cases etc.) Foil which is found in milk and juice cartons cannot be recycled economically because it is in a laminate with card or plastic.
Article Published: 09:24, 19th Apr 2006
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Start recycling at home and reduce the waste going to landfill
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Build a fence out of old pallets
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Find out about the benefits of a compost tumbler
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Build yourself a shed from used pallets
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Types of Soil
Learn about the different types of soil
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grow your own
John Seymour
John Seymour - The Complete Book of Self Sufficiency
Article Published: 12:44, 6th Apr 2006
books | general
Your Vegetable Plot
Find out more about the ideal vegetable plot
Article Published: 13:12, 8th Jul 2008
vegetables | grow your own
Polytunnel Hot Spot Tape
Find out about the use of anti hot spot tape in polytunnels
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Vintage Cider Apples
Find out more growing your own vintage cider apples
Article Published: 09:57, 4th Mar 2010
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