And we fill up BOTH of these trashcans in a day or two. Consistently. Over and over again. Without fail.
By the end of the week when trash pickup is due, our huge-ass outdoor garbage can is overflowing with stuffed white trashbags (as well as the assorted cardboard box). It's totally crazy.
My family consists of 2 adults, 1 toddler (who subsists mainly on grilled cheese and cheddar crackers), and an infant (who nurses exclusively). So who the hell is making all this trash?!?
I admit that we don't recycle (our trash company doesn't offer this service). I also admit that I drink a lot of water that's bottled in individual sized bottles. But damn... it's still a ton of trash.
So that's my next mission: to reduce the amount of trash my family produces. My goal is to reduce our trash to the point that we can at least close the lid on our outdoor trashcan at the end of the week. I plan to reach this goal by:
- Drinking less bottled water. It's free out of the tap.
- Ordering fewer things online. Shipping boxes are huge. Packing peanuts are annoying.
- Looking for items with less packaging. Like a lipstick that's just a tube of lipstick, instead of presented in a plastic and cardboard package.
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2 comments:
One thing I've actually been pretty good at the last two years is increasing how much of our trash we recycle. Our last two rental houses have included recycling pickup and a dedicated large collection bin. Where before I would recycle only papers, I can now recycle anything with the little recycle emblem on it -- glass, Styrofoam, paper, cardboard. By adding a compost pile in our backyard, we now usually generate one, maybe two trash bags per week. We used to fill the entire trash can to the brim like you're talking about.
If you're serious about it, consider looking into a recycling program in your area. While there may not be dedicated pickups for it, there is probably a local drop off point where you can take your recycled items. Often neighborhood elementary schools will have large recycling bins in the parking lots that you can recycle your paper and cardboard products in.
Good luck! I don't consider myself super green or a fanatic about "saving the planet," but if I can make a few changes here and there I do believe it can make a difference.
Emma
City Roots, Country Life
A compost would be great for you! Especially since you're starting to garden.
Brita is also great for water, though maybe you already have good tap water. Bottled is bad, pthalates are in that water :(
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