Waste Management changes in the city

My city is considering changing its waste management contract that expires next year, and no shock that there is a ridiculous amount of commentary. The concept is this:


Currently, we have weekly garbage pick-up, alternating recycling pick-up (1 week black box, 1 week blue box, etc) and seasonal green bin pick-up (every week in the warm months, every 2 weeks in the cold months).

The proposed change would be:

Garbage pick-up every other week, weekly full recycling pick-up (both blue and black boxes each week) and weekly green bin pick-up.

I am all for the proposed change. Why? Because less frequent garbage pick-up will (theoretically and logically) deter people from using their garbage bins as much and cause them to look into other methods of disposal. The green bin has been a pretty big bad guy around here (for a reason I honestly can't fathom) and people tend to avoid recycling because it's hard (or their lazy, take your pick). They will either figure out how to sort their refuse to minimize overflow, have an overflowing garbage bin and whine about it, or stop buying so much crap.

I'm hoping for option #3 on that list, personally. The less junk people buy, the less they will have to throw away. There just won't be as much garbage to worry about. There will be less 'demand' for poorly made products, and people will be able to save more money because they won't be spending it on junk.

Recycling is really not that complicated. Just want to throw that in there. It's really not. Cardboard and paper goes in the black bin. Plastics (hard plastics only) go in the blue bin. Metal goes in the blue bin. Glass (unbroken) goes in the blue bin. You do have to separate mixed materials (paper with plastic glued to it) but it doesn't take that much effort. Really, I promise! Crush your paper and aluminum cans to save even more space.

I hope that the city government decides to go with the proposed changes, I would like to see more frequent pick-up of the more sustainable disposal options. They should also increase garbage bin cost, to prevent people who don't want to recycle from just buying more garbage bins, but I don't think that will happen.

I'll keep crossing my fingers that more people will think of their surroundings when they buy, and when they dispose of their garbage. I'll keep trying to show people that it really isn't that hard. The rest is up to them.
 
Peace and serenity,
 
Simply Me

The Three R's - Recycle

The third, and final, part of the ever-important 3 R’s of eco-friendly living, not to mention less stressed living and more frugal living, is recycling. Recycling is typically known as being those little blue and black boxes that you fill with your plastics, your metals, paper and glass that gets picked up every week (alternating weeks for us Ontarians) along with the garbage.

Trust others to deal with your trash?

Does that seem safe? As much as I would love to have trust in the government to keep us safe and properly process our garbage, I must admit that I just don’t. They are all-too-often only looking out for themselves, and they like to keep us little people in the dark. I’m sure they do take the blue and black boxes away, and maybe they do process them down and make something new with them. They must, for we see post-consumer recycled content in many things, from McDonald’s take out bags to toilet paper.

All too much I’ve noticed that the items containing recycled content are not things that you would hope to see. Recycled content seems to have become synonymous with down-cycled content. Why does our recycling turn into something less than it once was? Why can’t it become equivalent or even become something more?

Think outside the box

It can. It takes some effort, and it takes innovation, but it can. The process is called up-cycling, and personally I much prefer it. It may not always be feasible, but it is an option for many things. Taking something that you no longer have use for, maybe it’s even broken or its use has been erased. Turn it into something useful, or even decorative. Create beauty from refuse and trash, and showcase it.

Recycling plastics – hoax to make you feel better about consumption

In order to recycle plastics, they need to inject and release just as many toxic chemicals into it as there was originally placed into it upon production. The energy reduction (or amount of energy saved) by using recycled plastics as opposed to producing new plastic is around 5%. That hardly seems worth the chemicals and toxicity that it brings into the planet. It is for this reason that I completely advocate getting rid of unnecessary plastics. They are a detriment to the environment by every angle. Not only this, but when you recycle plastics, it loses quality. It can no longer become what it was recycled from. A plastic bottle from bottled water can not become a new plastic bottle, it is too low-quality. It will become plastic lumber, netting, etc. Then what? You cannot recycle a plastic once it has hit that low quality mark, it just becomes garbage.

Recycling other materials

Recycling should be promoted for things that can actually be recycled and maintain their current quality. Glass, metal, and paper can all maintain their quality once recycled. They can become what they once were. A glass bottle can be melted down and made into a new glass bottle. An aluminum tin can be melted down and made into a new aluminum tin. These items can go full circle and start again. They are worth the effort of recycling, because they save a considerable amount of energy by recycling them as opposed to creating new materials.

