Green Week Day 3 – Rearranging Envelopes

Day 3 of our green week sees more ways you can reuse envelopes and parcels, and also save money in the process!

By carefully opening windowed envelopes and other envelopes, you can easily re-use them! Simply place a sticker over the current address and then write your new address on the used envelope. Remember that stamps can only be used once so you’ll need to cover the existing stamps with new ones!

Turning Envelopes inside out (Shown above)

Turning Envelopes inside out (Shown above)

You can also turn the envelopes inside out if you want to start afresh. Simply take care when folding the envelope out and then cello tape firmly back together once you’re done! These unfolded envelopes can also be used as scrap paper or to make shopping lists from.

Padded envelopes are great to keep and store just in case you need to send a friend or relative a delicate present and don’t want to shell out for extra packaging. If you just need the padding, simply turn the envelope inside out and use it inside a bigger box for extra protection!

As the Silver award winner worldwide, Switzerland is a wonderfully ‘green’ country and was actually the greenest country in the world in 2008, but has now moved into second place. With beautiful natural parks and effort made into reducing emissions, why not send a relative or friend a parcel to Switzerland with RAND Logistics to show your support?

Green Week Day 2 – Sorting Envelopes for Recycling

Day 2 in our Green Week sees us looking at the ‘recyclability’ of envelopes. Are all types of envelopes recyclable? Is everything on the envelope recyclable? Here is a break down:

Envelope itself: Yes
Stamp: Yes
Other Stickers/Stamps: Yes
Plastic Window: No

Fortunately for the most part you can easily just drop your envelopes into the recycling and be done with it, but for those pesky windowed envelopes it is better to remove the window before recycling them.

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Check your recycling options available in your area, as some other areas may reject the glued part of the envelope, but all it takes is a quick job with the scissors and your envelope is ready for recycling!

For larger parcels and packages it is better to flatten them down and store them away in case you may need to send something larger, and cardboard boxes can always be used for storage or as arts and crafts materials if you have young children or grandchildren!

With strong efforts being put into the conservation of virgin forests and biodiversity, Costa Rica is the 3rd greenest country worldwide. RAND Logistics can provide cheap and efficient postage rates on parcels to Costa Rica, why not have a look at how much you could save by using our quick quote form today?

St Patrick’s Day

March 17th 2014 is the anniversary of the death of the Irish Saint, St Patrick and is also known as St Patrick’s Day. It is traditional to wear something green on St Patrick’s Day, particularly for those of Irish Descent, and some people even take it a step further to dress in traditional Irish Clothing, or by wearing a shamrock; a three leaved plant similar in appearance to clover.

[rand]irish day cupcakes blog

The colour green has been associated with Ireland since the 1640’s when the green harp flag was first used by the Irish Catholic Confederation. What is known of St Patrick has been derived from the Declaration which shows St Patrick’s struggle after he was kidnapped by raiders and spent six years working as a shepherd in Gaelic Ireland. He ‘found god’ working there, and upon returning home, managed to convert thousands of pagan Irish to Christianity.

Whether you are of Irish descent or you have a close friend or relative who is celebrating St Patrick’s Day, why not send them a gift in the post? RAND Logistics have excellent rates on parcels to Ireland and further afield if your Irish relatives live internationally. For safety and security in delivering your packages, choose RAND Logistics.

Sending Baked Goods – Keeping Gifts Fresh

Everybody loves getting gifts in the post and it is even more heartfelt when these gifts are handmade and edible! Cookies and muffins are great if you are recovering from an illness, or you simply feel homesick for some traditional family cooking. Make sure your baked goods reach their intended destination in good condition with our top hints and tips.

Double Wrapped, Double Fresh!

You can never pack your baked goods too well. By ensuring that all Tupperware containers are sealed with cello tape and then placed inside a larger container, you are reducing the chances of the goods being exposed to air, plus you are reducing their chances of breaking from being thrown around. Place the smaller container in a larger container and fill with packing peanuts or bubble wrap to ensure that the container does not move around in transit.

Chocolate_chip_cookies_with_sprinkles,_2007

Retaining the Moisture

Pack soft cookies or muffins with a slice of bread or a slice of apple, as these help the goods to retain their moisture. If you are packing up cookies, try not to pack moist cookies with hard ones, as the moist cookies will soften the crisp ones. If you have to pack them together, make sure each cookie is well wrapped individually.

For fast delivery and excellent service worldwide from Spain to Pakistan and further afield, choose RAND Logistics.

The History of the UK Postal Stamp – Day 3

The perforation of stamps during the Victorian age was often a subject of experimentation. Cutting stamps from imperforated sheets using scissors was time consuming and costly, so many different methods of perforation were used as a ways of saving time and money. Trials with the Archer Roulette and then with surface printing in 1855 were undergone, then tests were made with perforation, which quickly became one of the most popular methods and is still commonly used today.

pennylilacEmbossed postage stamps were also used, in a variety of octagonal designs. The age of the Penny Red came to an end in 1880 along with the start of the new surface printed stamps. The Penny Lilac was issued subsequently in 1881 and lasted until the end of Victoria’s reign in 1901. The Penny Lilac was also the first stamp issued that was valid as both a postal stamp and a revenue stamp; used to collect taxes or fees on documents.

In 1883 and 1884, the postal service experimented with fugitive inks that faded quickly and washed out to prevent the stamps being reused, but these were short lived and not liked by the public. Because the reign of Victoria was coming to an end, a new set of stamps needed to be issued.

