h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I know it's true with paper, but glass?

Yes, I beleive glass too. Recycled glass products are more brittle than "virgin" glass - something to do with the crystalline structure, I think - so its applications are limited.

RF

Oh, for the days when the milkman picked up your glass milk bottles to be used again!

Yes, but that's re-use rather than recycle. Which is actually a better way of saving the environment.

RF

*has a think*

True. So why don't we do this any more then?

Laziness, I guess. You used to pay a deposit on a glass bottle full of pop, for example, and get the money back for the empty.

I used to work in pubs and restaurants in the Eighties, we used to keep all the Schw*ppes bottles and the brewery would collect them, so I guess they're still re-used? Anyone with more recent pub experience can confirm/deny whether this still takes place.

RF

In the pub I've just finished working in, our bottles went off for recycling. And if you buy Barr's products in glass bottles, you still get 25p if you take it back

There you are, then. It does rely on a local delivery/collection system, which seems to be dying out in the milk business, but is apparently still cost-effective for licensed premises.

Barr products...is this a Pictish thing? Something to do with an orange metal-flavoured drink or simmler?

RF

...and on that note I'll head off to my RFB...

Goodness me, is that the time?

RF

It is indeed, they also do a few other ones like Tizer and Red Cola - do you get that down in Sassenach land too?

Tizer, yes. Don't know about red cola, but then I've not been looking out for it, as cola in all its forms is an abomination.

RF

Ah, but red cola is something else

Don't care!

RF

Sure you don't want me to bring some down with me for you to taste then?

I hate to think how much glass we throw away a week in this house... two empty champaign bottles yesterday, two empty red wine bottles and 3 or 4 empty guiness bottles sunday night quite a bit I guess Beer and pasta in seperate containers? Oh, yes, I see

2 bottles of 2 legs? I always knew you were posh!

so, in actual fact, what we have here is not so much a picnic as an outside bar? Oh yes, and 2Legs making free with his floury baps!

Hmmm, 'twas bad enough last year with Munchkin and his Pimms!

I'm not posh* really... just do a good impression sometimes and I wouldn't dar emention that the champaign in question (which I didn't buy) would have cost us about £70 a bottle if we'd got it full price Now, the guest my lodger picked up, sorry, brought back yesterday night, that is 'posh' Well, anyone who can talk for fifteen minutes about the merrits of just about every champaign I've heard of (and suprizingly a few I've not) certainly says something Of course, when she iddlly mentions that one of the main reasons she doesn't drink red wine any more is 'Well, after you've drunk the proper vintage red at £5K a bottle, a £12 bottle from the supermarket doesn't quite give you the same impression' Champaign in teh park it is for London then Can you get plastic champaign flutes?

Hey, 2legs, you bring the £70-a-bottle champagne, and I'll splash out on *real glass* champagne flutes!

Then again, price isn't necessarily a guide to quality...I have sparkling wines in my wine rack from 2 countries not normally noted for their production, which are far superior to French champagne costing twice the price.

RF

Nice.... feel free to bring them along too, Freddy.