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Post by BetsyMarie on Sept 30, 2010 11:59:41 GMT -5
Well said. It was the loosening of our recycling guidelines that helped me start tossing some things that were still 'too good' for the garbage. I now can justify tossing those two aluminum pots into recycling. And the mis-matched eating-ware. And the tupperware with no lids, and the useless metal oven racks that dont fit the new oven, and .....
I am also very glad we dont have 'recycling police' in our area. That would be something that would make me run the other direction.
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Post by disheveleddreamer on Sept 30, 2010 12:34:22 GMT -5
I second what BetsieMarie said...the recycling has actually made me get rid of things like old tupperware etc that I didn't want to throw away initially... I find it easier then the garbage to deal with since I don't have to deal with trash bags etc, Here we are giving two square bins one for paper and one for bottles plastic, glass, etc...I could carry my bins in the house, but instead I leave them on the front porch. To simplify the process more, in my pantry next too my trash cans I use a very thin tall laundry basket that I can turn sideways right next to the garbage can. I use this for all my bottles, glass etc; and simply throw it in there instead of the garbage. I also don't meticulously clean the recycle items which could slow someone down whose in squalor, such as myself, instead when I finish drinking say a bottle of apple juice; I quickly rinse it out under the faucet and throw it in the recycle (laundry) container, this also I've noticed keeps my garbage can from filling up so fast with large items like juice bottles and thus I go through less trash bags. Which is great when you are someone who also might be struggling financially. On trash/recycle day when I carry out my trash, I also carry out my laundry basket of recyclables, and dump it into the recycle bin. For my paper recyclable items I keep a carboard box to dump any unwanted magazines or newspapers into. I'm certainly not in maintenance yet and thanks to this system while I do have a lot of junk in my house, I don't keep a lot of trash. I do think if you have a recycling service, that actually comes to your house, then it is actually easier then the trash much of the time. I do also occasionally practice amnesty and the suggestion of that here, has helped tremendously. When my old recycle bins had fallen apart and I was awaiting the new ones...I was saving a bunch of containers awaiting the new bins, however after I read about amnesty on this site and I decided I'm in the process of cleaning up I'll just throw these away for now this time. It felt hard for me, but good to be rid of them and to loose the normal guilt that goes along with that. So I can certainly see that depending on the circumstances either option may be the best depending on the persons circumstances and access to recycling. I've also found many people, even those not living in squalor, that don't recycle, think recycling is hard and it is really not most the time, before they had the recycling program here I used to go through so many trash bags and have a lot more to drag out and now it is such much easier to have only a couple of bags of trash to deal with and the easy to carry laundry basket of recyclables. Well that's just my thoughts on it...love everyones ideas here.
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Post by glowworm on Sept 30, 2010 21:30:42 GMT -5
I keep a recycling bin in my garage right by the door. It's just a few steps from the kitchen. I have discovered the hard way that we have very strict rules about what can be recycled. They will take aluminum cans and plastic bottles, and newspapers, but that's about it. The rest of the stuff, they leave in the bin at the curb! So I gave up on trying to be creative with the recycling. I stick with cans and bottles. Thanks Betsymarie for the suggestion.
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Post by eagle on Sept 30, 2010 21:49:37 GMT -5
As I have said many times when describing my clean-up of my last home in California, the recycle can was twice the size of our garbage can. I was able to throw out far more stuff using the recycle can as I ever would have been able to do if I had only used the garbage can. We also had a yard waste can that was twice the size of the garbage can, and pick up for it was free, which was also great. It hasn't always been this way in California, and I know it is not the same in all municipalities within California. Personally, I really liked that system and wish my new town (5 years now) would do the same. Our recycling and yard waste pick-up are not free. We have to pay extra for yard pick-up or toss it into the garbage can, although they don't want us to put yard waste in the garbage. They provide overly huge garbage cans and teeny tiny recycle bins, which are about the size of a banker box. We do have 3 of them, though, so we can recycle as much as we want. In my opinion, our waste management company is discouraging recycling by using a system such as this. But it should work out great for folks needing amnesty from recycling. Edited to add: Long ago I instituted a system in my own home that require all true garbage (organic stuff that can mold and rot) be placed in only one garbage can, which is always under the kitchen sink. The only exception is bathroom trash, as one would not want to walk through the house to toss bathroom trash. But food-stuffs will never go into any trash can except the garbage underneath my kitchen sink. It has always been this way for me and it works very well for me. I never had to change a habit, because it has always been the same habit. Keeping recycling receptacles in the most obvious places is another part of my system. I have a brown grocery bag in the kitchen & recycle cans in the offices. The bigger recycle bins are in the garage. Designing systems that work is the key to successful waste management, both in the home and in the community.
