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Post by Script on Apr 9, 2010 9:50:17 GMT -5
Now, I love my city. I pay my taxes promptly  . I try try try to do the right things. But I am being driven CRAZY by one new initiative, instigated by our Hydro provider, ostensibly to change hydro usage patterns for enviro concerns. We are now on a 'time of use' meter. Complicated rules, but it boils down to one main issue: *we are being 'encouraged' or 'forced', depending on your views about the $$$ involved to switch our hydro usage to 'off off' hours, namely before 7am and after 9pm for weekdays. The hydro rates for PRIME TIME are about double for the 'off off' hours. What does this mean to me? It means that I 'should' be doing laundry only on weekends or late at night. It means that I should not turn the dishwasher on right after dinner. It means THE END my CAREFULLY built up habit of doing a bit of laundry each day and using my dishwasher as much possible, two loads daily if necessary. I am wracked with guilt if I turn on the washer in the morning. I forget sometimes to turn on the dishwasher before bedtime. I am becoming obsessive about this, and check my 'time of use' on-line chart almost daily. This is not healthy for me (yet another OCD issue) We have had sooooooo many enviro issues that impact ME personally: *we can't put wine bottles in our normal recycling. They have to be brought back to, get this, The Beer Store, not our general gov't liquor store [no wine available at beer store]. I have to bring the bottles to my brother who takes them back. People used to just leave the wine bottles out for Poor People to collect. It turns out thay they are NOT SUPPOSED to do this and can be fined. *we have to separate so many items for recycling; we have very strict garbage limits; people joke about the Garbage Nazis *we have to pay for plastic bags in stores; I am now reduced to BUYING plastic bags for lunchs, garbags, whatever. And please don't tell me about all these great enviro-lunch containers; my cut-up canteloupe spilled all over my tote bag on tuesday, making a mess of everything. *and my all time favourite: the city introduced a complete ban on pesticides and herbicides for lawn care, before there is a viable 'green' alternative. My DearHubby is a lawn fanatic. We have spent all kinds of time and $$$ on a new lawn, which is NOT ULTIMATELY MAINTAINABLE. The city really wants people not to have much grass, but to switch to ornamental plants, rocks, mulch, stones, whatever. No matter how I try to explain this to my DH, he simply cannot understand. thank you for letting me vent. i have to find a way to cope with this stuff.............. |
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Post by CourageouslyLion SeeksSerenity on Apr 9, 2010 10:16:46 GMT -5
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You have CLEARLY labeled your post as a Rant/Vent.
You're not looking for in-depth intellectual philosophy here.
You're certainly not seeking political debate.
I know that you support the concept of environmentalism, but are experiencing the serious difficulties in practical application ... when dealing with OCD or perfectionism ... and the ongoing struggle to stay out of squalor.
You just need a safe place to express your frustration.
And posting here is a safe place, because many of us struggle with recycling and with doing things "properly".
Done.
You have ranted/vented. Hope it helps!
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Post by CourageouslyLion SeeksSerenity on Apr 9, 2010 10:55:28 GMT -5
- My town has had similar regulations for decades. Here is how I cope with such things .... I add the cost of the bag to the item, and in my mind the cost of the bag is PART of the cost of the item. I regard that as the true price-- the "regular price". If I were to look at the fee for a new bag as a "penalty fee for causing pollution", I'd be wracked in guilt. So I don't do that. When I bring my own bag, I'm not charged the fee for a new bag, and therefore look at this as "getting a discount off the regular price". A bonus that's not required. I feel much less guilt when simply regarding the cost of a new bag as being part of the item. For me, washing old bags, hanging them to dry, saving them, and organizing them for shopping trips ... is beyond my level of organizational skill, and would be a quick way to increase my squalor. So ... I don't do it. I'm much happier to pay the "full real price" of an item without bothering trying to get the discount for bringing my own bag. The same with coupons and sale flyers. I simply can't organize coupons. They just add to my clutter and expire before I need them. And then cause me extra gasoline to drive to whatever store is having the sale. So I just shop wherever I would normally shop, and don't use the coupons. I'm paying the "regular price", and not the discount price, and it's worth it to me. I haven't changed the facts of the circumstances. I've simply created a way that my mind can cope with things. -- For public utilities, such as natural gas, electricity, and water ... We are charged higher prices for "peak usage times". I don't look at that as a "penalty". I simply look at the higher price as being the "actual price", the "regular price". I look at the lower rate for "off peak usage" as being a discount, a bonus. Furthermore, our town does their billing this way. They are diplomatic. They say on the BILL: "regular rate" or "discount for off peak usage". They understand human nature. They would never say: "penalty fee for peak hour usage". If they did that, they'd have outraged customers. Regardless of the wording, I would rather pay the "regular higher price" and get things done. If I waited for "off-peak-hour discount" times, my house would be even worse. --- For recycling, my town used to require that everything be separated out. One container for cans, one for glass, one for newspaper, another for regular paper, and cardboard folded a certain way. Well, people didn't do it "properly". People got frustrated and confused. Things got mixed up. And it caused more work for the garbage collection crews who had to process what they picked up in their trucks. My town now does "commingled recycling". en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Single-stream_recyclingIt's MUCH MUCH EASIER!!!! I would recommend this system to any town. - |
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Post by howardsgirlfriend on Apr 9, 2010 10:58:46 GMT -5
I hope that in a year or two, your community changes to comingled recycling--you'll love it.