Last and definitely least

Remember that there is a reason that recycling is the third on the list. It should be your last option. Just because you have curbside recycling available doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t try to reduce and reuse first. The purpose of recycling is to catch the remainder of what cannot be reduced or reused, so use it as such. If you are buying things that you know are excessive, and validate it by saying “well, the container is recyclable” you are just doing yourself and the planet an injustice. Rely on yourself, don’t buy more than you need and can use, and the planet will be grateful.


Peace and serenity,


Simply Me


This post is part of a series. Part 1 - Reduce and Part 2 - Reuse

The Three R's - Reuse

The next item on the list of primary and essential ways to follow green living and lessen your footprint on the earth is also simple: Reuse.

By reusing things that have further use to you or someone you know, you pass on and increase that item’s value. Reusing your belongings, possessions, etc is very easy and does not have to take up a lot of time or space. It may actually save you both.

Examples of choosing to reuse

For example, instead of using single use paper towels, grab a cloth rag. You will be able to use that one rag infinite times more than you could dream of using a paper towel. They are not even comparable in cost, as you have to buy paper towel, but you can make a rag out of any piece of fabric. Another example, instead of buying the single serving size cups of yogurt for your lunch, invest a few dollars into small reusable containers (I’ll bet you can find some at your local second hand store!); this will allow you to spend less money on the larger tubs of yogurt (way cheaper by weight/volume) and you’ll get enough to last you longer.

There are a few other obvious examples of reuse, such as investing in a stainless steel water bottle and stop buying bottled water, or bring a set of utensils with you when you go out for lunch so that you don’t have to get the single use plastic utensils. Countless options for you to follow that will lower your impact on the environment exist, all you have to do is pick one and get started!

Find a way to take something that you were going to throw in the garbage to either make it into something new, or to reuse it. Challenge yourself a little bit every day. Don’t be afraid to try new things, you might find something that was more efficient than you imagined!

Good example of a chronic reuser

If you want some very fantastic and interesting ways to reuse objects, check out Rob’s World. Every few days he posts a new project that he’s just completed, and honestly it’s all pretty simple stuff. Not only that, but you can guarantee that no one else will have the exact same copy of what he has made.

Spend your shopping dollars where it counts

My favourite method of following reuse is by choosing where to shop. Whenever possible, I choose second-hand stores (such as Value Village, but not the Salvation Army) because that will keep these items from being trashed. These items that are donated to these stores are still perfectly good. The clothes are still (usually) in great shape, the utensils and dishes often unique and elegant. You can also find some very high quality vintage items for dirt cheap. Not to mention supplies for just about any do-it-yourself project!

Continue the second-hand cycle by donating your goods that you no longer needs to your local second-hand store (again, try to avoid the Salvation Army) so that someone else may be able to make good use of your old treasures. When you are slowly decluttering your home and life of excess stuff, drop the items that are still good off there. Clothes that don’t fit anymore, or that you just don’t like, drop them off. Continue to fuel the circle, and it will continue to provide for you.

Peace and serenity,

Simply Me


This post is part of a series. Part 1 - Reduce and Part 3 - Recycle

The Three R's - Reduce

Maybe you’ve noticed, and maybe you haven’t, that I have kind of drifted away from the green living topics. It’s not that I have changed my lifestyle, if anything I’ve gotten a bit crunchier. Every day I look for opportunities to improve my life as well as lessen my impact on the world around me, and that will never change.

Most of the subjects that are very useful information related to green living have been pretty well done. I read enough different blogs, articles, websites, forums, etc to feel that anything I have to add would be fairly minimal on these subjects. Sure, I have my own opinion of things, but who wants to read the same thing said twenty different ways?

The true and simple concept behind any and all true green living practices (as opposed to green-washing, which just makes you think you’re benefiting the environment while lining the pockets of different corporations) can be summed up in three words.