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Post by shopgirl on Oct 1, 2010 2:05:15 GMT -5
Another Californian here: In our apartment complex we have a recycling dumpster and a trash dumpster. Everyone uses these. The recycling dumpster always fills up faster than the regular trash dumpster. Cardboard, plastic, glass, metal.
If I had to store this stuff inside my house, I couldn't do it. House is too tiny. But being able to take it out each day and put in the dumpster makes it possible for me to recycle.
Cans and bottles we take to the grocery store for 5¢ each.
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Post by Morningstar on Oct 1, 2010 3:05:55 GMT -5
The city that I lived in as a student had a full recycling roadside pickup service; I loved it and made most of it. Here, there is no roadside recycling pickup service - common recycled materials have to be taken to an inner city recycling centre (30km round trip); greenwaste and larger items have to be taken to the city dump (50km round trip and $$$$$).
Fortunately, there is no upper limit on rubbish and no restrictions on what may be placed in rubbish bags, so I claim amnesty and throw most recyclables into the trash. The only exception is cardboard boxes - I collapse them down and take them to the recycling centre on my infrequent trips to the city. Collecting things up for recycling is unrealistic here - my tiny home would be overrun with boxes and bags of recyclables separated by type to the nth degree (local council is really anal about that). I would take a load of stuff to the dump once or twice a year at most, when I have enough greenwaste (or whatever) to fill up the car.
Just get it out the door by whatever means that fits within local authority requirements, transport options and your budget. And toss the guilt along with it.
MS
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Post by StuffNoMore on Oct 1, 2010 7:03:50 GMT -5
Our city charges $1 per 35 gallon bag. It's a bright orange with the city seal on it. Our recycle is free weekly the same day as trash pick up. While in the process of decluttering I did break down all boxes to recycle along with as many plastic and glass bottles I could do. There were a few times I did put a recyclable item into the orange bag to "fill it". In my twisted way of thinking I felt I was getting my $1 worth. Most of my decluttering though was done with using my recycling to it's fullest. It worked for me but may not for others. I don't utilize recycling no more nor less from decluttering to my now maintenance. I didn't find it any extra work to place an item into the recycle bin opposed to the trash barrel. Perhaps this thread was to help those who have an abundance amount of trash to go out, lessen the load by recycling. I'm thinking it's in response to the thread about using others trash bins to dispose of our trash. I've read bestymarie's intent on this thread as a helpful tool for us and not as any type of condemning anyone for how they do what works for them. Now I need to get moving and break up some boxes for recycling.
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Post by BetsyMarie on Oct 1, 2010 9:06:41 GMT -5
It's interesting to read how variable people's trash services are. We are lucky to have excellent service here, and really nice guys who do the work. One thing we like to do is keep our garbage men happy. They will be more likely to do extra things for us when they are. Every year at Christmas we give them a nice $$ tip, and make sure they know it's from us. This is always given in person, and with our address inside the card too. Over the years we have had the same guys and I always make sure I wave and say 'hello' too. Of course I would anyway because they are nice guys that I like. We certainly dont abuse our service, but occasionally they will take a bit extra that we leave out. Sometimes I'll switch a trash can for a green can (always well-labeled), or visa-versa, and they take it without hesitation. Maybe they would anyway, but I'm not sure - I've seen them sometimes leave 'extra stuff' at other houses. I am very pleased with this flexibility, and we like to show our appreciation of them.
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Post by StuffNoMore on Oct 1, 2010 15:02:34 GMT -5
I would very much like to do as you and give a Holiday card with some cash in it but we have different guys on the trucks each time they come by. We have Waste Management at our city and we can only use the orange paid bags as I've called WM requesting the larger trash cans on wheels and was told I need to use the bags as ordered by my city. We use to have a $1 sticker to put on each trash barrel but now they do the bags which holds alot less than a larger trash can would. Perhaps why they did away with the stickers. When they had the stickers it also allowed us one free trash can then stickers for any more than that 1. It was expensive when I decluttered but still cheaper than renting a dumpster. I tossed out between 50-75 bags in my 3 months of cleaning at the $1 a bag, so not to bad price wise to end up with a clean and orderly home. At least there wasn't a limit on how many bags we put out for pick up. We can also put out one large item a week such as a sofa, chair etc. No matter how we go about our clean up, it's a difficult task for all of us. I commend all who have accomplished it and cheer on all those still in the process. SNM
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