I suspect that communities make this switch only after they're able to build the infrastructure, which comes after they're able to assess the need, which is possible only after a few years of the process you're currently using.
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Post by gifted on Apr 9, 2010 15:07:14 GMT -5
I can sympatize with you. I have ADD, and so building a habit of something is a major undertaking for me. And once I have finally figured out some kind of structure, it is so easily torn apart by what might be a trivial thing for other people.
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Post by disorganizeddragon on Apr 9, 2010 15:13:39 GMT -5
Simplegifts, I'm right there with you. I also have ADD and I have the attention span of a rabid gnat in a hurricane. It takes me forever to build productive new habits (the bad ones always seem to take hold so much more easily for some reason ) and if someone changes the program, it seems to take forever to readjust. |
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Post by messymimi on Apr 9, 2010 15:31:23 GMT -5
Dear Script,
I don't blame you a bit for ranting.
Sometimes the road to home squalor hell is paved with the good intentions of bureaucrats who don't understand the full consequences of their programs...
messymimi
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Post by DJ on Apr 9, 2010 15:50:36 GMT -5
ditto with don't blame you for ranting.. i am all about being green and environmental but when the plans aren't well thought out.... it frustrates me greatly.. it's no good taking away what people are currently doing without replacing it with a viable alternative... there are all sorts of things i could suggest but i don't think you want that.. just to have your life back without intrusive governmental regulations... i am sorry :/
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Post by Script on Apr 9, 2010 18:04:03 GMT -5
I hope that in a year or two, your community changes to comingled recycling--you'll love it. we are already into co-mingled recycling. problem is: we have been phasing in various recycling initiatives over such a l-o-n-g period of time that everyone is confused. INCLUDING THE GARBAGE PEOPLE! I, like most people, currently have: *green bin [inside] for organic composting: rules are different than 'home ' composting. this bin cannot live OUTSIDE as our raccoons are so smart they can move it and open it *beige bin [inside] to collect the organics. ours lives under the sink *blue bin [outside] to collect all recyclables: paper, glass, metals: these used to be grey and blue boxes *most people [me too] have collector recycling boxes on all [inside] floors of the house: i have three *black bin [outside] for pure trash [we pay by size] *paper leaf and garden bags [outside]: no grass clippings *bags and boxes in cellar for wine bottle recycling [back to beer store] *beer cans or bottles in cellar for recycling [back to beer store] *cloth bags everywhere: car, front hall: so that i can bring stuff home from a store without being ASHAMED at asking for a bag when i would go for a walk a few years back, when we still had the 'open' boxes, i would see ALL KINDS of ghastly NON-recyclable stuff mixed in with the legit paper and glass. now with the covered bins, you can't see your neighbours' trash, but i'm sure there is the same confusion. thanks to all for the sympathy......... |
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Post by mellowyellow on Apr 10, 2010 8:04:56 GMT -5
If it makes you feel better, I am envious of your beige bins for indoor composting. I was at my brother's condo and asked him "what is this cute container?", only to learn that it's the compost bin. I think they look very discrete and elegant. Ours is a mini model of the large green bin. Very green and utility looking. And believe me, it doesn't match with any kitchen decor.  In my city. they are making a big deal of collection being reduced to one bag or can of garbage (this week). But I clearly don't understand, because they have been enforcing this rule for at least a year, leaving bright stickers for those who don't oblige. Of course there are exceptions for families with lots of diaper aged children, or incontinent elderly people, etc. |
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Post by messimo on Apr 10, 2010 18:20:49 GMT -5
CLSS wrote: For me, washing old bags, hanging them to dry, saving them, and organizing them for shopping trips ... is beyond my level of organizational skill, and would be a quick way to increase my squalor. So ... I don't do it. I'm much happier to pay the "full real price" of an item without bothering trying to get the discount for bringing my own bag.
