Comments on: Something’s Missing http://www.younghouselove.com/2008/11/somethings-missing/ Two Young People + One Old House = Love Thu, 09 Feb 2012 05:19:05 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Susan http://www.younghouselove.com/2008/11/somethings-missing/comment-page-1/#comment-43819 Susan Wed, 08 Jul 2009 05:30:11 +0000 http://www.thisyounghouse.com/?p=4748#comment-43819 We recently moved to England and where we live actually limits how many trash bags you can put out each week, five, and leaves two medium sized black bags in exchange for next time.(only black bags for garbage, white for recycling, brown for organic waste.) Needless to say, we learned to take advantage of their more or less mandatory recycling program. With two adults, two cats and an eight year old we were a bit concerned about being able to meet the seemly strict five bag limit but to our surprise it was actually pretty easy once we started separating the recycleables. When you have two medium sized bags of trash a week opposed to the numerous bags you used to lug out, you really see the difference. What is particularly shocking is when you take bag after bag of recycleable's out for pickup and realize how many things you used to send to the landfill that you didn't have too. We recently moved to England and where we live actually limits how many trash bags you can put out each week, five, and leaves two medium sized black bags in exchange for next time.(only black bags for garbage, white for recycling, brown for organic waste.)

Needless to say, we learned to take advantage of their more or less mandatory recycling program. With two adults, two cats and an eight year old we were a bit concerned about being able to meet the seemly strict five bag limit but to our surprise it was actually pretty easy once we started separating the recycleables.

When you have two medium sized bags of trash a week opposed to the numerous bags you used to lug out, you really see the difference. What is particularly shocking is when you take bag after bag of recycleable’s out for pickup and realize how many things you used to send to the landfill that you didn’t have too.

]]> By: Becky http://www.younghouselove.com/2008/11/somethings-missing/comment-page-1/#comment-5982 Becky Fri, 07 Nov 2008 01:45:44 +0000 http://www.thisyounghouse.com/?p=4748#comment-5982 Hey guys - that's great that you were able to do this on your own! We are super lucky because where we live, the city has a "green box" recycling program - that's right - they provide compost containers and collect it weekly!!! It's awesome - I live in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada (woohoo, yeah Canada) which is near Toronto. With 2 adults we usually only have 1 bag of garbage every 2 weeks but our recycling (blue and green) are always chock-full and get collected every week. It would be amazing if every city adopted this! Love your site! Hey guys – that’s great that you were able to do this on your own! We are super lucky because where we live, the city has a “green box” recycling program – that’s right – they provide compost containers and collect it weekly!!! It’s awesome – I live in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada (woohoo, yeah Canada) which is near Toronto. With 2 adults we usually only have 1 bag of garbage every 2 weeks but our recycling (blue and green) are always chock-full and get collected every week. It would be amazing if every city adopted this! Love your site!

]]> By: Jeni from Kansas http://www.younghouselove.com/2008/11/somethings-missing/comment-page-1/#comment-5967 Jeni from Kansas Thu, 06 Nov 2008 22:07:42 +0000 http://www.thisyounghouse.com/?p=4748#comment-5967 I really encourage you to check out the blog I posted this past Monday. I included a picture of what our box looked like after only seven days of gathering recycled goods. It's insane. We currently live with my future MIL because we are searching for a house, and I know the consuming of such things as the daily newspaper and magazines will not cease for her, but in the meantime while I'm living there I can at least begin to refocus my responsibility back to Earth and hopefully make a lasting impression on her so that when we move out she continues what I've started. http://lovestained.wordpress.com/2008/11/03/the-3-rs/ I really encourage you to check out the blog I posted this past Monday. I included a picture of what our box looked like after only seven days of gathering recycled goods. It’s insane. We currently live with my future MIL because we are searching for a house, and I know the consuming of such things as the daily newspaper and magazines will not cease for her, but in the meantime while I’m living there I can at least begin to refocus my responsibility back to Earth and hopefully make a lasting impression on her so that when we move out she continues what I’ve started.

http://lovestained.wordpress.com/2008/11/03/the-3-rs/

]]> By: YoungHouseLove http://www.younghouselove.com/2008/11/somethings-missing/comment-page-1/#comment-5916 YoungHouseLove Thu, 06 Nov 2008 13:18:34 +0000 http://www.thisyounghouse.com/?p=4748#comment-5916 Well, are we a bunch of recycling-happy people or what? Although I do feel a little late to the compost party- although I'm very happy to be a late arriver! <br> Meg, that article you read about recycling = eating bad is probably true. Part of our motivation for starting to compost was to encourage us to eat more fruits & veggies so we actually have stuff to compost! I'd say it's sort of working, but like others said, our recycling is still catching a good portion of our waste. Reducing that pile is definitely our latest goal. <br> Dani, what a cool idea about the local dairy. I'm not sure if we could find that around Richmond, but someone correct me if they know something I don't. Oh and soymilk would be awesome although I'm sure that's pushing it... <br> Keep up the good work everyone. And for those starting composting bins, let us know how it goes! <br> -John

Well, are we a bunch of recycling-happy people or what? Although I do feel a little late to the compost party- although I’m very happy to be a late arriver!

Meg, that article you read about recycling = eating bad is probably true. Part of our motivation for starting to compost was to encourage us to eat more fruits & veggies so we actually have stuff to compost! I’d say it’s sort of working, but like others said, our recycling is still catching a good portion of our waste. Reducing that pile is definitely our latest goal.

Dani, what a cool idea about the local dairy. I’m not sure if we could find that around Richmond, but someone correct me if they know something I don’t. Oh and soymilk would be awesome although I’m sure that’s pushing it…

Keep up the good work everyone. And for those starting composting bins, let us know how it goes!

