It’s been three or four garbage days now that I’ve been recycling in Colorado. When we moved in, I was sad we left our recycling bin in Illinois, and decided to go to Home Depot right away to get a new one. Assuming that recycling was the same nationally, I didn’t think this would be an issue.
When we got to the HD, we went straight to the back where the trash cans are and scanned the huge shelves, looking for the friendly blue bins with the white recycling logo. None. We looked at each other quizzically and found a woman with an orange apron. “Where are the recycling bins?” we asked. She said, “Well, if we have them, they would be here, but they aren’t a big seller here, so it doesn’t look like we have any.”
What could we say but, “Oh.”?
It was a bit confusing and not just a little humorous to us that in a state where they don’t use salt on ice to preserve the environment, a recycling bin could not be found in the Home Depot…because there wasn’t a market for them!
So we continued to throw recyclables in the trash. First the excuse was that we were in transition, and then it was the pregnancy and newborn stage. Finally, after seeing the recycling truck go by the house for two and a half years, I called our trash company and had a pleasant 5 minute conversation with the woman at our trash company. She simply and politely explained the rules, and in doing so, raised my respect for Colorado tremendously. All that I needed to do was to separate glass, cans, paper and plastics (1 and 2 only). I should put them each out in a separate bag, paper or plastic, and the trash people would put them in the recycling part of their truck. No need for a plastic bin that would itself need to be recycled someday, just put recyclables in something recyclable and you’re good to go.
Paper bags seem to be easier to use for separating items. So, this whole process has made me finally bold enough to answer “paper” to the “paper or plastic” question at the grocery store, though I’ve noticed that the baggers aren’t well trained in how to pack them anymore.
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2 comments:
Hi Mindy! I'm a mom in Charlotte, NC. Jon told me about your blog a few weeks ago and I've just had a read through it and appreciate your insights. I have a 2-year-old and another on the way this summer. I like the idea of serving snacks in small containers. I have another issue/dilemma as a mom and I'd love to know what you think.
Although I've probably spent less than $40 in my son's life on toys (mostly acquired from that Great American tradition of Saturday morning yard sales!), we have toys coming out our ears!!! How did this happen?? Do they mate and multiply during the night? With Christmas and my son's birthday only a month apart, I feel hungover on objects for toddler entertainment. This excess comes not from me, but from relatives, friends, and hand-me-down toys by the bin-full. Each toy comes with its unique reason that it should exist--usually some doctor-endorsed education angle. WHATEVER.
I realize I am developing a particular dislike for...PLASTIC & BATTERIES. If I get one more battery-operated toy, I'm going to lose it. For some toys, I can remove the battery and the toy still basically works, just without lights, songs and/or other #!%* noises. (I crave silence.) Other toys are meaningless hunks of plastic without whatever function a set of 4D battery gives them. With such toys often being gifts, it's hard to censor their mass migration into my home. So #1: How can I educate relatives and friends about my preferences for toys without coming off totally ungrateful and anal? And #2 What do you think of plastic toys? Personally, I'm developing a nostalgic love for all playthings wooden, fabric, or metal. I have come across a few websites that cater to "green toys" made of these materials. I like to think such toys inspire more imagination anyway. So, this is one of my current issues (among many) as a mom who'd love to also care for the planet.
Thanks for this website and I'll definitely check back regularly!
Tabitha Plueddemann
Thanks for your thoughts. I, too, have been struggling with this issue, and as a result have a PACKED garage full of plastic. I've been mulling it over and hope to have a posting on this topic soon. Thanks for visiting! Blessings, Mindy
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