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Post by BetsyMarie on Sept 30, 2010 6:43:08 GMT -5
I sometimes read about people not taking the time to do recycling and in other threads about not having enough space in trash cans to get rid of all the trash going out. People certainly can do what is easiest to get the job done, but I would suggest that if you arent separating recycling, and also dont have enough trash space, that you find out more about your local recycling service. You might find it to be a relatively painless, legal, free way to get rid of lots of trash. In my area we are very lucky and have curbside recycling, and we can add extra free cans - all we have to do is ask for them. We dont have to sort anything, and what they pick up is an ever-expanding list. They will take all plastic except styrofoam and plastic bags (bags can be recycled in front of most grocery stores here). Recycling also will take all paper, boxes, drink bottles, magazines, and so forth. And all metal - old utensils, cans, pots and pans, and any other metal objects. They also say 'if in doubt, toss it in and let our 'expert sorters' decide.' Works for me. I know not every area does, but if you have good recycling in your town, take advantage of it. You can probably find out what service options your area has and what they will take if they have a website. Or call them to ask where to find this information. I get rid of more stuff via recycling than I do via trash. It's painless and free, and of course saves natural resources and landfill space. Win-Win.  |
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Post by dtesposito on Sept 30, 2010 7:27:24 GMT -5
Very good point! I too end up with about 2/3 of my "trash" going into the recycle bin and only about 1/3 going into the garbage dumpster.
Diane
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Post by blossoming on Sept 30, 2010 8:28:46 GMT -5
wow. i will totally disagree with you on this point. recycing in general is FABULOUS. recycling for someone in squalor trying to change their life is DANGEROUS. too many of us have used too many reasons for too many years to avoid getting things out NOW. we have amnesty here from doing things the perfect way, the politically correct way, the way our mothers did it, the way we should do it, or any other way that puts even five seconds between the trash and the outside of our (soon to be) beautiful homes. to me, recycling is for people in maintenance, and not just beginning maintenace either. i can tell you as a housekeeper that the people i work for who recycle and have not gotten FULLY out of squalor FOR YEARS, it just becomes another source of trash that piles. but now, instead of sentimental trash, it is green trash taht the right thing must be done with. i have had to say more than once, i can't deal with your recycling til xyz is taken care of first, becuase each week the pile gets bigger until it literally can consume several rooms. as for myself, i had to quit recycing years ago. even though i'm in maintenace and "green" in many, many ways, i do not trust myself to do this. it's like trusting the alcholic iwth the keys to the liquor cabinet. to me, giving importance to trash is triggering and makes me reconsider too many things that just need to be thrown out. this is very dangerous. if recycling works for you, that is sooooooooooooooooooo cool. i just really disagre with encouraging others to do it on this particular site. i hope i was specific enough to help you understand. i feel it's a pretty serious issue here and has been a timebomb for many on the site, for myself, and from what i've seen and had to clean up after in real life in the homes of others.  |
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Post by def6 on Sept 30, 2010 9:03:01 GMT -5
Oh wow! If we break the rules of recycling here -we could be excluded from the program.  |
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Post by blossoming on Sept 30, 2010 9:13:59 GMT -5
?
i'm not sure what you're talking about. anybody can do anything anyway they want. i've just seen so many people ruin their progress worrying over recycling. really good people who've made fabulous progress and that is waht trips them up time after time. to see someone go from a clean home back into a place with rooms piled high is tragic and disheartening.
however, if i'ts not triggering for you, as i said in my post, if it works for you, do it.
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Post by 60isolderthanithot on Sept 30, 2010 9:28:17 GMT -5
Def6 - no no no! I don't think anyone would be excluded here over such a thing. REALLY. This is an inclusionary space. There's plenty of room for people to express things that help them or upset them or work for them or don't work for them. We're individuals, not assembly line objects. Recycling works for some folks but I'd bet everybody understands that for others, it is a bad idea. Everybody's welcome to take a place anywhere on that line without penalty or censure. |
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Post by BetsyMarie on Sept 30, 2010 9:51:01 GMT -5
I'm rather shocked at the response. As someone still living in squalor myself and far from maintainance (though much closer than before) taking advantage of my free curbside recy pick-up is far from "dangerous". IMO it's just as over-reaching to say no one should recycle as it would have been for me to say everyone must. Anyone can do anything they want. If it's dangerous for you, it's good you recognize that - more power to you. But to assume it's just as bad for everyone else might be counterproductive for those it just might help. Dividing things into recycling vs garbage has done nothing but help me get rid of more stuff faster. No where did I say anyone HAD to recycle (or induce guilt if they didn't), but rather my message is dont forget about it if it's there , and implied was 'if it works for you'. If it's a problem area, don't do it. Most of us have enough problems getting rid of trash to bring on new ones. For me it's simple: Among other boxes when I'm decluttering, I keep two adjacent bins, one for trash, one for recycling. There is only positive emotional charge when I can toss something into either container. Getting stuff out of my house in the fastest, most efficient way possible is the goal. In another thread someone described how they put little bags of garbage into their car and drove around town to toss them in various cans. To me that seems very inconvenient - I'd rather use the recycle can at my curb.  Bottom line....If it's a trigger for you, dont do it. If it isn't, give it a try. |
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Post by blossoming on Sept 30, 2010 9:57:51 GMT -5
i don't think i was just assuming it was bad for everybody. i specificaly mentioned i was a housekeeper, too. i have literally seen it destroy people who did not feel it was triggering for them. they had no clue that two rooms piled high of reycing was not in their best interest. i have worked with people in danger of losing their kids due to situations like this.
