I've always wanted to do this! I've heard so many complaints from people about the garbage pick up being reduced to only twice a month (mostly in Ontario, where I'm from). I haven't heard any of that complaining here in Halifax. Not sure if it's because of the amazing and convenient recycling program they have here (all plastics, small cardboard, cans and bottles go into the same bag). Yet, when we were in Ontario, we just made due with the inconvenience of it all. We had one of the least amounts of garbage on my street and if my nosey calculations were correct, we also had one of the houses with the most people in it. This sounds like a brag session. And it is only to make a point. We can do more with our recycling than we do. This is a challenge to us all.
So, my challenge requires a picture of your garbage. I'll need to know how many are in your family, of course. I'm sure garbages will vary, depending on the size of family and the ages within each family. I know for myself, I sometimes slip tissue in the garbage (meant for the compost) because I get too lazy to open up the compost bin... I know, shameful. :(
I'm hoping this will encourage me to be more accountable for my laziness to people (which at the moment, isn't very many people). But, after I work on my blog and make it a little more interesting to look at, I'll get the word out more. Then I'll put the challenge out again.
This week's garbage will not be picked up. Not until next week. I'll put up a picture of this week (with only one week of accountability) and then compare it to a whole two weeks worth of accountability and see if there are any differences.
I have a family of 5. How much garbage will you have? Post your picture here (if you know how) or post away on your own blog with the link here. Thanks for participating. I'll get this blog rolling more smoothly to invite more people to join us soon.
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[...] I won't make this into a weekly feature, like the garden reports. My sis-in-law recently issued a garbage challenge over at her blog InsideOut. Specifically to record how much trash your family generates in one [...]
Our trash report
Ok, here it is:
http://fimby.tougas.net/trash_report
D, if you want to take eliminating trash and waste to the "personal" level check out this blog
http://greengreen.typepad.com/green_house/2008/06/i-abhor-waste.html
I posted a comment at the bottom of it that you may also be interested in reading.
Happy trash/garbage eliminating!
Callows
What does Callows mean?
I'm not sure exactly what the challenge is. Take pictures of our garbage every 2 weeks? and see who has the least?
I guess I wasn't so clear...
The challenge is a self-subscribed endeavor. The pictures are to prove to yourself (if one desires) and others, that families do not need to have many bags of garbage sent out to landfill sites (as some of my previous Ontario friends believe). It is also a challenge to create even less garbage by only buying products with recyclable packaging. This, of course, is if you are lucky enough to find this alternative.
I am hoping that by taking pictures, I can also see my own garbage amounts lessen over time. It also holds me accountable to ensure I don't get lazy.
I hope this is more clear. Thanks for asking the question! :)
A synonym for "green" is "callow". It's a play on words:
Green = environmentally friendly
Callow = my inexperienced (yet determined) attempt at helping to save our environment.
Green Callows
Delayed pictures
Since moving, I've missed the pictures of our last garbage at our old house. I remembered the night before but forgot the morning of and by the time I was there to take a picture, the garbage was gone.
So, new house, new garbage.
Already, I can't believe the difference this challenge has made for me. I'm so much more "aware" now than before. A couple things I've changed: I don't use plastic bags for vegetables at the market or grocery store (unless there are many of one group like brussel sprouts or snow peas. I compost what I've swept up. Most of what we sweep up around here is food. Before this challenge, my laziness would incline me to throw the dirt in the garbage. Now, I realize that food and dirt can all go in our compost so I'm opening it up and throwin' it in!
I love a challenge. There's always somewhere I can better myself.
tissues & other garbage notes
Thanks to your challenge I've been more vigilant in composting my tissues. Thanks for keeping us on our toes. You know, I forgot to mention this in my post on my blog but taking the kids to see WALL-E helped reinforce the "reduce the household garbage" message. Your kids are too little but our kids were really impacted by that. Now, even more than ever, they want to reduce the amount we throw away so we don't end up with a "wall-e world", new phrase around our house. Kids are very easily programmed, which can be used for great good.