We're Getting Greener

NEW: less packaging

We are constantly looking at ways of reducing packaging whilst still ensuring your meat is kept cool and protected on its journey to you. In recent months we have cut packaging on most of our deliveries, and switched to recycled materials where possible.

We have also recently introduced 'dry ice', which now replaces ice gel packs on most our deliveries. The dry ice we use is made from recycled CO2, which is reclaimed from other industrial processes, therefore no extra CO2 is introduced to the atmosphere as a result. Dry ice is a much more effective coolant than ice gel, which allows us to reduce our packaging, and lessen our impact on the environment.

Reduced Packaging Option

Re-use and recycle

New ideas for re-using your packaging

Our polystyrene boxes are great to keep food and drink cool on picnics, at parties and when you need to defrost your freezer. But now our customers have come up with some novel ways to re-use our packaging...

Mr. Johnstone converts his Donald Russell polystyrene boxes into beautiful stone-effect plant pots for the garden. Here's how:

1. Round off all square corners and edges with a serrated knife or small saw.

2. Punch out 4 drainage holes about 2 cm diameter in the base.

3. Using a wire brush, work over the outside and 5 cm down the inside faces, removing all smooth, flat surfaces and sharp corners. Try to create 'strata' lines by brushing parallel to the base and include some deeper striations in places. This is a messy operation, so it's advisable to keep a vacuum cleaner close by.

4. Go over all brushed surfaces with an electric paint stripper. This shrinks back the polystyrene and hardens the surface. Remember to include the drainage holes.

5. Paint with a stone coloured or dark masonry paint and liberally sprinkle dry concreting or sharp sand on the painted surfaces, shaking off any surplus sand.

Your trough is complete - it's more aesthetically pleasing than a plain white box, and it's very much lighter than a real stone trough!

Mr Johnstone says "Plants grow very well in the even soil temperatures of an insulated trough. I grow alpines, carrots and lettuces but they can also be used for bedding plants, cactus, strawberries, herbs etc. And if the drainage holes are omitted can be used as a mini-pond."

Here are some more suggestions from our customers:

• Mrs Ostle of Somerset says she uses her polystyrene boxes as planters in the garden, because slugs don't seem to like them.
• Grind your polystyrene box up to use as soil conditioner to improve drainage and aeration.
• Line your box with a blanket and use as a cat or dog bed.
• Ask your local primary school or youth club if they would like them for use in art and crafts.
• Use them as outside food stores for fruit, vegetables, cheese, eggs, bacon, etc. if your fridge is full. The foods will benefit from the dark and cool temperature, so they will keep for longer.
• Use them to protect items in transit, or to store fragile items in a loft or shed.
• Bubble wrap can also be used as insulation or frost protection for your plants in winter.

How to Reuse Pie Ramekin Dishes?

We have recived lots of suggestions and ideas on how to reuse our pie ramekins

• Donate to your local school for cookery classes
• Keep reusing them until you feel like taking them to the charity shop
• Great as a "mise en place" preperation storage dish
• Dip and sauce dish
• Pudding dish
• Leftover storage dish
• Pet food dish
• Candle holder (great with a floating tea light)
• Use to collect your loose change
• Sugar bowl / Soup bowl
• Plant holder
• Paint pot

Please send us your ideas and we will share them with all our customers.

If you have any suggestions of your own please e-mail our Green Champion, at greenchampion@donaldrussell.co.uk.

Green Champion's Tip:
"We have recently introduced butcher's paper as an environmentally friendly alternative to corrugated plastic in our smaller cardboard boxes. This can be popped straight into the paper recycling or re-used for arts and crafts."

How we're doing our bit:

• We recycle all the cardboard that comes into our premises, by taking it to a local recycling point.
• We re-use wooden pallets for our own deliveries, while broken pallets are collected by Wood Recyclability Ltd, a local community business that recycles waste wood and gives adults with learning difficulties the opportunity to develop skills in a real workplace environment.
• We make our white cardboard boxes from 87.5% recycled material, and they are 100% recyclable.
• We're investigating alternatives to our polystyrene boxes, and hope to be able to replace them with more environmentally-friendly alternatives in the near future.