Spring this year being warmer than normal you would expect that the high insect levels would be enough to satisfy even the hungriest of breading wild birds. But slim pickings of wild bird food off the land mean breeding birds need all the help we can give if their young hatchlings are to survive.
Modern farming techniques coupled with increased use of pesticides has significantly reduced the insect levels here in the UK. It is our demand for the quantity and perfect looking fruit and vegetables that has contributed to this increase in pesticides and crop spraying.
Hotter weather, most of us welcome it, but these dry spells really do harden the ground making it difficult for the breeding wild birds such as tits and chaffinches to source food such as worms and grubs for their young.
Feeding Wild Birds is Rewarding.
A great deal of fun can be had from feeding wild birds at any time of the year, feeding wild birds during breeding season is also important. Warmer weather does mean you will need to keep on top of the hygiene, ensure the feeder and the bird table are cleaned regularly as the wild bird food will go off and whilst insects may be good for the birds not many people would want them infesting their gardens.
Not only is live bird food one of the best sources of protein for the hatchlings and mothers, choosing a live bird food makes for entertaining viewing, watching the food wriggle around and see the birds trying to pick it up, just remember to use a live bird food feeder or your bird food will wriggle away before the birds get a look in. Live foods such as mealworms are the popular choice of live bird food, made up of over 48% protein and 40% fat and have a high percentage of moisture which is vital for hatchlings and nestlings.
If you wish to help the wild birds in your area during breeding time but don’t fancy the idea of handling live mealworms, fear not modern technology comes to the rescue in the form of dried mealworms, these freeze dried mealworms offer the same levels of protein and fats but in a less messy package. A tip when using dried mealworms during breeding season would be to soak them in a little water to help the hatchlings digest them easier.
Friday, 20 May 2011
Tuesday, 17 May 2011
The Wheelie Bin Lifecycle
Wheelie bins first started to appear on our streets in the early 80’s their introduction came about due to health and safety legislation updates to protect refuse collectors from carrying the old heavy metal dustbins and to also improve exposure to the actual household waste we throw away.
The standard two wheeled rubbish bins we use at home here in the UK do vary in size and colour dependent on which local authority you live under, however the simple design remains the same.
Wheelie bins are manufactured out of plastic using a process known as injection moulding, the body and head will be formed using separate moulds, the axle will be made of metal and rubber wheels attached to either end, lastly some form of hinge will be required to fasten the lid to the body and allow opening.
Not all wheelie bins are the same, UK and European made wheelie bins are usually higher quality that of those manufactured in China, UK/EU bins will be certified and tested to EN840 standards to ensure safety and quality, another longevity feature that quality wheelie bins have is ultraviolet protection which will help protect the plastic from going brittle.
Old or Broken Wheelie Bins
Ever wondered what happens to your old worn out or damaged wheelie bin, you haven’t? Okay well read on if you would like to know.
Most old or damaged wheelie bins find themselves at local council depots or waste management companies were they are stripped of their wheels and stacked awaiting collection by the plastic recycling companies.
Once the wheelie bins have been collected by the plastic recycling companies they are thoroughly cleaned and all traces of rubbish removed from the inside, they are then loaded into large hoppers which feed into the plastic shredders, from here the regrind plastic is laboratory tested, graded and approved.
Regrind plastic is often supplied and used as part of a production run mix with new plastic or further processed into a recycled compound by melting the clean granulated plastic and extruding in the form of pellets ready to be used to manufacture another batch of wheelie bins
The standard two wheeled rubbish bins we use at home here in the UK do vary in size and colour dependent on which local authority you live under, however the simple design remains the same.
Wheelie bins are manufactured out of plastic using a process known as injection moulding, the body and head will be formed using separate moulds, the axle will be made of metal and rubber wheels attached to either end, lastly some form of hinge will be required to fasten the lid to the body and allow opening.
Not all wheelie bins are the same, UK and European made wheelie bins are usually higher quality that of those manufactured in China, UK/EU bins will be certified and tested to EN840 standards to ensure safety and quality, another longevity feature that quality wheelie bins have is ultraviolet protection which will help protect the plastic from going brittle.
Old or Broken Wheelie Bins
Ever wondered what happens to your old worn out or damaged wheelie bin, you haven’t? Okay well read on if you would like to know.
