Forum Topic

Whatever happened to the "Donate" section of Greenredeem?

Along with a lot of other people in the borough, for a while I collected points for confirming whether I had recycled or not, and for answering quizzes or viewing short films on recycling. Up until last summer I used to donate the points I'd collected to local good causes. Then suddenly that possibility disappeared from the website. I complained on Greenredeem's Facebook page last October and it took them until February to respond that "we’re actually in the process of consulting with some of our members on a donations scheme that could be available all year round, so watch this space". I've watched and nothing has appeared since.For me the whole point of collecting points was to help fund local projects - the Radbourne Walk, for example, amongst others. I've not stopped recycling because the donations scheme seems to have been scrapped, but the local discounts or a free coffee provide me with zero incentives to register each week. A shame, because donations were a great idea. There are plenty of worthwhile local projects and charities that need all the financial help they can get.

Susan Rowe ● 3261d24 Comments

I don't think we have - Mr Right-wing-I-know-it-all-better cannot find any poison to spread, what a shame...

Urs Esser ● 3235d

Leftie liberals are so predictable! Just blame the Daily Mail , as yet again you the liberal elite have lost the argument!

Dennis Brogan ● 3236d

It is exactly THE plastic bottle in Ealing - we have to lead by (good) example in the hope that others will follow suit and/or at least we do not make matters even worse by dropping our own standards.Surely, if a neighbour abuses their spouse or kid, this does not mean you should do the same.Please keep recycling your copies of the Daily Mail and Express - that way they do not cause any further harm.

Urs Esser ● 3237d

I would rather that you heard first hand the views of a foreign correspondent.  There are lots of different newspapers and TV stations and it is better that your attention is drawn to SOME of the articles in/on them rather than me paraphrasing them for you.If you can't be bothered then that is your problem - not mine.

Philippa Bond ● 3238d

Philippa I get my opinions from TV ,Radio ,Newspapers,friends etc . My opinion is based on all of these and I feel I am intelligent enough to agree /disagree with all of these . You will never see me directing you to a website of someone else's views!

Dennis Brogan ● 3238d

Don't be daft Dennis.  A forum is for what we use it for and directing people to articles describing life from outside our own little bubbles is part of that. Do you listen to the radio and watch television and talk about programmes you've heard/seen with other people?

Philippa Bond ● 3243d

Do you have an opinion , or are you happy to redirect us to someone else's opinion? A forum is for intelligent people to offer their views , not unintelligent people who cannot offer their views , but offer an article from another persons views!

Dennis Brogan ● 3243d

http://myzerowaste.com/2017/04/what-actions-can-chinas-citizens-take-to-curb-pollution/

Philippa Bond ● 3244d

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/aug/24/kiribati-president-says-australias-loyalty-to-coalmines-selfish-and-unjust

Philippa Bond ● 3244d

USA is almost 20 percent . Lobbying these countries is the key , not a plastic bottle in Ealing !

Dennis Brogan ● 3245d

So China getting very fussy over what is imported and putting up their "green fence" is ignoring everything?  That should have been a big wake-up call for us that we can't just dump anything we don't want over there and expect them to deal with it.  A lot of factories stopped work during the Olympics to reduce the pollution.

Philippa Bond ● 3245d

Recycling a plastic bottle in Ealing  is a joke when the 2 above continents continue to ignore anything green !

Dennis Brogan ● 3246d

Recycling a plastic bottle in Ealing  is a joke when the 2 above continents continue to ignore anything green !

Dennis Brogan ● 3246d

https://www.greenredeem.co.uk/pwpcontrol.php?pwpID=10868

Philippa Bond ● 3246d

Well done for getting further with this.I did try clicking on the code that Graham Weeks was complaining about and came to the conclusion that the allocation must have run out.The only time I really decided on something that I wanted to get with my points I didn't have the time to sit down and organise it.  (I thought I'd get a Green Johanna or similar.)  There was more gardening stuff on there maybe still is but it didn't include composters and things like that.I'd still prefer a school garden to support or something like that - but not even any school projects.Greenredeem do have reverse-vending machines where you put your empty cans and bottles and there is one at Hanwell Community Centre I understand - but I don't fancy going there to find out. I think that they may have been trying to market these.  A smartphone is involved in reading a code and then the points for recycling on-the-go are added to your points total..  I don't have a smartphone but many have.

