I decided to celebrate by buying some fair trade chocolate. Ah, celebrating the planet never tasted so good!
I've been recycling for a while now, but am really thrilled with Knoxville's curbside recycling efforts in recent years. About two years ago, we were able to sign up for curbside recycling at a cost of $3 a month. Jeff was thrilled. He felt like he had been driving a garbage truck before and I was thrilled that the bins weren't always overflowing in the garage. Plus, now they have a reward program and I have already accumulated dinner coupons, book coupons, and am working toward a free haircut at a local Aveda salon!
I really became aware of the impact of trash while I lived in Switzerland. It was only a summer, but I was amazed at how they handled the garbage. For one, you bought your garbage bags with the pick-up tax included - ie the more trash you threw out, the more it was going to cost you. Garbage was sorted down to the most minute piece and everything possible was recycled. Grocery bags (tragtasche) were charged to you at the cost of about 50 cents each and so everyone brought their own. They actually have these really cool rolling carts, but I guess the reusable bags are all I can aspire to here in the southern U.S.
These days, admittedly, I'm a bit of a trash Nazi. Madeline's diapers are biodegradable, every piece of office paper, junk mail, those goofy community papers, cans, plastic bottle, cardboard boxes are all pitched into the bin. I don't compost; but I toss banana peels, potatoes, etc in the back woods like Mardi Gras beads. I'm hoping at our next house to take advantage of some of the new recycled products out there. My current favorite? Recycled jeans as insulation. Finally, a good use for those 80's acid wash!
Anyone out there have a great recycling or conservation tip? I'd love to find a way to recycle used tennis shoes. Oh yeah, and the chocolate was buy one get one at Kroger today, but it still inspired this post.
1 comment:
You mean I shouldn't be wearing my 80's acid wash jeans anymore????
I wish our recycling people were that cheap, but last time I checked it was ridiculously expensive. I've been hauling stuff to the recycling center, but Becca said they get $$/gift cards now too so she is my new recycling program! When I started a few years ago, I only did cans and plastics because I didn't have a good/convenient place for storing. I have been AMAZED at how much plastic we collect! We've added paper, but still haven't gotten around to glass. So slowly but surely, we're getting there...
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