Most old or damaged wheelie bins find themselves at local council depots or waste management companies were they are stripped of their wheels and stacked awaiting collection by the plastic recycling companies.
Once the wheelie bins have been collected by the plastic recycling companies they are thoroughly cleaned and all traces of rubbish removed from the inside, they are then loaded into large hoppers which feed into the plastic shredders, from here the regrind plastic is laboratory tested, graded and approved.
Regrind plastic is often supplied and used as part of a production run mix with new plastic or further processed into a recycled compound by melting the clean granulated plastic and extruding in the form of pellets ready to be used to manufacture another batch of wheelie bins
Wednesday, 11 May 2011
Affordable Housing in Peterborough
Larkfleet Group and L&H Homes provide much needed affordable housing in Peterborough
Larkfleet Group, in partnership with Longhurst & Havelok Homes, has finished work on 42 new affordable homes in the centre of Peterborough.
The affordable development includes sixteen two-bedroom houses, eight three-bedroom houses and two blocks of nine two-bedroom flats.
Thirty-three of the properties are now available at affordable rent and nine of the homes are available as Rent to Homebuy from L&H Homes.
The completion of the development, located on land behind South View Road and Lincoln Road, is good news for many local people who will be able to rent a high quality property at an affordable price.
Despite meeting a need for affordable housing, recent public expenditure cuts have meant the number of developments like this is diminishing, making the amount of affordable housing available fall far short of the demand.
Mel Baker, project manager on behalf of L&H Homes, commented: "I am delighted that the development is complete. I would like to thank all partners involved, especially Peterborough City Council for their support in a long protracted fundings build process. The properties are of a good build standard and L&H Homes will now be able to offer a range of energy efficient and innovative homes to meet affordable housing needs in the area."
Karl Hick, managing director of Larkfleet Group, commented: "This development makes effective use of the land available and will provide much needed affordable housing for local people. The environmentally friendly design will be a great asset to the properties and will save occupiers money on fuel bills.
"Unfortunately, affordable developments like this may not be available in the future due to public spending cuts. There is simply not the capital to provide as many affordable properties and those in need of affordable housing will not be able to benefit in the same way as residents of this development.
"Central and local government must urgently consider how we can avoid creating a situation where many people will simply not be able to have a decent home."
All properties are built to Level 3 of the Code for Sustainable Homes. The high environmental standards highlight the commitments of L&H Homes and Larkfleet Group creating affordable, well-built and energy-efficient homes.
The timber frame construction method that was used on the development is an efficient way of building that allows for quicker construction times. Timber frames for the homes were supplied and erected by Kestrel Timber Frame (www.kestreltimberframe.co.uk), based in nearby Market Deeping, Lincolnshire.
If you are still yet to decide on buying your new home or would like to take advantage of a selection of schemes to help you buy your first home or you are looking to move up the property ladder then Larkfleet Homes who have several developments in and around Lincolnshire, Cambridgeshire and Rutland have a wide range of award winning new homes
Larkfleet Group, in partnership with Longhurst & Havelok Homes, has finished work on 42 new affordable homes in the centre of Peterborough.
The affordable development includes sixteen two-bedroom houses, eight three-bedroom houses and two blocks of nine two-bedroom flats.
Thirty-three of the properties are now available at affordable rent and nine of the homes are available as Rent to Homebuy from L&H Homes.
The completion of the development, located on land behind South View Road and Lincoln Road, is good news for many local people who will be able to rent a high quality property at an affordable price.
Despite meeting a need for affordable housing, recent public expenditure cuts have meant the number of developments like this is diminishing, making the amount of affordable housing available fall far short of the demand.
Mel Baker, project manager on behalf of L&H Homes, commented: "I am delighted that the development is complete. I would like to thank all partners involved, especially Peterborough City Council for their support in a long protracted fundings build process. The properties are of a good build standard and L&H Homes will now be able to offer a range of energy efficient and innovative homes to meet affordable housing needs in the area."
Karl Hick, managing director of Larkfleet Group, commented: "This development makes effective use of the land available and will provide much needed affordable housing for local people. The environmentally friendly design will be a great asset to the properties and will save occupiers money on fuel bills.
"Unfortunately, affordable developments like this may not be available in the future due to public spending cuts. There is simply not the capital to provide as many affordable properties and those in need of affordable housing will not be able to benefit in the same way as residents of this development.