so, sometimes we are not capable of realzing what is triggering for us beforehand. this is not a regular cleaning site. tehre are many of those on the internet. this is for folks who have gotten wildly out of control and do not know how to get back into control. so, to me, if i've seen it destroy folks lives, i have a duty to bring it up.
the thing that made me respond was not that you recycled yourself, it was encouraging folks on this specific type of site, to do it.
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Post by moggyfan on Sept 30, 2010 10:02:59 GMT -5
I'm not sure what def6 meant, but here in SF you can actually get in trouble (fined a significant amt of $$) if you do not recycle properly--if you put recyclables in the garbage receptacles, you get a citation.
I'm not sure how often it is really enforced, but I know it does happen.
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Post by dtesposito on Sept 30, 2010 10:12:40 GMT -5
I believe betsymarie's post was in response to the people who feel like their progress is being impeded by their local garbage pickup regulations. In some communities, you have to pay for garbage that is unsorted and taken to the dump, but the items correctly placed in the recycling bins (and many don't require sorting, so you can thrown everything into one bin) are free.
In this case, it would HELP someone to be able to keep getting things out of their house without incurring extra expense. Since our building started recycling, our actual garbage dumpster is no longer overflowing by the time of pickup, so it can make a huge difference.
Diane
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Post by blossoming on Sept 30, 2010 10:19:05 GMT -5
"I sometimes read about people not taking the time to do recycling..."
that is how the post began. that is how i responded to it.
if anyone needs anymore info, search for "amnesty" and you can find much more on this topic. the concept of amnesty is how most folks i personally know actually GOT OUT OF SQUALOR.
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Post by BetsyMarie on Sept 30, 2010 10:39:09 GMT -5
We are all individuals and can make up our own minds about which things to try. Over time I've read many suggestions here. Some I've dismissed out of hand, other things I've tried. Some have worked, others haven't. Trying new things is part of the process for some of us. Recycling is just another suggestion of something to try. It has helped me greatly. And I still encourage those who may not have considered it - and want to- to try it. If it doesnt work, stop. What some people can do, what works for them, can sometimes change over time. What didn't work before might now work. |
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Post by stretch on Sept 30, 2010 10:51:03 GMT -5
I see where blossoming is coming from. My community has personal recycling bins for each house, and you don't need to sort. For me, it's a matter of two trash cans in my house and emptying them into their respective bin. For someone with a hoarder mentality who does not have this option, it can be dangerous to think, "I'll just save these bottles over here until I can take them down to the recycling plant." As with many things in our homes, "tomorrow" becomes "soon" becomes "someday". It can be a dangerous road to go down.
I also understand what you were saying, betsymarie, but the tone of your post did come across as a little scolding and task assigning. Again, both things that people with squalor issues don't always respond to well.
Bottom line - do what works for you.
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Post by fluffernut - now Jannie on Sept 30, 2010 11:23:17 GMT -5
My town has recycling rles. they do occasional spot-checks and write people tickets. one person got a tickert for not recycling newspapers. He went to court claiming the only newspapers he put in the trash had been used for painting projects. Another got a similar ticket and claimed the newspapers were wet and could not be recycled. I do recycle as much as possible-newspapers, corrugated cardboard, metals, glass and ceretain plastics. But other "garbage"-well, amnesty works there.
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Post by AnnieOkie on Sept 30, 2010 11:48:30 GMT -5
Well, thank the Lord there are no laws in my area forcing me to recycle! Amnesty from such is one of the things that helped me start on the road to digging out. I specifically recall tossing a red little boys' sweater and almost not being able to resist the urge to go dig it out of the trash.....see how difficult that was for me? I still think about it....two years later!
I still do not recycle trash items (bottles, cans, etc.) but I have gotten to the point where I am donating clothing and household items and books that I don't need any more. I actually have a shower curtain and a pair of jeans I need to drop in the donation box right now. I brought a Halloween sweatshirt to work today with a "free" sign on it and it is already gone.
Recycling rocks and amnesty rocks. They are both good things....just depends on what works for you at what time in your journey.
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