An interesting fact about plastic weathervanes is – although they look as if they are forged out of cast iron, they are actually made out of machine grade black plastic. Set on the highest point of a building, where it can be influenced by uninterrupted airflow (wind), a weather vane shows the wind direction and adds an ornamental touch to your roofline.

A rooster is a traditional weather vane motif. As the wind blows, the rooster will pivot in the wind and align with the compass indicator points below its perch. The beak points to where the wind is coming from as the finely balanced tail is blown backwards.

Knowing where the wind is coming from, and taking a look at the cloud cover can give you a reasonable idea of what the weather is going to do next. In Dunedin, a sou-westerly blowing in from Antarctica means wear some warm clothing, and depending on the cloud cover take an umbrella with you when you go out. If a nor-westerly blows in, things are probably going to be fine and relatively stable.

By taking a look every time you go past and paying attention to when the wind changes, it’s surprising how such a simple device
can make you so aware of your environment. Who wants to wait till the six o’clock news to know what is going to happen in your neighbourhood?

Be your own Weatherman is a post from: Passion Plastics

It’s that time of year where plastic products can be used to help you prepare your garden for spring. Even if you don’t own a green acre, a few pot plants and your very own strawberry planter can create a green corner on your doorstep. Strawberries are easy to grow; one good plant will produce about a punnet of strawberries each season, and can keep producing for up to five years.

If you want to set up a garden on a balcony or patio area, there are a few things to think about. Firstly, for juicy fruit growing follow the sun and work out the sunniest spot. Strawberry planters are self-draining so drowning your plants won’t be a problem; however, making sure your hose can reach the planter will make life easier, or you can buy a light weight plastic watering can.

To fill your planter select 12 strawberry plants, a sack of potting mix and a roll of newspaper. Tip the potting mix into the planter and compact it down until it reaches the bottom planting holes. Roll your first strawberry plant out of its plastic bag and spread out the root system, and place one plant in each planting hole. Tip: Healthy plants have a large green crown and light coloured roots. Stand the rolled up newspaper in the centre of the planter (this will act as a water column) and compact more potting mix around the newly planted strawberries and rolled paper. When you reach the next set of planting holes, repeat the process until the barrel is full.

When your strawberries turn bright red leave them on the plant for an extra couple of days and then pick them gently, as they bruise easily. Tip: It’s best to snap the stem just above the fruit rather than pulling it off the plant. Just another way that plastic can make a green difference even in a concrete jungle!

A Plastic Jungle in a Concrete World is a post from: Passion Plastics

EMERGENCY WATER SUPPLY

source: Ministry of Civil Defence & Emergency Management www.getthru.govt.nz

AMOUNT OF WATER: 3 Litres per person per day for 3 days, MINIMUM. Ideally 6 litres per person per day for 3 days (18 Litres per person in storage).

You and your family (and your employees at work) will need bottled water. Ideally 6 litres per person per day for at least three days. Hence, a 4 person family will need approximately 4 x 20 Litre cube jerrycans filled with clean safe water.

EMERGENCY WATER USE AND HANDY EXTRA WATER SUPPLIES

Household water supplies, including drinking water, could be affected, or you may have to leave your home. Having a supply of water is absolutely essential and you need to store water for an emergency.

You need about 3 litres of drinking water for each person each day. You also need about one litre of water for each of the following (hence another 3 litres per person per day):

• washing food and cooking for each meal.

• washing dishes after a meal.

• washing yourself (one litre per day for each person).

Your hot water cylinder and toilet cistern are handy and valuable sources of water. Check that your hot water cylinder and header tank are well secured and try to avoid putting chemical cleaners in the cistern.

Also, keep on hand a supply of household bleach for disinfecting eg Janola.

STORING DRINKING WATER

• To store enough drinking and washing water for three days (6 litres per person per day for 3 days) addsome extra for pets. Hence a family of 4 will need 72 Litres, or 4 x 20 Litre Cube Jerry Cans, available here.

• Wash bottles and jerrycans thoroughly in hot water.

• Fill each jerrycan with tap water until it overflows.

BEFORE THE DISASTER HITS, BE PREPARED.

• Add 1 teaspoons of household bleach per 20 litres of water and put the water into storage. Do not drinkfor at least 30 minutes after disinfecting.

• Label each bottle with dates showing when the bottles were filled and when they need to be refilled.

• Check the bottles every 12 months. If the water is not clear, throw it out and refill clean bottles with clean water and bleach.

• Store jerrycans in two separate places, somewhere dark away from direct sunlight where there is not likely to be flooding.

RAIN WATER

Collect rain water but make sure that you disinfect it with household bleach eg Janola (1/2 teaspoon to 10 litres). If you’re at all uncertain as to the quality of water, e.g. from a well that has been flooded, or if it might have been contaminated by smoke or ash DO NOT drink it.

Emergency Water Containers is a post from: Passion Plastics