One of my blogging daughters did a post recently about "being Green" and it got me to thinking about doing a similar post. I mentioned quite a few of the things I do in a comment on her blog but then realized a few more.She had mentioned that -- once they move to their new home, where curbside recycling is offered -- she is going to become a "recycling nazi." I was reminded that I have been called a "bag Nazi" and I didn't ONCE mention my zero-bag fetish in my comment... so I will start with that here.
I don't buy bags, generally speaking. Oh, we have storage bags (washed and re-used) and a single box of "contractor bags" that I got when I moved to NC as a precaution (for putting electronics in for hurricane evac) that are ever-so-slowly getting used for
overflow clothing storage in the storage unit and such. But as far as trash bags, yard bags, etc. the word is a resounding NO.And I do my best to always have one or more of my cloth shopping bags in the car or truck (herein lies the difficulty... multiple vehicles! LOL) But despite my valiant efforts we get enough bags of various sorts to totally eliminate the need to buy more; instead waste is used to deal with waste.
The ubiquitous grocery store bag fits the kitchen trash can (yeppers, I found a small one on purpose). The cat and dog food and kitty litter bags hold the outgoing kitty litter and other household trash. When there was just me, even with all the kitties, we were able to put out a 10 gallon trash can each week and have it contain everything except on spring cleaning weeks.
And yes, like my daughter I am a recycling nazi. I even pick up recycleables I find on the street and bring them home to recycle. I also pick up street trash, but it goes into the street trash bin. I am most frustrated these days that I am unable to get away from #1 plastic as much as I try, as I have yet to find a place here in Maine where it is recycled. Now, they thought they were doing a good thing by requiring deposits on beverage containers -- many of which are #1. But somehow, the rest of them slipped through the cracks (that is, except for the growing accumulation riding around in my pickup waiting for me to find a way to recycle them!)
We don't have a place to compost here and we were both upset at throwing out veggie peelings, etc, stuff that the dog wouldn't eat, so we have of late began saving such for a friend's chickens. We get eggs from them regularly, so why not give back to the flock? I haven't found a good "chicken bucket" with a lid but I have recycled paper ice cream cartons... so far none of them have soaked through.
Just a few thoughts...
