Thousands of tons! That is the answer to the question, ‘how many old books get buried in UK landfill sites each year?’ Which partly explains why – in 2023- yet again, L’Arche Brecon’s (UK) Rebound Books received another Sustainability Award at the UK’s premier Literary Festival at Hay on Wye. In this unusual community project, ‘pre-loved’ books are carefully reconditioned to get a new lease of life and then sold on the open market! By itself, of course this is not enough to stop lorry-loads of books heading for the landfill site. However, as this innovative project shows, if the world is to reach Zero Waste- every little counts! Check out their website here
In France, even the chickens at La Ferme in Trosly have been recruited as important partners in that community’s commitment to Zero Waste, promising rapid recycling of any food waste from the community’s kitchen. From his experience of feeding the chickens each day, Laurent, a core member, has noticed they like ‘French fries, rice and peas’! Happily, so far, La Ferme hasn’t had any issues with any foxes committed to Zero Chicken Day!
10,000 $: One person who got on board the Zero Waste agenda long before many others is Francis, a member of L’Arche Montégérie, Quebec, Canada. His extraordinary efforts in recycling cans soon turned him into a familiar figure in his neighbourhood. Friends of the community as well as people from Beloeil regularly come to drop off bags at the door of Francis’ shed (a shed reserved specifically for the storage of the said cans!!!) And that is not all: over the last quarter century, it has been estimated that Francis has raised over 10,000 dollars… to send to L’Arche Haiti.
How to turn cardboard into a solid standing frame for a child with a disability? Ask Christopher and Samson, the transformation experts in L’Arche Kenya. The community’s APT workshop makes yesterday’s cardboard packaging into today’s vital piece of therapeutic equipment.
From Kenya to Wales, from France to Canada: L’Arche is learning so many ‘ways of living and being that contribute to a more loving and sustainable world, our common home’ (Charter of L’Arche)
