We Recycled
Okay I recycled.... much to Garren's dismay.Besides Garren loathing of all things "hippie," we never did our part to save the Earth because of (sadly) convenience.
1. Keeping up with used cans, bottles, paper, etc is a hassle. I have a million jobs to do around here everyday, and I didn't want another one.
2. There is not enough space for storing all of those things. Recycling day comes but once a week just like trash day and it is gross enough to store trash in this house for a week, and adding recycling--yuck!
3. It's gross! It is just something else for Thomas to get in to or Gracie to knock over. Thomas already got into the pile several times this week and I had to clean up drops of soft drink off the floor.
Okay, that's pretty sad, but you have to admit--that's probably why you don't recycle either.
Well, with three of us* now drinking out of cans, I noticed how huge the pile was getting in the trash can and decided to do a little "experiment."
I asked the guys to put their cans in a box I left downstairs. Of course I had to go back and pull cans back out of the trash because Garren didn't want to participate. But, I as the days went on I was aghast at 1. how much those boys (and I) drink in a day!!! and 2. how much trash we were saving by pulling these things out.
We also go through a lot of milk thanks to Thomas, so I thought I would add the milk cartons, and Gracie's flavored water bottles (sugar & caffeine free! Love those things!!), as well as our water bottles to the pile.
Today I took out a laundry basket FULL of things to the curb. I felt kinda proud. Garren grimaced, and Luke just laughed at us both.
I don't know how much longer we will participate faithfully, but I intend to give it a try.
*I think I kind of forgot to blog that Luke (Garren's brother) was staying with us for a month or two this summer. He is interning with Garren's office, so they work together in the home office and twice a week they go to Richmond. If you know these boys, you know what it is like when they get together--but so far they have kept their adolescent antics downstairs, and Gracie and Thomas have loved having added attention.
I wonder what Garren woukd think of mine and Matt's "hippie ways". We actually PAY to recycle. The recycle truck comes every 2 weeks and we have a recycle can that is the same size as the trash can-we wheel them both to the curb night on the night before pickup. And if you are wondering, the cans are different colors so Waste Management will know which one to pick up at which time.
ReplyDeleteWe recycle too. Do you have any idea how many plastic bottles we go through in a day? We don't really drink many canned drinks. However, we have loads of plastic to recycle. AND we do NOT have curb service.
ReplyDeletewe keep our non paper recycling on the back porch right outside of our kitchen door so it isnt in the house. we keep the paper recycling in the kitchen in a laundry hamper and it doesnt makea huge mess! KEEP IT UP!!!
ReplyDeleteYou said it yourself. . . Look at how much you're NOT putting in a landfill. This is REALLY important, but I agree, it's a pain in the butt! We've recycled for years (without curb service and with service) and I loathe having all the "extra" around, but I, too, am stunned by how much does not get thrown in the regular trash. Ours is mostly paper, plastic, and glass, but it still adds up! It's a good and right thing to do and you should be proud of yourself. I am - proud of you!
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