Reduce Your Trash To Almost Zero

re: Reduce Your Trash To Almost Zero

SunnySD — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 17:26:55 GMT

Trying to cut at-home trash is good, but we need to use common sense when necessary. I tried to use cloth diapers with my children but instead had to use much more water and bleach to clean them ( I live in water starved California) so it did not make much sense to use them. Also, my kids ended up with more diaper rashes since I couldn't always change them the second they were wet.

re: Reduce Your Trash To Almost Zero

Heather Marsh — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 08:58:10 GMT

Running_Stick

I like the viewpoint of our planet as a space ship! It is a concept that would do much good if it were widely accepted.

In a spaceship you would do all you could to keep the air clean, and inefficient use of almost anything would almost be criminal.

re: Reduce Your Trash To Almost Zero

Heather Marsh — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 08:27:44 GMT

There is a lot one can do at home.

I just 'freecycled' some corner shelves we no longer use, and I have given and gained many things through freecycle.

My local 'Spotlight' had a yarn sale - and the yarn had become badly snarled. I purchased two huge bags of tangled yarn for AUS$10 (some of the yarn was originally over $3 per 50g ball) and I have untangled it to turn into beanies for the homeless. The yarn would have otherwise gone to the bin and the synthetics in particular take a very long time to break down.

The cardboard milk containers make good 'starting pots' for seedlings and do eventually breakdown in soil. My crazy worms in my worm farm are very fond of paper and cardboard. Until my stepson in law got rid of his pot belly stove we also saved all waste paper to turn it into fire logs (dampened, compressed and dried and they burn for ages)

I purchased a bulk lot of fabric shopping bags several years ago and gave many to family and friends. It is a rare day we need supermarket plastic bags, and when we do we save them for reuse. A few people I know like to use theirs for crafting.

I reuse as many containers as I can, but in my area (in Australia) most containers have a 5c or 10c value at the recycling depot.

The rubbish that I scratch my head over most is the technological stuff. Dead PCs and washing machines etc are cheaper to replace than fix. Where do they all go? Only a small part is 'scrap metal'.

There is still way too much cling wrap used on our purchases, and nothing much one can do with it. I wonder what the archeologists of the future will make of their finds?

re: Reduce Your Trash To Almost Zero

Julieanne — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 09:50:42 GMT

worksnaturally, whenever any change is suggested, people cry 'job losses!' But these things never happen overnight. As change creeps in, some jobs are lost, others are created. It has always been that way.

The whole recycling industry is relatively new, and has created new employment opportunities. Also the solar industry, and many other 'green' jobs. So look on the bright side!

re: Reduce Your Trash To Almost Zero

worksnaturally — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 19:25:03 GMT

The concept sounds great. In looking at the expanded image, I suggest that those who inspire us to better stewardship of resources also offer suggestions for employment replacements for those involved in the design/manufacture/advertisement/distribution/application/collection and processing of the offending (and sometimes useful) items and services. ' : + )

re: Reduce Your Trash To Almost Zero

jwalshd — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 06:00:13 GMT

Reverend Alan – Thank you for the video program recommendation (video.google.nl/videoplay).

It was very informative/ educational so I passed it on to all my friends.

Here is another good show: http://www.storyofstuff.com/

re: Reduce Your Trash To Almost Zero

vibgyor_00000000 — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 05:51:42 GMT

I remember in India people still recycle old clothes in exchange of stainless steel utensils, sell old glass bottles, use solid stone/rock as grind stones or mortar, sell various kinds of scrap or old metals at a shop, etc. I loved the sense of re-use and recycle methods, it made so much sense to save our beautiful environment. In villages, people get u the whole live cow to serve u fresh raw milk, that's so healthy and delicious, yummy!

re: Reduce Your Trash To Almost Zero

Heartcompass — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 20:25:22 GMT

In a Resource-based economy, instead of a money-profit-based economy wasteful packaging and lack of recycling wouldn't even exist.

Check out the Venus Project at http://thevenusproject.com to learn about what a resource-based economy would look like and how you can help.

It's really inspiring!