-John

]]> By: meganf http://www.younghouselove.com/2008/11/somethings-missing/comment-page-1/#comment-5879 meganf Thu, 06 Nov 2008 01:52:20 +0000 http://www.thisyounghouse.com/?p=4748#comment-5879 When our condo unit FINALLY got recycling bins, they are always full, and everyone;s trash has reduced. Yea! We are down to one trash bag every week and a half. As soon as we move out of the city, we will have compost bins; thanks to your efforts in sharing! When our condo unit FINALLY got recycling bins, they are always full, and everyone;s trash has reduced. Yea! We are down to one trash bag every week and a half. As soon as we move out of the city, we will have compost bins; thanks to your efforts in sharing!

]]> By: Katy http://www.younghouselove.com/2008/11/somethings-missing/comment-page-1/#comment-5864 Katy Wed, 05 Nov 2008 22:38:07 +0000 http://www.thisyounghouse.com/?p=4748#comment-5864 we're in the same boat! we actually only take our trash cans to the road every other week when the recycling comes...unless there is something particularly stinky in the trash can and i can't bear it on the porch! we’re in the same boat! we actually only take our trash cans to the road every other week when the recycling comes…unless there is something particularly stinky in the trash can and i can’t bear it on the porch!

]]> By: Lindsay http://www.younghouselove.com/2008/11/somethings-missing/comment-page-1/#comment-5861 Lindsay Wed, 05 Nov 2008 21:58:00 +0000 http://www.thisyounghouse.com/?p=4748#comment-5861 I am so happy when on trash day I notice how our blue bin(recycling) is FULL and our green bin(trash) is not full. Compared to our neighbors who sometimes have TWO full green bins and 1-2 items in the blue bin. Once I even pulled out something on top of their trash and put it in their blue bin. I mean, hello people, the city makes it so easy for us to recycle, we don't have to sort or anything! One of my next projects is to start a compost bin. Now that our renos are complete I have no excuse! I am so happy when on trash day I notice how our blue bin(recycling) is FULL and our green bin(trash) is not full. Compared to our neighbors who sometimes have TWO full green bins and 1-2 items in the blue bin. Once I even pulled out something on top of their trash and put it in their blue bin. I mean, hello people, the city makes it so easy for us to recycle, we don’t have to sort or anything!

One of my next projects is to start a compost bin. Now that our renos are complete I have no excuse!

]]> By: lindsey http://www.younghouselove.com/2008/11/somethings-missing/comment-page-1/#comment-5847 lindsey Wed, 05 Nov 2008 20:15:55 +0000 http://www.thisyounghouse.com/?p=4748#comment-5847 I too have recently experienced the same thing! When we lived in our townhouse where there was no recycling pick up or place to compost we were going thru bags of garbage each week. Now that we've bought our first home we recycle ALOT and it is SO easy since our city picks it up. I put a second can next to our trash for recycling and we fill it up faster than we fill up trash! Like you our trash is minimal compared to our recycling. Still not perfect bc that is still a lot of disposing of goods BUT at least they will be repurposed instead of filling a landfill. { Lindsey } www.coveiter.com I too have recently experienced the same thing!
When we lived in our townhouse where there was no recycling pick up or place to compost we were going thru bags of garbage each week. Now that we’ve bought our first home we recycle ALOT and it is SO easy since our city picks it up. I put a second can next to our trash for recycling and we fill it up faster than we fill up trash! Like you our trash is minimal compared to our recycling. Still not perfect bc that is still a lot of disposing of goods BUT at least they will be repurposed instead of filling a landfill.

{ Lindsey }
http://www.coveiter.com

]]> By: Dani http://www.younghouselove.com/2008/11/somethings-missing/comment-page-1/#comment-5834 Dani Wed, 05 Nov 2008 18:38:40 +0000 http://www.thisyounghouse.com/?p=4748#comment-5834 Lately, my husband and I have been buying our milk from a local dairy. It's nice to support a local business, but they also use glass bottles that you pay a deposit on and return when you get your next gallon of milk. It's great because the milk is really fresh and we're not adding to the trash or recycling. We just give it a quick rinse and then they sanitize before they reuse them at the dairy. Lately, my husband and I have been buying our milk from a local dairy. It’s nice to support a local business, but they also use glass bottles that you pay a deposit on and return when you get your next gallon of milk. It’s great because the milk is really fresh and we’re not adding to the trash or recycling. We just give it a quick rinse and then they sanitize before they reuse them at the dairy.

]]> By: jbhat http://www.younghouselove.com/2008/11/somethings-missing/comment-page-1/#comment-5832 jbhat Wed, 05 Nov 2008 18:30:48 +0000 http://www.thisyounghouse.com/?p=4748#comment-5832 Garbage bin: never full. Yard waste /compost bin: always full *especially* after all the jack o'lanterns melted. Recycling bin: unfortunately, always brimming. We need to make a serious effort to cut back on our purchases that have unnecessary packaging. But part of the problem too, is that my husband has a serious addiction to Vitamin Water (50/50, Revive and Charge), and buys them like crazy. It drives ME crazy. At least those plastic bottles aren't going into the landfill, but still, it's just so bad in so many ways. Garbage bin: never full.
Yard waste /compost bin: always full *especially* after all the jack o’lanterns melted.
Recycling bin: unfortunately, always brimming. We need to make a serious effort to cut back on our purchases that have unnecessary packaging. But part of the problem too, is that my husband has a serious addiction to Vitamin Water (50/50, Revive and Charge), and buys them like crazy. It drives ME crazy. At least those plastic bottles aren’t going into the landfill, but still, it’s just so bad in so many ways.

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