Oh, WOW. My city doesn't have the "bag fee," but a city nearby does. I've been feeling guilty about not purchasing some of those washable reusable shopping bags, but CLSS has made such a good point!! If I were to purchase some of those reusable bags, would I ever get around to actually washing them when they need to be washed???  |
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Post by DJ on Apr 10, 2010 18:48:13 GMT -5
for what it's worth.. i tend to try and use cloth bags.. i actually like to sew new different ones so that's a bonus for me.. but stores make them dirt cheap and they seem to be -everywhere- these days... i dont like half of them but they still somehow get accumulated... people will give me things in them.. stores give them away as a promo or whatever.. i tend to either rapidly regift them or use them til they are grubby then let the animals play with them and then throw them away... still less trash going to a landfill if i use one for 2 or 3 weeks and then toss when it's filthy/destroyed and i don't have to bother with much... 1 lightweight cloth bag rots in a landfill versus the dozens of plastic bags i might have acquired in the meantime.. for me it isn't about ceasing my consumption but at least being aware of it... i don't think it's use and consumption of resources that is so much the issue as the -mindless- use of resources and acquisition... annnyway.. off to go deal with the consequences of endless consumerism and acquiring things and go dehoard my home  |
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Post by cosmic1 on Apr 11, 2010 10:38:38 GMT -5
Script, I don't blame you for ranting. All those rules and regs would have me confused. People have other things to think about and keep track of and don't need the added burden of keeping track of when you can do what. Yikes. I'd be in real trouble during the week because I go to bed at 9 pm, so I can get up a 4:20 am to go to work. I do use the cloth bags for my groceries and I really prefer them because they hold a lot more - no more bag breakage due to all the cat food cans,  . I never thought about washing them :-) Maybe if I bought something that could leak, I would do that. I also don't have to deal with hundreds of plastic bags accumulating in my pantry. Sorry you have to deal with this. I hope ranting made you feel better. |
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Post by Script on Apr 11, 2010 12:50:36 GMT -5
thanks to all for the kind words. here are some solutions which have been 'popping' into my mind: *when I go to a store, I almost always have a cloth bag. BUT I will NO LONGER put meat-fish-poultry into the bag. I will cheerfully pay for the plastic. The cross-contamination issues bother me here. *if I am tired and want to go to bed, I will just turn on the dishwasher: 8pm or whatever. *my DearHubby takes most of the responsibility for the garbage day put-outs to the curb. BUT once in a while something hideous goes wrong. The other week, the garbage collection started around 7am, on the other side of the street. THREE (3) different neighbours got CAUGHT OUT: their stuff wasn't at the curb. We were all running around back and forth, getting stuff out to our side [there were also two wheel-trans vans parked, one illegally, and other traffic issues, but we managed]. Afterwards, our green bins got mixed up. I am upset because the bin we ended up having has been used for DIAPERS and other yuckky things. DH washed it. I have to try to stop being concerned about contamination. *If we REALLY get stuck and miss a pick-up, I can always off-load trash or whatever to my mother or brother. *The city also tells people to off-load trash to neighbours' bins. Har dee har har: can you imagine this! I will be positive and thankful, because we are on VERY GOOD TERMS with three families on the OTHER side of the street and can ask them for help if need be. *I am trying to do HALF the laundry on weekends. I cannot aim or hope for perfection. But half is OK. |
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Post by howardsgirlfriend on Apr 11, 2010 13:40:22 GMT -5
Sounds like you're adapting well.
Interesting that your recycling process is only slightly more complicated than mine, but that's just enough to rendr it odious.
I was thrilled when we went to comingled recycling, because I no longer had to segregate and pack everything so meticulously, and didn't have to remove labels from the cans. I can throw a big cardboard box straight into the bin. They don't object to grass clippings, but I leave mine on the lawn, for fertlizer. As far as I'm concerned, anything that gives me more space and options about throwing stuff away is good.
With 4 dogs and 2 catboxes, I occasionally run out of plastic bags, and I always get them when I shop. I've had to fish others' bags out of the recycling depot. I'm considering asking our petless neighbors to give me their extra bags.
My mom gives me her food waste for my composter, and extra plastic bags. I chuckle at leaving her house with garbage.
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