"Central and local government must urgently consider how we can avoid creating a situation where many people will simply not be able to have a decent home."
All properties are built to Level 3 of the Code for Sustainable Homes. The high environmental standards highlight the commitments of L&H Homes and Larkfleet Group creating affordable, well-built and energy-efficient homes.
The timber frame construction method that was used on the development is an efficient way of building that allows for quicker construction times. Timber frames for the homes were supplied and erected by Kestrel Timber Frame (www.kestreltimberframe.co.uk), based in nearby Market Deeping, Lincolnshire.
If you are still yet to decide on buying your new home or would like to take advantage of a selection of schemes to help you buy your first home or you are looking to move up the property ladder then Larkfleet Homes who have several developments in and around Lincolnshire, Cambridgeshire and Rutland have a wide range of award winning new homes
Tuesday, 10 May 2011
Why Use Recycled Plastic in Manufacturing
Many plastic manufacturers have already recognised the cost savings that can be made by adding a % of recycled or regrind plastic to their mix, be this injection or extrusion manufacturing processes the cost savings can be huge especially when a volume run is planned. Considering the cost based on similar grade a regrind plastic will come in at less than half the price of new plastic, even fully recycled plastic whilst slightly more expensive than regrind will still be substantially cheaper than new plastic material. Savings made will naturally vary based on the type of plastic you are using and to what degree you are able to mix.
Of course there are the added benefits to the environment which all manufactures can promote, and any reduction in consumption of new raw materials can only be good for the environment but as an added benefit to a manufacturer who uses recycled plastic will be the marketing message this sends out to their customers, surely this will only help boost sales and profits even further.
Sending out the right message, by using recycled plastics or any other recycled product for that matter shows that the manufacturer has a forward thinking and positive attitude to not only the environment but also to their local community, again all positive votes for your business and brand which will all lead to long term business growth. So what you waiting for, start making savings and do your part to reduce the drain on natural resources today.
Regrind or Recycled?
Reground plastic is much cheaper than recycled plastic in pellet form, due to the lower amount of work involved, basically the old plastic type would need to be identified either by using the a Plastic Identification Codes – or PIC code or by sampling and testing in a laboratory identify it’s type and flow rates before washing to remove debris and labels then finally feeding into a large hopper and running through a shredding or grinding machine, once this is all complete the regrind plastic is bagged and weighed.
Recycled plastic has to undergo further processes to be ready for use in manufacturing, such as melting the clean reground plastic and extruding in to the form of pellets.
To sum up, if you are involved in plastic manufacturing and are considering using recycled material then the benefits are three fold,
• Cheaper
• More Profit
• Environmental Friendly
CK Polymers offer a selection of plastic recycling services and distribute a wide range of rGrade plastic raw materials to compounding and moulding companies across the globe. We are always looking for new
Of course there are the added benefits to the environment which all manufactures can promote, and any reduction in consumption of new raw materials can only be good for the environment but as an added benefit to a manufacturer who uses recycled plastic will be the marketing message this sends out to their customers, surely this will only help boost sales and profits even further.
Sending out the right message, by using recycled plastics or any other recycled product for that matter shows that the manufacturer has a forward thinking and positive attitude to not only the environment but also to their local community, again all positive votes for your business and brand which will all lead to long term business growth. So what you waiting for, start making savings and do your part to reduce the drain on natural resources today.
Regrind or Recycled?
Reground plastic is much cheaper than recycled plastic in pellet form, due to the lower amount of work involved, basically the old plastic type would need to be identified either by using the a Plastic Identification Codes – or PIC code or by sampling and testing in a laboratory identify it’s type and flow rates before washing to remove debris and labels then finally feeding into a large hopper and running through a shredding or grinding machine, once this is all complete the regrind plastic is bagged and weighed.
Recycled plastic has to undergo further processes to be ready for use in manufacturing, such as melting the clean reground plastic and extruding in to the form of pellets.
To sum up, if you are involved in plastic manufacturing and are considering using recycled material then the benefits are three fold,
• Cheaper
• More Profit
• Environmental Friendly
CK Polymers offer a selection of plastic recycling services and distribute a wide range of rGrade plastic raw materials to compounding and moulding companies across the globe. We are always looking for new
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