If you are a typical American, you will throw out five pounds of waste today, half of which will be food. You will join your fellow Americans (who represent only 5% of the world's population) in using 23% of the world's energy, 15% of its meat, and 28% of its paper.
If you are like me, you will try to recycle more each day, yet it seems that every time I make a change for the better, I run into little problems. It is these little problems that I think trip folks up because there are not always easily-identifiable solutions for them (like the plastic bags and the dog waste from yesterday's post).
You may have run into my "new problem." Since I'm recycling more and more (and trying to use less packaging to begin with), my garbage can sits half-full for numerous days now, and it sometimes smells! And so I went out looking for a smaller garbage can, but then realized I didn't have 70 bucks for that cute metal garbage can and I didn't want to buy any more plastic. So I decided to wash my existing can and use smaller bags instead, but I don't want to buy virgin plastic anymore. I bring my own cloth bags when I shop, so I don't have many plastic bags lying around. And so, another little dilemma . . . Do I start asking for paper bags now just so I have garbage bags? What do you do?
As for acquiring new things, I'd like to say that I'm done acquiring, but the truth is that some things wear out and some of the changes on my plan for living lighter on the land do require some new (or, at least, new to me) things, such as a couple ceiling fans and a screen door (for which I'm still looking) to reduce my energy use. I finally joined Freecycle about two weeks ago. Have you discovered this phenomenal worldwide movement yet? According to its website:
The Freecycle Network™ is made up of 4,390 groups with 5,197,000 members across the globe. It's a grassroots and entirely nonprofit movement of people who are giving (& getting) stuff for free in their own towns. It's all about reuse and keeping good stuff out of landfills. Each local group is moderated by a local volunteer. Membership is free.
I get these daily emails that tell me what's available, what's been taken and what folks want. Today, for instance, a chandelier is offered, some bird feeders have been taken, and someone is looking for a fireplace screen.
I saw an offer the other day for willow baskets, from someone who didn't live far from me. I like baskets because I can use them instead of boxes or bags for gifts, thereby reducing waste, plus I like to photograph the stuff I get from the farmers market, CSA and my garden in them for this blog. So I emailed and then talked to the person offering them (yes, remember all your mom's rules about being careful with strangers). I went over and met this lovely woman who had dragged these baskets from Long Island to Iowa to Georgia, remnants, I'm sure, of birthday flowers and baby gifts and other momentous occasions in her life. And I kept them from the landfill and brought them home.
So look for them, these baskets, when they appear. They were Beth's baskets. And they would have been part of her Daily Five Pounds.
Thanks, Beth.
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2 comments:
Pattie, what I do is, every now and then I get 1 or 2 plastic bags from the supermarket or other shop (I don't mean I buy them; I mean I get them to put my acquisitions in them). We put out 1 supermarket-size bag's worth of rubbish / week, so I don't need many bags. People used to wrap their rubbish in newspaper but, firstly we don't get any newspapers - we get our news online. Secondly, I am always looking for other people's newspapers to use under the straw on my paths or under the straw in summer in the garden, or to light the fire at night in winter.But, theoretically, you could use excess newspaper if you had some. Here we can often get plastic bags made of cellulose which break down. These are the types of shops where I would 'accidentally' forget to take my cloth bags. At the moment I think this is the best I can do.
Kate: Thanks--I'll try the newspaper idea. Maybe the kids and I can "fashion" bags out of newspaper and a little tape. Hmmmm. Why not? Worth a shot. (We get the Sunday New York Times--a habit I've had for 25 years now).
Also, I just read that shredded newspaper makes the best mulch for tomato plants. Another great use for the newspaper. And yes, I use it under the straw on my paths, too.
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