116 replies to this topic

[Besoeker]

Shortpoet-GTD, on 14 February 2014 - 01:05 PM, said:

You'd argue with a rock.

It isn't an argument. Just a few simple facts/observations. I think your means of waste storage is laudable.So no argument with that.

But I'll say a bit more about our domestic plastic bins.
We have three, general waste, compostable waste, and recyclable waste.  All were supplied by our municipal authority, the council.. They live outside so have to be impervious to the weather. Especially the weather we have been experiencing lately....
They are made to a standard design that fits with the mechanical handling system of the council refuse collection trucks.

The "wheelie" bins are rolled up to the truck in pairs, lifted by the handles on a hydraulic grab, tipped upside down, and their contents drop out. The bins are returned more or less to the correct property. We number them with the house number so that we keep them in order.It works for us.

We could adopt your method but then we'd have to find a place to empty the cardboard boxes. We recycle a lot of stuff. Think of a 50 gallon oil drum. That much and a bit more every two weeks.

We do have such a place (council tip) but it's a six-mile round trip that we can avoid. That said, we do the trip from time to time. Mrs B shops on line and we get gourmet organic meat and poultry products delivered to our door, The boxes and packing materials are simply to large to go in our bins so I make the trip to the tip. And to the bottle bank.

[conor]

Shortpoet-GTD, on 09 June 2013 - 05:04 AM, said:

"What to reduce and reuse"

Nice info graphic clearly represent the topic.

[Shortpoet-GTD]

Besoeker, on 14 February 2014 - 09:40 AM, said:

But that cardboard had to be produced too and could be recycled, of course.
Our bins at home are plastic but, being durable, it's a one-shot deal. And they are stored outside.

Cardboard vs plastic bins-

Cardboard is free; plastic bins have to be purchased new=more consumption.
Cardboard can be easily recycled; Plastic bins are usually marked 5-7 on the recycle scale; not easily recycled in most cities.

That cardboard box we are using to house our recyclables was probably recycled itself several times. Plastic
bins can be donated but because of the resin compostion, not easily recycled (as mentioned above)

Cardboard produced/reused locally (USA) vs transport from across the ocean i.e. plastic bins more than l
ikely imported from China.


Plastic bins take oil/gas to produce; fossil fuels-pollution emissions to produce, transport,
probable leaks/spills of toxic waste at production sites (Gulf oil spill) and transport (Exxon Valdez)

[Besoeker]

Shortpoet-GTD, on 15 February 2014 - 06:15 AM, said:

Cardboard vs plastic bins-

Cardboard is free; plastic bins have to be purchased new=more consumption.
Cardboard can be easily recycled; Plastic bins are usually marked 5-7 on the recycle scale; not easily recycled in most cities.

That cardboard box we are using to house our recyclables was probably recycled itself several times. Plastic
bins can be donated but because of the resin compostion, not easily recycled (as mentioned above)

Cardboard produced/reused locally (USA) vs transport from across the ocean i.e. plastic bins more than l
ikely imported from China.


Plastic bins take oil/gas to produce; fossil fuels-pollution emissions to produce, transport,
probable leaks/spills of toxic waste at production sites (Gulf oil spill) and transport (Exxon Valdez)

Excellent response, thank you.
A few points in no particular order.

Cardboard isn't free. Packaging is figured into the costs of the product that comes in them.

Then there is also an energy cost in producing the cardboard even if recycled. Mostly from fossils.

Typically, paper and board mills that I know of suggest about six to ten times maximum. Thereafter, the fibres become too short so a limited life.

The plastic bins we use are durable. We've been in our current house for eight years. The bins were here when we arrived. I've seen no deterioration and have no reason to believe that they won't survive another eight or more. So they may be twenty years old or more.

As I mentioned previously, the bins are stored outside. The number and size would make indoor storage impracticable in our tiny UK house. No basement. And a garage that barely fits our medium sized car.

Cardboard would not work for us. If they do for you, that's excellent.

A question. When your recycle box is full what do you do?

[Shortpoet-GTD]

Besoeker, on 15 February 2014 - 03:10 PM, said:

Excellent response, thank you.
A question. When your recycle box is full what do you do?

You're welcome. I was too short in my previous response; I'm sorry about that.
(A puppy I'm babysitting for a time is driving me nuts-but that's no excuse) My apologies.

I keep mine in a corner of the laundry room. When the boxes get full, I transfer the stuff to boxes I keep
in the car.
When my trunk gets loaded, I drive to the recycling place; only about 2 miles away, so I'm lucky.
It get's filled quickly though because I also recycle for all of my clients. (They've been nice enough
to bag it up separately for me; cans, plastics, paper goods.)

But I've also changed some items that I purchase from one packaging to another.
(Example, the local grocers has a nice salad bar, [when I'm on the run between clients]
but they offer only Styrofoam containers for it
but they do offer cardboard containers for soup, so I just put my salad goodies in the cardboard
bowl instead. Styrofoam takes forever to degrade.)
I find some items I need with cardboard packaging rather than plastic.
And I've eliminated a few plastics I used to buy-shampoo/conditioner for one.
I've been using baking soda (made into a paste for no-poo) and rinse with vinegar. (Granted, vinegar
is in a plastic bottle, but I buy the large ones, so I don't have to replace them too often, and recycle the
ones I do use.)
Long answer..........

