The Brent Magazine issue 87 February 2009
A green Valentine
Valentine's Day is a chance not just to be romantic, but also environmentally friendly - here are five top tips.
Read love poems from a library
Library books are free and create no waste.
There are great love poems by Christina Rossetti, Emily Dickinson, and more modern musings by poets such as Philip Larkin. Or read Shakespeare's line that "The course of true love never did run smooth". Brent libraries is running a St Valentine's Day prize draw with a ticket for the draw for anyone who borrows an item on February 14. For more information visit www.brent.gov.uk/libraries
Recycle your roses
Romantic couples will be giving bouquets of flowers or roses to each other to mark Valentine's Day.
Don't let them go to waste; they are easy to recycle. People with a green organics bin can use the flowers to make compost. If you are not covered by the scheme, you can ask for a bio-sack collection. Residents can get a home compost bin at a subsidised rate. For more, visit www.brent.gov.uk/recycling or call 020 8937 5050 or email streetcare@brent.gov.uk
Buy Fairtrade chocolates
Chocolates are a popular gift for Valentine's Day. Brands which carry the Fairtrade mark are helping producers to get a better deal and benefiting their communities.
The Brent Fairtrade Network has a list of shops supplying Fairtrade chocolates and other Fairtrade goods. For more information go to www.brent.gov.uk/fairtrade, or contact 020 8937 5027
Wear a re-used outfit
Any residents who are dressing up for a Valentine's Day meal might want to consider wearing a second-hand vintage dress or suit. Re-used clothes are more sustainable and better for the environment as they involve less waste.
Charities which sell second-hand and vintage clothes include TRAID, in Kilburn High Road, and Oxfam has shops in Kilburn High Road and Wembley High Street.
For more information go to www.traid.org.uk or www.oxfam.org.uk
Recycle your bottles
Two-thirds of what you throw away canbe recycled - including empty bottles of wine or champagne after a romantic evening. It's easy to recycle them in a green recycling box. Don't forget that recycling is compulsory for residents in green box collection areas. You could be fined up to £1,000 if you do not recycle.
To get more information visit www.brent.gov.uk/recycling or call 020 8937 5050 or email streetcare@brent.gov.uk