Reduce
Reuse
Recycle

First and foremost

Reduce is the first mentioned on the list, and for a very good reason. It is the first line of defence in protecting natural resources, time, and energy. By reducing, you are taking the time to consider the need of items, and making sure that you only take what you need. It is the easiest and most effective way to have a positive effect on the planet when used properly. Using less stuff will lower the demand for raw natural resources. With a lower demand on natural resources there will be less destruction of ecosystems and natural habitats. Less destruction of ecosystems will lead to the planet reaching it’s balance once more, as it will not be being actively torn apart by man’s constant want for new.

Reducing the amount of stuff you have in your home/office/life will also result in less stress. Stress about money or stress about where to keep all of the stuff, and how to keep it all clean and maintained. Stress that the body does not need or deserve. By having and wanting less stuff, you will not only save money by purchasing less, you will also save money by having better health due to lowered stress levels.

Start simple, think big

Reducing may seem intimidating at first, but don’t let it scare you. Starting simple is the easiest way to go about it, and starting with something small is a great way to tiptoe your way into the environments graces. Don’t take big leaps unless you think you can make it, and don’t try to push yourself too hard, because you will just increase the likelihood of burning out. If you’re looking for somewhere small to start, keep an eye on the small steps series I have been creating. Cut things out one at a time, and in time you won’t even miss them. You may even find life more enjoyable when you have less stuff to worry about.

Peace and serenity,

Simply Me


This post is part of a series. Part 2 - Reuse and Part 3 - Recycle

Hypocrasy or baby steps?

Spoke with my fiancee yesterday, we've been having more disagreements than usual, mostly due to her trying to quit smoking. She mentioned how she thought it was hypocritical of me to be preaching about buying humane, organic meats, and yet still have tons of clothes and love shopping.

I know I'm not perfect, I admit that I am materialistic, but I do try. I try to do my best, and sometimes I make mistakes. She has an all-or-nothing attitude, and I think that shows through a lot when we talk about the environment. I however try to look at it as baby-steps and accepting that no one will ever be perfect.

In a world where it has gone so far, this disposable lifestyle that the world is so accustomed to and so attached to, baby steps is the most viable way of trying to change that. I avoid plastic as much as possible, I'm cutting down on my meat consumption (again), I buy as much as I can second hand, we recycle, I try to find ways to reuse the stuff we have before chucking it. That's more than a lot of people do, that is what I'm proud of.

New reused beauty products

Just got a package today that I ordered a few days ago from Recycline. I got the Preserve toothbrush, 4 of them to keep me going for a while. I also got a 4 pack of two blade razors that come in some fun colours. Not only are these products made of post consumer recycled plastic, primarily from Stonyfield Farms yogurt cups, but the handles are #5 plastic, and recyclable in most cities. If it isn't recyclable in your city, you can send them back to Recycline and they will recycle them themselves. Then, to top it all off, they sent it in a package which was made entirely (from what I can see) paper and/or cardboard. So it's completely recyclable. Package perfect deal.

Keeping hope alive

I'm trying to conceive a way to pitch a recycling system in place for the employee's of my job. I need to pitch it to my boss' boss in a way that he'll understand from a business perspective as helping the company not just the environment. Very frustrating. I've tried previously, which ended up with me being told that "We need to focus more on detail cleaning, and then we'll think about it."

I was like: EXCUSE ME? Cleaning dirt and corners and walls is more important that reducing the amount of crap going into landfills? What the %#@ are you thinking? But, of course, I wouldn't actually say that at the risk of losing my job. So instead I have been lying in wait, and plotting my next approach.

Hopefully it goes better.

First of many.

Alright, so here's my first blog, and here's hoping that it catches on. I guess I should start with an appropriate intro that doesn't involve recommending a browsing of my profile. So here goes.
I am a 21 year old fast food manager who makes a concerted effort to stay green and thinking of my spot in a bigger perspective. I recycle almost everything, and have recently started working on the other 2 R's: Reduce, and Reuse.

Since I work fast food, I feel absolutely terrible about the enormous and redonkulous amount of waste produced by this form of consumerism. So I try my heart to incorporate some "greening" in at least my store.

Some examples are:
-Bringing home dropped paper bags which would end up in the garbage.
-I bring my own water container for any drinks that I want
-I encourage my co-workers to do the same
-So far, I have convinced some of my co-workers the benefits of reducing the amount of garbage they use, at least while at work.

I do other things as well, such as being very careful when I take something out, so that nothing else falls by accident, and other such things.

And I'm out for now,
Frugal