No, not regarding my waist - but rather my waste. This is Zero Waste Week - and this year, I have been looking much more carefully at how I dispose of my waste, rather than the reduction aspect. After all, a truly ZW lifestyle is a long way off for most of us. I accept that there is inevitably some stuff to be disposed of each week. But how can I be more responsible about that?
The info says "Save Money - Avoid the cost of an estimated 50% of sewer blockages by storing fat until cool enough to go in the bin, rather than pouring it down the sink. Start using your GunkPot today! Functional - It's easy to assume that the warm grease left in a pan after frying bacon or your Sunday roast would be ok to put down the sink and that if you wash it down with hot soapy water it will be fine. The reality is that the fat and grease will quickly cool and solidify, over time building up and blocking the drain or sewer. Using the GunkPot is simple and easy, simply store the fat until cooled and dispose in the waste. Easy to Use - When ready simply ensure all fats, oils and grease have cooled to room temperature before carefully pouring into the GunkPot"
The pot collapses for storage, and its efficient lid twists on and off easily.The package arrived with full instructions plus a useful silicone scraper and a bits-collector for the plughole. In the two weeks since it arrived, I have to say that the most useful part has been the plughole strainer! I have not actually had any cooking where there has been spare fat to scrape away [We've been eating far fewer fried foods recently - Bob is already aware of waist reduction] I know I could use an old margarine tub but this pot is compact, and once emptied, can be easily wiped and washed.
In other news, a bag of winter coats, jumpers, scarves and unworn socks have gone to the homeless and needy families of Bournemouth, and some surplus crafting materials have gone to a friend who's making items for a charity fundraiser. I'll say more about my ZWW results next week.
Since we had our house in France with a septic tank we have been most careful to not put any kind of grease down the sink. It has a fat filter which has to be cleaned and is not a pleasant job as you can imagine. We have avoided doing it too often by routinely wiping away all grease from plates and pans with kitchen roll before washing up. It's a habit we've continued in the UK because it makes sense.
ReplyDeleteApparently "flushable wipes" that aren't really flushable at all are the other culprit for blocked drains and pipes.
People with septic tanks, or living in very old properties with ancient drains tend to be much more careful!
DeleteI admit to saving bacon grease in a glass jar and keeping it in the fridge to use when I fry potatoes for breakfast or make pancakes, etc.
ReplyDeleteWell done on the decluttering of warm clothes and craft supplies. :)
Yes, I agree - saved fats often add extra flavour to the next dish
DeleteMy sink is fitted with a strainer and it's amazing what it catches.
ReplyDeleteI wipe pans with a piece of kitchen roll if they are fatty and the kitchen roll goes in the compost bin where it usefully mixes well with green stuff to turn into compost for the garden.
I did wonder if kitchen roll would compost properly - knowing you, I imagine you use the simple stuff, I wonder if the super-strength rolls have added plastic in them?
DeleteInteresting and useful to know, thank you. To be honest, when I serve up dinner, there's not usually a huge amount of oil that can actually be physically scraped off (I tend to pour it on the meal if any! Oops!)
ReplyDeleteI've also heard about wipes causing fat bergs so I haven't used them for a few years.
I agree with drizzling it over the meal - the key thing is not to add too much extra fat in the first place
DeleteMy mum would use an old cup for any fat drained off from the Sunday meat. We enjoyed bread and dripping butties (sandwiches) during the week. A good northern lass.
ReplyDeleteMy mother [a good Essex girl] adored bread-and-dripping sandwiches too. I never really developed a taste for them. But on Monday washing day, I enjoyed sandwiches made with bread, margarine and SUGAR. I suspect we burned off more calories back then, walking to school etc
DeleteI can't think how many engines I degreased with Gunk! Really effective stuff, and so satisfying to use. Lovely smell, too!
ReplyDeleteOnly you would bother to make a comment like this, darling!!
DeleteI have always kept a jam jar with the lid by the cooker, I drain excess fat into it and once the jar is full it goes into the waste bin. It is the only jar I do not recycle, the rest go in the recycle bin.
ReplyDeleteOne of the ladies I worked for used to pour duck fat down the sink, every 3 months my husband had to rod the drain as it was blocked,they had a cesspit which made it even worse. I tried several times to get her to use the jar method, she would do it for a couple of days and then forget' so the saga started all over again.
Your husband is a Saint to do that for her (and to do it repeatedly too!)
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