Literally. Trash.
The very beginning of this journey started because I realized that our family of six was going through enough garbage to fill a 13 gallon trash bag daily, and sometimes even more than that. Initially it was about money! I didn’t want to budget for loads of trash bags. I really do know you’re probably thinking, in the grand scheme of things trash bags might not cost all that much money-wise, and you’d be right. At the time we also would have had to pay separately for recycling, so we simply didn’t do it (money-led-thinking again), hence the bags and bags containing both recyclable and compostable waste, along with landfill treasures. I was being nit-picky, about two things that specifically contradicted one another. However, what started out as yet another money-selfish realization slowly turned into a holy-shit-this-is-also-SO-irresponsibly-wasteful realization.
Enter: shame and total panic.
Oh my goodness, I don’t want to pay for recycling and don’t feel like being inconvenienced by composting.
Oh my goodness, I’m throwing away, in a plastic bag, something that would otherwise breakdown naturally in a completely appropriate way OR could be reused for something.
But WHY should I have to pay for recycling? Isn’t it helpful to recycle? Hellooo, you’re welcome. Right?
How could I even think about consuming so much and not disposing of it properly?
I’ll just wait until I don’t have to pay for recycling.
Unfortunately, we did wait to start recycling until it was included in our waste/sanitation. I don’t think my mind could have handled it any other way, it was just too much to reconcile for some reason. It was another thing to have to do along with being a mom of four and a homemaker, and it is what it is. If I dwell on how wasteful we used to be (and often still are), the conversation in my head between me, shame and panic will spiral down until I’d have to sleep it off. No thanks. Time to move on. To the future!
I’d love to be able to say that I’ve cultivated a master course in learning how to compost and be low-waste and can provide you with everything that you need. However, I have not done that. Instead, I’ve researched and found sources that feel comfortable and accessible to me and my lifestyle. So, I’ll share those resources with you.
First! Compost.
This site provides a thorough (albeit a little dramatic for lack of a better word, but not untrue) why you should compost, but also how and what to compost. And check out this book, or follow @simply.living.well for practical ways to lower your food waste.
We have this outdoor compost bin. If I had the opportunity to start composting all over again, I would have done one with a double bin, or built one like this. All this to say, its a personal choice, and you need to pick something that is right for your family/roommates/etc, your yard and your life.
Bonus: I love this kitchen scrap collection bin from my absolute favorite zero waste refill shop, The Good Fill. Looks good on the counter, easy to clean!
Second! Recycle.
DO IT. Just kidding. But really, if its provided to you or you have to pay a small fee, just. do. it. Spoiler alert: it will always be a little inconvenient, so might as well get used to it and make it work for you.
Paper, cardboard, glass and cans are the easiest things to recycle that can be recycled more than a few times (glass is almost infinite!). Plastic is the culprit, and previously recycled plastics are even worse as they may not be able to be broken down and repurposed yet another time.
I try my best, but obviously still have to purchase things contained in plastic, and still recycle the containers, or repurpose them if I can. Plastic bags (grocery bags, cereal bags, bread bags, ziplocks, etc.) I take back as often as I can to my local grocery store, which has a recycling container for them. So check your local stores. Recycling plastic bags just might be as easy as bringing them back on your next shopping trip.
Our family of six has gone from a 13 gallon trash bag a day to a 9 gallon trash bag a week (you can find my very favorite trash can/recycling can combo here) and not without some effort, I won’t lie. We’ve gone from not even having a recycling bin to take out on trash day every week to filling a medium one weekly and taking the large trash bin out once every two to three weeks. It’s been a long, slow process that has included too many times to count where I’ve had to dig cans out of the trash—or where I’ve shouted from across the house, “THAT BANANA PEEL CAN BE COMPOSTED!!” Which everyone finds endearing and hilarious, of course.
We’re learning. We don’t always hit the mark, but we’re also simply trying. Which is exactly what I’d encourage you to do. Start small, take your time, do what you can, know and be content with the effort because something at the very least isn’t nothing and that, my friends, is perfectly fine.
The Hill Fort 