Yet again I speak not of the incompetence of local authorities but of probable laziness.
The introduction of the new law on food waste recycling is imminent for local authorities across the UK. There is best practice around the world, including systems operated by NGOs and institutions in the UK, but local authorities always take the easy way out.
The scheme being implemented in London boroughs will inevitably cost a lot more than best practice elsewhere. Tower Hamlets, which has the ‘honour’ of the worst borough in the UK for recycling, is living up to its ‘reputation’ and opting for a more costly option.
It seems that council officers lack any concern when it comes to spending our money!
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Geoff Juden, Chairman of The East London Garden Society, has been judging school gardens in Newham during June 2025. This is his report.
He was assigned four primary schools in Newham; Carpenters, Portway, Vicarage Lane and Selwyn. The gardens were managed by Cassie, who is recognised by The London Children’s Flower Society and travelled between the schools with assistance from Hollie.
All the schools had the same ethos of biodiverse gardens with an emphasis on the children learning about from where our food originates.
The gardens were of different sizes and were working gardens rather than a display of colour. Geoff felt that he should judge the schools as one and as such, awarded a silver.
At Carpenters school the emphasis was not only on the growing of plants but also on the importance of insects in the ecology cycle. Carpenters being the only school to have a pond, he saw a newt. At Portway school they had what he called a forest garden. It was a pleasure to see this interactive space.
As a judge, he had to imagine what the garden would have looked like if you had been there yesterday or next week, so a general impression on what was being achieved within the garden’s limitations, was made.
Gardens and planters were judged at all the schools. Some of the planters, especially at Portway school, needed attention and some needed watering, which spoilt their look.
At no school was there a designated area for the seeds which were given by The London Children’s Society. Instead, they were amongst a mixture of seeds obtained from elsewhere.
Nothing is ever 100% perfect. Geoff considered that a gold standard required a perfect scenario. These schools were not perfect, and at one school a high bronze would have be more appropriate. But overall with the passion involved, a silver award was well deserved.
We have time to initiate the final stretch of The Great Eastern Parks Route, through Barking & Dagenham onto the RSPB at Purfleet before the proposed extension of the DLR. The travel way would commence at any point along the route, however we anticipate the route to start with The London Highline.
The DLR extension from Beckton to Thamesmead would provide a link to The Barking Riverside Station, which would lead to further journeys into central London.
A bridge across The Lower River Roding would not only enable you to cross The River Roding at this point for The Great Eastern Parks Route, but would also enable you to connect with another transport route.
The East London Garden Society sees this bridge as a means to improve the connectivity of the area, and make the whole of The Great Eastern Parks Route operational.
New food waste recycling laws are soon to affect every local authority in the UK on. Tower Hamlets has until 2027 to implement a scheme. They appear to be well advanced by using the same system as in Southwark, and possibly in other London Boroughs as well.
There are only three ways in which food waste recycling will be allowed; Anaerobic, Aerobic and local composting, as in community gardens etc.
With the anaerobic method of digestion, methane has to be burnt off and it will not take all organic waste. Whereas the aerobic system will take all organic material, producing a rich nutrient soil within a 24 hour period.
The scheme being implemented by the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, together with Southwark, involves food waste collection bins which have been rolled out across the borough. To ensure that only food waste is placed in these bins a notice has been placed on the lid. Whether users will abide by this rule, remains to be seen!
For blocks of flats, paladin type bins have been introduced for the collection of food waste. This is within the spirit of the law, but must be more expensive than originally imagined, so therefore costing residents more to remove contamination from the food waste.
There are ways of operating food waste recycling without the extra costs to the benefit of residents. When council officers from the London Borough of Tower Hamlets were taken to see such a scheme, they estimated that it would save the Town Hall alone £100k pa on its contracts. But then those in power obviously know better!
Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium) has a rich history, utilised for medicinal, culinary, and even cultural purposes since ancient times. It's been valued for its purported therapeutic properties, used in rituals, and found its way into spirits like absinthe and vermouth.
Wormwood was documented in the Ebers Papyrus (1550 BC) and by figures like Pythagoras and Hippocrates, who used it for ailments like labour pains, menstrual pain, and rheumatism.
Wormwood was considered to be a general remedy for all diseases and a herb of Mars. It was also used to discourage breastfeeding by applying it to the nipples. It is still used traditionally in some areas for gastrointestinal issues, worm infestations, and other ailments, and modern research has explored its potential as an antiprotozoal, antibacterial, and more.
It has been used to flavour beverages like mead and beer, and is a key ingredient in vermouth and absinthe. It has also been used to add a bitter flavour to various dishes and drinks.
It’s association with absinthe, a high-proof spirit popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, has led to its portrayal in art and literature. In some religious interpretations, wormwood has symbolic meaning, particularly in the Book of Revelation.
The presence of thujone, a compound in wormwood, has been a source of debate, with concerns about its psychoactive effects. However, modern science suggests that thujone levels in absinthe are not as potent as previously believed.
The alleged absinthe habit and its perceived effects on the brain and liver have been debated, with some arguing that it was a fabricated syndrome.
To do absinthe justice you must try and obtain the strongest spirit possible. In Italy you could buy 90% proof neutral grain spirit off the shelf in Lidl for around 5 Euro. In the UK it is not so easy to come by.
Therefore, this recipe is not totally true to form and instead uses the Botanist gin as its base.
Place all the ingredients in a sealable jar cracking and crushing the harder botanicals and slapping the wormwood leaves in your hands.
Pour over the botanist gin. Seal the jar and put it at the back of a cupboard for a few weeks to a month. Allow the taste to guide you. It is fine to keep dipping your finger in and tasting it, the alcohol will keep any nasty bugs at bay so don’t fear contamination.
As soon as you think it tastes good, filter back into the botanist bottle.
Grab a time machine, head off to Paris and serve to 19th century artists and creatives! Alternatively, if you can’t track down Doc Brown or Marty Mcfly, serve neat and slightly chilled.
Or to do it justice, if you can locate an absinthe spoon and an absinthe fountain then allow fresh water to drip onto a sugar cube balancing on top of your shot glass half full of absinthe.
Watch Wormwood with Andy