PS - I received my BS in Natural Resources from the School of Natural Resources from University of Michigan and in my opinion this is a vision for the future that really can work :-)

re: Reduce Your Trash To Almost Zero

LoriSmi — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 19:32:44 GMT

We recycle pop cans (hubby drinks pop; I do not). I reuse the heavy duty sports water bottles (25 ounce, Absopure) that I buy so I can take them anywhere I need to go. I get at least 1 month out of each bottle, which means a 24 pack of water lasts me 2 years (I refill with bottled Spring water I buy in gallon jugs). The gallon water bottles are reused to store homemade laundry soap in until needed. I don't drink coffee. I am not aware of reusable panty-liners. I don't get food in takeout except an occasional pizza (3-4 times a year). I cannot get milk in bottles. I like my disposable razors bought from $ store and use 1 pkg per year (I'm not real hairy, don't shave legs often, & underarms maybe 2-3 times per month). I return my honey jars to farm where I purchase it; I make my own pickled foods with Mason jars. I save egg cartions to reuse. I like the plastic bags from store to use as small trashcan liners. I do not use diapers anymore, but when I did, I used cloth. I love my magazines and want them in rereadable form (subscription!). Trees readily grow and paper mills raise fast growing trees. This one is a moot point to me. Trees are biodegradable, renewable, and good for the environment. I am not against using paper goods. I rarely eat fast food or candy, but I 'm sorry, I like my Kleenex! Easier to use than cloth (what about water and energy use to wash them?). I buy 50# bags of baking soda and make my own cleaning products, brush my teeth with soda, and store the soda in a plastic 8oz sour cream container that is over 2 years old! I use Freecycle, Goodwill, and other people to pass on used clothing and goods. Meats/ bulk foods are pkgd in styrofoam and plastic. I buy canned veggies (when power goes off) and we can foods we grow. I like the shampoo I buy. I don't care if I get "dinged"~I live my life the best I can.

re: Reduce Your Trash To Almost Zero

Kris588 — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 18:58:44 GMT

I need to read things like this regularly as I can slip into apathy and bad habits pretty easily. Sometimes if we think we have plastic and paper recycling that that justifies our habits, but we should try to have less trash all around. I find it easier in the summer to be more eco-friendly.

It takes a relative degree of interior discipline to behave with discipline in the ways mentioned above. But it's worth trying to change as much as we can.

Great video, too bad that with such a bad ecomony and with society collapsing as we speak that we can't build up a new way of life based on common sense ideas such as the video. But knowing how things often turn out, rising out of the ashes of this current collapse will be just a new form of dysfunctionality.

re: Reduce Your Trash To Almost Zero

Dr Rik — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 16:52:57 GMT

I remember someone giving me directions; "it's right across from McDonald's". They simply didn't believe me when I told them that I didn't know where McDonald's was and they would have to give me a different landmark.

re: Reduce Your Trash To Almost Zero

Leesir — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 15:09:11 GMT

This is mostly liberal BS. Pragmatic attempts are great but be careful. The EPA just declared war on the American life style. By controlling carbon they control every single thing you do except the liberal elite flying private jets. Do not be the convenient environme

ntal idiot and go along with the elitists. They don't have to work to pay bills like you or I.

re: Reduce Your Trash To Almost Zero

PureMothers — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 14:57:51 GMT

I wish vitamin supplements came in something other than plastic. Our family has eliminated a lot of plastic by following the examples set forth here, on No Impact Man and FakePlasticFish. But we go through a lot of supplements in our family. It's also difficult to avoid plastic in strollers, car seats,etc. But, if everyone tried to eliminate just some of these things, it would eliminate so much and leave room for the items that we really need.

re: Reduce Your Trash To Almost Zero

Ziyangs.Mummy — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 14:51:52 GMT

When my mum was a kid all biodegradable trash would be stored in a large bin and a man on a bicycle would go around daily, collecting this trash for the pigs to eat.

And as for my babies, they are potty trained from young. They have a name for this type of potty training; Elimination Communication. My first son was potty trained at 9 months old, when I first learned of this technique, while my 2nd son was trained right from the start. I was surprised at how smart newborns can be. After the 2nd try, just like they said, my baby would pee on cue the moment I said "shhhhhhh". How great is THAT? You can't believe how much money I save on diapers! And even if I do have to use disposable diapers, I don't use that many. Saving money AND reducing trash. Can't get better than that.

re: Reduce Your Trash To Almost Zero

charmela — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 14:22:40 GMT

Not only does this list make sense, but it sounds healthier, too. Then to especially remove fast foods from our diet, this can only be a health benefit, and then it keeps that kind of waste out of our environment at the same time. This one thing sounds like a win-win situation.