Household produces no trash

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clemencia2us
Posts: 11445
Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2015 9:21 am

Household produces no trash

Post by clemencia2us »

colonialgirl
Posts: 1835
Joined: Sat Aug 29, 2015 2:01 am
Location: Central Illinois

Re: Household produces no trash

Post by colonialgirl »

As much as I admire this, I don't know that I could actually be this dedicated. When we got recycling pick up I was stunned at how much our waste was reduced. We used to have no less than 2 (sometimes 3 or 4) 33 gallon trash bags weekly. With recycling pickup, our trash is about 1/2 of a 33 gallon bag per week.

I could get it down I suppose but physically my energy is low. I should be composting more - potato peelings, vegetable parings, etc but I don't. I do make the vegetable parings into veggie stock - but even then there is leftover pulp. I think most of us here do what can to avoid food waste.

I need to make an effort to do better I know.
clemencia2us
Posts: 11445
Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2015 9:21 am

Re: Household produces no trash

Post by clemencia2us »

heck with all these animals here, we throw out a bag of garbage a day!

But then I think of all the non baby producing these animals are not going to do and its okay!
littlemiss63
Posts: 2516
Joined: Thu Aug 27, 2015 10:11 pm
Location: Middle Tennessee

Re: Household produces no trash

Post by littlemiss63 »

Interesting read, but I'm not sure I could ever get down to that little. She is doing a terrific job.

Unless I have company I only make a run to the dumpster on an average of every two weeks. I buy very little processed food and make almost everything from scratch. Don't drink a lot of soda's and the only time I will drink bottled water is when I am going on a trip, so plastic and cans aren't a problem. I have a filter on my refrigerator and the water is in the door so very convenient for me to keep a glass there.

I break any cardboard boxes down and store them in a basket in the garage to use to start the fire in my firepit. I save cereal boxes, paper sacks that flour or sugar comes in. I was using my cloth bags for sacking groceries, but now that I pick up my groceries that can't be done. I do recycle those bags in my small trash cans around the house. Any food scraps, which are far and few between goes into my compost area. What soup, vegetable cans or glass jars that I do have, I would recycle them. I wash them and it takes awhile for me to accumulate enough to take to the recycle dumpster.

I have friends that use nothing but paper plates and plastic cutlery to eat with and drink from throw-away plastic cups because they don't want to wash the dishes. I can't bring myself to do that. #1 I think it's leaving to much of a footprint and #2 I know it's just me, but I don't enjoy my food as much on a paper plate. I love my dishes and it only takes a minute to wash a plate, glass and silverware. I can go several days without running my dishwasher so other than pots and pans I don't wash many dishes anyway.
Dgflorida
Posts: 4381
Joined: Wed Oct 07, 2015 8:10 pm

Re: Household produces no trash

Post by Dgflorida »

I agree with you all. I could do better, but I feel I do the best I can. Recycling takes time, a lot of time and energy. And there is only so many hours in the day. I do recycle coffee and coffee filters. I do put vegetable scraps in the worm towers most of the time. I do save hand washing water. And I do recycle cans etc. But all that takes time and then I have less time to do maintenance, repairs and improvements. And if you are not moving forward in project, you are moving backwards.
colonialgirl
Posts: 1835
Joined: Sat Aug 29, 2015 2:01 am
Location: Central Illinois

Re: Household produces no trash

Post by colonialgirl »

LM - great point about the paper plates. I only buy a small package around the holidays to send leftovers home with my family. It is so funny, during the year people will be at my house for meals or something and ask where I keep the paper plates. I tell them I don't use them and they look at me like I said I the sky is pink. They don't really believe that anyone doesn't use them daily.

I do use paper towels for specific tasks (draining bacon, putting fruit that stains on them to dry after the vinegar wash, etc) but I started dating my roll when I change it and discover I only use one roll every 4-6 weeks. I don't think that is too bad. I don't use coffee filters, or paper napkins or paper/plastic cups or glasses or straws or plastic flatware. So paper towels, TP, and cupcake liners are about the extent of my paper use. And I am not giving them up.
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