Garbage: How much do you create?

I am impressed with how little garbage you folks generate! I am in the one large bag a week category. I'm starting to rethink kitchen compost, but have had issues with skunk and raccoon in the past and would like not to attract them. I do have a pile for yard and garden compost. In addition to regular house trash I have what would be called a mature landscape and most days during the warm months I have another large bag or two of some sort of yard debris with sticks, branches and the like. There is a great recycling center near-by. They employ a lot of disabled people and take about anything that might possibly be recycled. One of their signs says, if it has a cord, we'll take it.

A friend actually discontinued his trash service. I could see where this would be doable with some shopping planning and a little extra work, but would probably still have to make a midnight run to some big box store roll-off dumpster every few weeks. It's not on my priority list right now, but could make an interesting challenge some day.

Just wanted to add: like some have posted, my garbage is not optional. We pay whether you use none, one or ten bags. It's a flat rate included with the taxes. There really should be an incentive to use less.

One or two very small garbage bags a month; one half-full compost toter, usually, and a brimming recycling bin; both also monthly.
Jane, garbage curator.

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Reducing your garbage footprint does come from knowing what goes in. Can you recycle/compost it? Is it donatable? Can you stop buying it or is there another way to buy it's content without creating garbage?

IE coffee beans: I can buy them at Starbucks in a bag that is garbage. OR I can buy beans at the grocery store in a paper bag that is recyleable and I only have to put in garbage the little metal band at the top that is part of the bag. It is very hard to find really tasty decaf. I've compromised on cost and waste. I buy a bag of SB decaf Sumatra and a pound of decaf french roast at the grocery store and I mix them. I get great flavor at 23% reduced price per pound of SB only.

buying non leafy produce at the grocery store? I don't use the plastic bags.

Buying produce at Farmer's market? I take my cloth bags.

Buying 5# organic carrots at big box? Yes. And the plastic bag will become garbage.

I do as much as is possible. Hence my 2 quarts of garbage per week.

So get to know your garbage. Make your choices. Then let it go.:)

ps: 2 adults in our home. And him does not do the shopping so him lives with wife's choices.

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Originally Posted by RoseQuartz

Gardnr, I've thought about the plastic bags for produce, but how do you reconcile the blood trails on the belts from people and their un-bagged meat? I admit, I'm very leery of placing things that won't get cooked down on the same surface leaking chicken packages get set. I'll have to think about it some more. I really hate plastic, especially clamshell containers.

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Honestly, it comes down to not thinking about some possibilities. I do bag leafies. I don't bag what I can wash and/or will get peeled. Clamshells are recyclable so I don't worry a ton about those. I've thought about making cloth baggies for produce. but that will not rectify the wet trails. But really? When I've noted wet trails on the belt I've also seen the checker clean it right away with a clorox type disposable cloth.

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Way too much trash everything is packaged!!

the waste is in the packaging bulk or individual if were all glass or paper but plastics and styrofoam are the worse. I think glass would be great remeber the good old days where they paid you to bring the bottle back to the store? Wow if they could do that with packaging and paper we would never have loitering anywhere ever.The big plastic garbage patch in the ocean if the manufacturer took responsibility for their packaging and bought it back for recycling there wouldnt be a garbage patch!If producers were held liable for their trash then things would change really fast.