For all your package and parcel needs, use RAND Logistics for a safe, reliable service. At RAND we offer an excellent service from parcels from Ghana to Greece and everywhere in between.

 

The History of the UK Postal Stamp – Day 1

Although many things have been digitized to keep up with the technologies of the modern world, stamps are and will continue to be, essential when it comes to sending parcels both across the country and internationally. Even though nowadays we type our letters out on the computer, and send emails and messages regularly, physical parcels still need to be sent by ‘snail mail’. So stamps are as essential now as they were when they were first introduced.

The first documented case of letters being sent and received on a long distance basis was in the 12th century, when Henry I assigned special messengers used to carry letters for the government. However the first unofficial ‘stamp’ was not conceived until the 1660’s, when following complaints made about delayed letters, Henry Bishop the first Postmaster General introduced the ‘Bishop Mark’ which consisted of a small circle with the day and month marked inside, to show when it had been sent.

This quickly became popular as the Postal system expanded to covering the entire country, whereby every city and town then had its own individual postmark. Shortly after this, in 160, William Dockra became the founder of a delivery system that would deliver both letters and parcels to the city of London and the surrounding areas; the London Penny Post. This system would deliver any package or letter weighing up to a pound for a single penny.

For cost effective and professional service from Denmark to Dubai, choose RAND Logistics to send your parcel internationally.

Winter Olympics 2014: Day 5

It’s the last day of our Winter Olympics blog posts and as we come to the end of the downhill slope we take a look at how Great Britain is getting on in the games. Great Britain isn’t famous for their successes in the Winter Games, although they have set a target of three medals this year. Here’s what’s happened so far for team GB and a brief look at their history in the games.

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Great Britain won the first ever medal on snow in this year’s winter games with a bronze medal victory for Jenny Jones in the women’s slopestyle. Since then GB have struggled to add to their medal tally but finally managing to win a medal on snow is a positive achievement. Elsewhere team GB are putting a lot of their hopes on the curling teams who have tasted success in the past, most notably in 2002.

The most medals Great Britain have ever won in a winter games is four medals, way back in 1924. Their total accumulation of medals in the history of the winter games currently stands at 22 with 9 gold medals.

As we come to the end of posts surrounding the Winter Olympics, remember that RAND Logistics provide a collection and delivery service internationally. So if you need to ship a parcel abroad make sure you come to RAND for your free quote.

Winter Olympics 2014: Day 4

On the penultimate day of our Winter Olympics coverage we have a look at how the leading team in the games, Germany, are fairing. They’ve managed to assemble nine medals in the games so far with six of them being gold. We also take a look back at Germany’s history in the games. RAND Logistics provide an international delivery service to Germany, so you can easily get your parcels to Berlin or Munich with our unrivalled service.

Germany has been involved in 18 of the 20 Winter Olympic Games that have been hosted as they were not invited to either event that came after each World War. However, Germany did host the event just three years before World War 2. They had also been selected to host the games in 1940. Overall, Germany has won 360 medals at the Winter Olympics.

At this current point in the 2014 games, Germany has been extremely successful in their chosen events. Yesterday we saw Eric Frenzel win gold in the Nordic combined event, whilst they also came out on top in the double luge. However, day 4 saw the Germans lose out 7-6 in their curling match against Great Britain.

Keep up-to-date with the leading countries here at RAND during the winter games. Why not have a look at our range of services or contact us for a detailed summary of the logistics services we have to offer.

Winter Olympics 2014: Day 3

On our third day of focusing on the Winter Olympics in Sochi we’re looking it the most decorated team so far at the games, the Norwegians. With twelve medals to their name, Norway currently have the biggest tally of medals but sit in second place on the medals table behind Germany who have five gold medals.

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Norway have seen success in the Cross-Country Ski, the Biathlon and the 10k Sprint amongst other events, showing they have what it takes in the snow-based events.  Their success in cross-country skiing is unparalleled across the globe with a total of 96 medals acquired in the event since the winter games came into existence.

You can also expect to see Norway competing this week in the speed skating, with a total of 80 medals to their name in the history of the games. Notable gold medals that they have won at this year’s games include Marit Bjorgen’s gold in the cross-country, her fourth Olympic gold in a glittering career.

RAND Logistics will keep you up-to-date this week with some of the notable countries competing in the Winter Olympics, whilst we can also direct you to our unrivalled logistics services. We provide international parcel delivery to Norway so if you need to send a gift to Scandinavia, make the most of RAND Logistics services today.

Winter Olympics 2014: Day 2

It’s our second day of Winter Olympics coverage and we’re taking a look at how the highly-rated Canadians are doing so far in the event.

Canada is often plagued with some of the most extreme weather conditions on the planet with regular snowfall throughout the year. This gives many Canadians the perfect opportunity to master their skills on the snowy mountain slopes.

Canada is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, especially for those living in the UK. Situated north of the U.S, Canada is famous for its incredible mountain ranges, Niagara Falls and their highly skilled hockey and lacrosse teams.

RAND Logistics offer an international parcel delivery service to Canada as we are aware of the number of people born in the UK currently residing in Canada.

Freestyle skiing has been Canada’s most successful sport this Winter Olympics as they have acquired six medals in the event so far.  With a total of nine medals in the games overall at this point in time, you can expect Canada to be fighting with Russia for top spot come the end of the games.

RAND Logistics offer our pick-up and delivery service all over the world, so get in touch with us today if you want to send a parcel internationally or take a look at our range of services.