[Besoeker]

Shortpoet-GTD, on 15 February 2014 - 05:21 PM, said:

You're welcome. I was too short in my previous response; I'm sorry about that.
(A puppy I'm babysitting for a time is driving me nuts-but that's no excuse) My apologies.

I keep mine in a corner of the laundry room. When the boxes get full, I transfer the stuff to boxes I keep
in the car.
When my trunk gets loaded, I drive to the recycling place; only about 2 miles away, so I'm lucky.
It get's filled quickly though because I also recycle for all of my clients. (They've been nice enough
to bag it up separately for me; cans, plastics, paper goods.)

But I've also changed some items that I purchase from one packaging to another.
(Example, the local grocers has a nice salad bar, [when I'm on the run between clients]
but they offer only Styrofoam containers for it
but they do offer cardboard containers for soup, so I just put my salad goodies in the cardboard
bowl instead. Styrofoam takes forever to degrade.)
I find some items I need with cardboard packaging rather than plastic.
And I've eliminated a few plastics I used to buy-shampoo/conditioner for one.
I've been using baking soda (made into a paste for no-poo) and rinse with vinegar. (Granted, vinegar
is in a plastic bottle, but I buy the large ones, so I don't have to replace them too often, and recycle the
ones I do use.)
Long answer..........

I have no problem with a long answer.
But just one box?
Glass, paper, cardboard, wood, fabric, metal cans, batteries.......
Don't you have to segregate them?

[E3 wise]

I wish every town and city would go to the system we have here.  Called recycle bank, it is so simple.  Everyone gets a 60 gallon rolling trash can with cover.  The is no separation everything goes in one place.  Twice a week it is weighed and emptied.  The weighing is because every customer receives points that can be redeemed for lots of different places like local grocery stores, restaurants and retail stores.  It no hassle and you get paid so people's really get behind it and recycle.

[Shortpoet-GTD]

Besoeker, on 16 February 2014 - 05:20 AM, said:

But just one box?
Glass, paper, cardboard, wood, fabric, metal cans, batteries.......
Don't you have to segregate them?

Actually, two boxes for each type; plastic, paper and cans. Once they're full, I take them in.

[Shortpoet-GTD]

E3 wise, on 16 February 2014 - 06:34 AM, said:

I wish every town and city would go to the system we have here.  Called recycle bank, it is so simple.  Everyone gets a 60 gallon rolling trash can with cover.  The is no separation everything goes in one place.  Twice a week it is weighed and emptied.  The weighing is because every customer receives points that can be redeemed for lots of different places like local grocery stores, restaurants and retail stores.  It no hassle and you get paid so people's really get behind it and recycle.

We have curbside recycling pickup here but it's about $20 a month, so I go for the freebie and take it in myself.
I go about twice a month and it's close by so I don't do a lot of driving-emissions.

It would be nice if the city offered it as part of it's general pickup for everyone, but they said it would
raise the collection rates by $30-35 dollars. I say BS. If a private company can do it for $20, why
can't the city? (worker wages I guess)
When you wave the flag of "future" in front of a republican run city, county, state; they tend to turn away
and ignore it.

[E3 wise]

Offer them big money for going green, they speak that language.

[sar356]

As a college student, I am constantly trying to find new ways to reuse items. It both saves me money and is good for the environment. I reuse plastic water bottles a lot. Although I try not to reuse them too many times because plastic and chemicals can leak into the water, and I know that using an actual water bottle is always a better option. I have turned plastic water bottles into flower vases though. Whenever I buy things and get plastic bags I save them and use them as trash bags for my trashcan. I'm also really big on making crafts, and I save little things that I would otherwise throw out. Like nice pieces of paper, or ribbons, or even simple things like clothespins.

[Shortpoet-GTD]

How an artist reuses cardboard.

Brilliant!

http://imgur.com/gallery/1SoOV5v

[mikedall]

We lessen using plastic bags and we re-use old shirts for dust rag..

[eds]

People are starting to understand,
. . . that producing one’s own food,
. . . is a smart way to take control of one’s own diet and
. . . carbon footprint.

Spotted here is a nice urban design in Tel Aviv called Green Pockets.

Vertical gardens can be complicated hydroponic set ups with pumps and sensors,
. . . or as simple as pockets made from recycled plastic signage that contain soil.

10-28-2014 Source:  Green Pockets

Attached Files

•  VerticalGarden.jpg   12.89K   0 downloads

[mikedall]

We to reduce plastic and reuse it..

[Shortpoet-GTD]

What to reduce/reuse?
How about cans?

 skull-art.jpg   73.65K   0 downloads

http://plasticbank.o...campaign=buffer

[SheforACT]

I reuse almost everything as long as it safe and have a good impact to our environment.