Week of Trash, Day 2 Results

Day 2 in the Week of Trash was a rather disappointing one, because I knew it would bring me embarrassment today. (Please note that waste in trash can includes Day 1 waste, all other waste is Day 2 only,)

Mr. Greener took a few minutes yesterday to clean out some old magazines and papers. The ones that truly wound up getting the axed are pictured above. Others I sorted out: papers with a blank side remaining went to my scrap paper pile. Two nice magazines also got pulled out of the pile - I'm hoping to find a home for them. But would I have been so conscious to take that extra step to review the trash if I wasn't telling the whole world about my waste? Maybe not. Because the truth is, I don't know what to do with those magazines that I pulled out of the pile - I just know that someone still might enjoy reading them. A hospital in Colorado requests magazine donations. I can't find any place around here that wants them.

But the WORST thing that happened yesterday in trash was the organic waste. Normally I don't have much food that goes bad in the fridge...but lately we've had a lot of company coming in and out, and it has messed up my system. Yesterday I tossed: cooked broccoli, uneaten salad, almost 2 whole portobello caps, Indian food leftovers - all in addition to normal waste: egg shells, ends of squash, banana peel, etc.

City    County    

No         No        Organic waste

No         No        Yogurt container

No         No        Paper napkins (I should really switch to cloth)

Yes       No        Magazines

Yes       Yes      Papers, Junk Mail (still waiting for my removal from the list to take affect)

Note to City of Miami and Miami Dade County Solid Waste Departments: The websites are not sufficiently clear on what can and can not be recycled. I was on hold for 9 minutes with the county in order to ask about magazines. I wasn't even going to call the city, assuming they would not take them either, but it seems that they do. Both websites only state newspaper and do not mention office paper or magazines.

Comments

[Melissa]

Hey girl,

I'm still going strong with my Week of Trash - on Day 2 already :) hehe

I'm already extremely irritated with my city and the way they present the whole trash disposal issue. So far, they don't seem terribly pro-active about teaching people to reduce, reuse, recycle. argh. (I rant about it in my blog today.)

Re: magazines - are there any prisons near you? They probably need reading material badly.

You must ask for that cool (and pricey) home composter for your birthday, Christmas/winter holiday, Presidents' Day - whatever! (NatureMill)
It is my dream machine :) I hope to have one someday, esp. if I'm living somewhere without a yard.

I have to say, I admire you for even wanting to analyze your trash - I would be going frickin crazy without being able to recycle! Stay strong. ;)

[Harlan]

Rebecca hi:

Great concept - counting your trash (recyclables), FL is a little behind, we know.

Try taking your mags to the Dr., DDS., hair dresser, etc. and do an exchange for other mags. Sort of a recycle library.

One of the reasons we only publish electrons, not print n' paper, right!

Love your site.
Harlan,
Greener Mag