Philippa Bond ● 3246d

Well done for getting further with this.I did try clicking on the code that Graham Weeks was complaining about and came to the conclusion that the allocation must have run out.The only time I really decided on something that I wanted to get with my points I didn't have the time to sit down and organise it.  (I thought I'd get a Green Johanna or similar.)  There was more gardening stuff on there maybe still is but it didn't include composters and things like that.I'd still prefer a school garden to support or something like that - but not even any school projects.Greenredeem do have reverse-vending machines where you put your empty cans and bottles and there is one at Hanwell Community Centre I understand - but I don't fancy going there to find out. I think that they may have been trying to market these.  A smartphone is involved in reading a code and then the points for recycling on-the-go are added to your points total..  I don't have a smartphone but many have.

Philippa Bond ● 3246d

Well I've now had a response from Greenredeem. Apparently their contract with Ealing Council has expired, so no more local charity funding for the foreseeable future. "We'd like to be able to offer this too, but our contract with Ealing Council ended earlier in the year. We're currently seeking a new partner for the scheme, who may be able to provided the resources to allow us to open this part of the scheme up again." I'm not holding my breath - evidently the government funding for the project has come to an end and Greenredeem are no longer able to get enough site sponsors to cover profits and any additional costs. Greenredeem is a wholly owned, "autonomous" subsidiary of the privately owned, waste management company Grundon, which owns the Colnbrook waste site. At a guess, Greenredeem was set up as a marketing tool for Grundon, to take advantage of government funding for projects that aimed to increase recycling.

Susan Rowe ● 3254d

How would you encourage those that still don't recycle or recycle properly to do so.  Carrot or stick?  Or both?Council funds have been reduced by Government.  People need to be more proactive themselves in learning to manage their food buying, cooking and keeping so as to help themselves and make less waste and save money for themselves and the Councils (saving Council Tax in waste disposal).  It has been harder without cookery lessons in schools and with so many different types of cooker.  The more you buy the harder the management of it is.  Fresh food is also better - fresh!  www.lovefoodhatewaste.com helps with portion sizes and leftovers recipes, food storecupboard essentials, best storage and more.  Sometimes just a new idea makes all the difference - like freezing half of that big loaf of bread to toast straight from the freezer.

Philippa Bond ● 3254d

Where did I say that?  And how would you know anyway?

Philippa Bond ● 3260d

So are you suggesting that nobody is accountable if this proves to have been a monumental waste of money?

Helena Cavanagh ● 3260d

I think you will find that it was a grant. That is how it seems to work nowadays.  You have to go with a begging bowl and a good story to whichever organisation has the money and is offering grants.  There will have been an announcement of some grants available and there will no doubt have been some guidelines as to what it was to be used for eg "increasing recycling rates" or "increasing education with regards to the circular economy".  A grant has to be won.  Knowing what will give you the best chance of winning helps as does knowing when and where grants are available in a time of austerity and cuts in Government funding to Local Authorities.

Philippa Bond ● 3260d

This is the scheme that Ealing Council paid nearly half a million pounds to set up? Every now and again you used to be able to get a voucher that was worth something but I think it is over a year since anything worthwhile was offered so we stopped bothering some time ago. It would be interesting to know the total cash value of the donations made to local groups - if it very low this starts to look like a bit of a scam.

Helena Cavanagh ● 3261d

I had a look at the DFDS mini-break to Amsterdam only to discover that I had to go to Newcastle first.I haven't had a problem with a code because I haven't bought anything.I too would like a community project or school project to donate to.  I looked again this morning but there still aren't any.I don't know how much longer this GreenRedeem initiative will be continuing.  I thought that I read that it wouldn't be much longer.  There is a lot of info on the site but I don't have time to read everything.

Philippa Bond ● 3261d

I have not tried donating but am utterly frustrated when codes given do not work for purchases. I refer to Campbells meat.

Graham Weeks ● 3261d