With a family of 7, we've had a long history of producing a lot of garbage. I've had a difficult time fitting everything in the 96-gallon trash container supplied by the garbage collection company -- especially after mowing the lawn and needing to dispose of bags of cut grass. After many years of various attempts to deal with this problem, I've finally come around to the right solution -- and it has nothing to do with trying to save the planet.
Because of our excessive waste, the collection container has tended to overflow, and I could hardly ever get the lid closed. I actually broke the lid on a container or two by all but jumping on the lid trying to make it all fit. Most of the time, it didn't work, and the garbage company would therefore extort me and charge me for extra bags, even though I actually got everything in the container. I wasn't always so lucky, and really did end up with extra bags on the curb, in addition to the open lid.
Finally fed up with the garbage company, my solution was to start taking my own trash to the dump. I was saving money, yes! I'm sure it added up to a "hefty" sum over the last two years. But this method of dealing with my issue certainly had its drawbacks. First of all, I was spending more money on those large, 39-gallon black bags to put all the smaller 13-gallon kitchen bags full of garbage into.
Then, there was the issue of efficiency. Because there was a minimum charge for bringing stuff to the dump, and because the guys at the gate would often underestimate the total amount when it was larger, I would only go about once every 3 weeks. As a result, I would end up with a good pile of trash in my back yard behind my fence. This was visible to one of my neighbors, however, who promptly complained, forcing me to do some rearranging.
The worst part, however, was that in hot weather, that garbage would get "ripe" rather quickly. Sometimes, it got so bad that I was forced to go to the dump more often. When moving the stuff, the stench and the maggots sometimes got pretty bad -- but hey, I was saving money, right?
This sorry situation might have gone on indefinitely, had we not had an unrelated need to make some vehicle changes. We traded in the old Suburban for a smaller, and much newer and nicer GMC Envoy. I wasn't about to put anything smelly into that truck, even if I was going to take the old measures of putting down a plastic liner and old blankets to keep any disgusting fluids off the car interior.
So, I was resigned to the conclusion that I was once again going to need to rely on the services of a garbage collection company to do the job. For some reason, I decided to put my brain to use this time, and think about how I might resolve the old problem of too much trash. There didn't seem to be too many ways to reduce the amount of it we were producing. Hmmm -- how about this recycling thing? Some of our neighbors do it. I bet that sleezy garbage company charges quite a premium for the service, though.
Reluctantly, I called them up and asked some questions. To my surprise, the service was free. I didn’t even need to buy their recycling containers if I didn’t want to. I did, though, because it was very reasonable. The first week after starting the recycling service, the lid on my container magically closed, even after adding a huge bag of grass.
I was enthralled. The next week, I was even more careful, and dropped down to 4 13-gallon bags (no grass). I became a recycling Nazi the next week. I scolded family members every time I found something recyclable in the trash. Cans, bottles, metal and glass food containers, shampoo bottles, cereal boxes, and every scrap of paper, paperboard and cardboard ended up in the recycling bin. I carefully examined every piece of plastic material for one of those beautiful numbers indicating that it could be recycled. I haven’t been so excited about #1 or #2 since my kids were in the process of potty training.
The routine of recycling has become easy and natural, and I’ve managed to get our weekly garbage down to 3 13-gallon bags. In fact, the garbage company will be swapping our 96-gallon container for a 65-gallon version this Monday, saving me some extra money beyond what I was already saving by not exceeding my allotment. Looking back on my garbage-producing life, I’m ashamed that it’s taken me so long to get to this point. I didn’t get here by a motivation to save the planet – but now that I’ve arrived, I do feel good that I’m consuming fewer resources, and putting less waste into the landfill.
I haven’t figured out yet what to do with the grass, and it’s not the worst thing to put into the environment, but I’m wondering if there’s someplace I can drop it off for recycling. I’ll get on that problem right away. I’ve even started branching out into other areas. The floodlights in my living room have been replaced with florescent versions, using one-fourth the amount of electricity, and costing not much more than the pricey incandescent floodlights. Now that the regular bulb replacements are becoming affordable, I plan to start replacing those over time as well.
Who knows, I might eventually become a real greeny. Ummm – OK, probably not. But I will continue to make changes in my life that make economic sense and also benefit the environment. Now that solar power is on the verge of competing directly with electricity produced by traditional means, I’m a big fan of that as well. I know there are some people who will make any sacrifices necessary to be a good environmental citizen. I’m not one of them. There are probably a lot more people like me out there. For those hell-bent on improving the environment at any cost, and wanting everyone else to come around to earth-friendlier habits, there are some lessons to be learned from my story.
jbravo
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I mentioned composting in a post here in the past and cited some prices for devices, and someone said it was much cheaper in non-US locations. Still, since you're already "saving" and "contributing" through recycling, a relatively small investment could take that yet an additional step _ and improve your lawn and flower beds at the same time, while adding a bit to the efficiency of your area water treatment operations and reducing your impact on landfills.
I'm lucky. My City Council collects non-recyclable and non-compostable garbage weekly, the other garbage, in alternate weeks. (Otoh I pay them a lot in Council Tax.) Sometimes it's difficult to work out what's recyclable and what's compostable (how thin is 'thin cardboard'?!) but it's great to get garden waste collected and used properly.
In addition to single-handedly saving the world, I've cut my water bills by 75% and my electricity bills by a similar amount. Now if they could just move my house (and it's surrounding countryside) 5 miles closer to work, I might consider a bike.....
You drive a car to work? Maybe you could do a motorcycle or scooter?
Yes I drive a car, and these days I'm much more comfortable with that - you cannot fall off a car. it's unfortunate, but there's no bus service between where I live and where I work. I did ask about a place to tie up a horse, but they were worried about the exhaust output and that it might bite people, so until Star-Trek Transporters are available, or they move my village, or I get the sack, I'm stuck with the car.
I'd consider a scooter but apart from a pathological fear of looking a twat, I think those things are dangerous. Some car drivers seem to think that if they roar up behind you, it'll somehow increase the cubic capacity of your engine.......
Having said all that I'm not sure I'd use a Star-Trek transporter anyway. Having your molecules unravelled and then a copy put together somewhere else suggests you die whilst a simulcrum lives the rest of your life for you.
Hey -- I can understand the issue with a motorbike or scooter. I really don't want to put myself at risk, either. Motorcycles are darn fun, though. I sympathize with you on the scootertwataphobia issue, heh, heh.
That horse might contribute more to global warming than a scooter -- methane is 25 times more potent than CO2 as a greenhouse gas. :-)
Off topic -- but the transporter issue sort of gets back to my "What makes you You" discussion. If all your body's atoms/molecules are replaced every few years anyway, does it really make any difference? Maybe it's really just the pattern that defines your existence.
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