Friday, April 30, 2010

Part-Time Work

Some folks have asked what I have been getting up to recently! The answer is I've been doing some part-time work for a new Perthshire based company - doing a little research, writing, and starting to do some publicity work for them too. A local inventor designed the SmartTRASHER - a domestic waste compactor and separator, the size of a dishwasher but capable of storing a weeks recycling for the average family.

By making recycling easier, and bringing it within the required standards of the modern stylish kitchen, the SmartTRASHER promises to make a significant contribution to meeting local authorities Zero-waste targets. Recycling centres, have also been enthusiastic about the potential of this technology because not only does it compact waste on site (this can result in more efficient use of waste lorries), but unlike standard compaction units, it does not crush mixed waste together - which increases the costs, lowers the efficiency and reduces the effectiveness of recycling centres. Initial reviews have suggested that delivering significant benefits for the home and the recycling industry mean that the device will make a valuable contribution. In areas where local councils are contemplating separate roadside collections for all types of recyleable waste - and each home will need multiple bins; some form of domestic waste management system will be not just desirable but essential.

The product itself has been designed locally, built and tested in Edinburgh and the first one has been driven down to London ready for a product launch next week at Grand Designs Live at the Excel.

A simple demo of what the SmartTRASHER does, is now online at http://smarttrasher.com, and news of developments will soon be appearing on other places on the web too. I'm only working part-time on this, because I'm juggling lots of commitments with the family, and church, and need to be flexible around them. I'm doing three-months initially and then we'll see where things go after that. Happily, I'm able to work flexibly from home too which means that if the kids were sent home from school ill (or the teachers do actually strike!) I will at least be in the place for them. It's early days with this - it'll be interesting to help launch it and see where it leads, how successful it is and what contribution to it I could make.

2 comments:

lynn said...

ooooooooooooooh product placement on your blog Mr Hideous - what next? Google adverts on your sidebar? A photograph of a hand wearing a Cartier watch?

:-)

All the best with your gainful employment and down with washing, cooking and cleaning! (you don't know how refreshing it has been for me to know a bloke with a theology degree who knows his Finish from his Fairy)

That Hideous Man said...

Sadly, I am still the main man when it comes to domestic servitude hereabouts; although since I started last week, Mrs Hideous has begun to develop a much closer relationship with the washing machine, tumble dryer and dishwasher than she has had for some years..... :-)