Garbage: How much do you create?

[RoseQuartz]

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[Ultralight]

I try to create no more than one new landfill per week. I am a conservationist!

[Float On]

I guess we need to know what size garbage bag you mean. We use just grocery sacks. We compost daily, recycle (once a month and it's 4 rubbermade boxes full 25 gallon size), and fill 6 33 gallon size trashcans with those grocery sacks in about 6-8 weeks or more which we then take to the dump ourselves for $5.00 total. Thats for 2-4 people. Boys are both home for a couple months.

[RoseQuartz]

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[Ultralight]

I have seen some videos of people going through their zero waste lifestyle. And it is mind boggling how it can be done.

[Float On]

Ok, my garbage can itself is 32 gallons, and my garbage bags are 13 gallon bags. Usually we use 3 per week which fills the can more or less.

I think anyone who only sets out one can of garbage per week is doing great by American standards. I'm amazed at most of my neighbors who get two of those huge cans (unsure the size Maybe 65-80 gal) that the trash company owns, then they pile another 2-4 regular 32-33 gal size cans around them. Every stinkin' week. I do have one neighbor who sets out one walmart size grocery sack of trash weekly. The trash company recently made him start using that same 65-80 gal can. I feel so sorry for him every week (he is in his 90's) dragging that big can out. I'm fixing to have DH go talk to him and see if we can just pick up his bag every week ourselves and add it to our trash. No reason for him to pay $50something a month.

[sweetana3]

Float on: That would be a lovely thing to do. Our neighbors told us to use their recycling bin (we have to pay to get one here) because there was plenty of room. We share another neighbor's newspapers with to groups who recycle (after two families read them). Neighbors who work together are nice to have.

[Teacher Terry]

Float on : you have to check and see if it is legal not to pay for garbage. When we had 2 homes and one was empty I had to pay-county/city law. We fill our recycling bin which the company provides and it is big every 2 weeks. Garbage is about 2-13 gallon bags/week.

[Float On]

Float on : you have to check and see if it is legal not to pay for garbage. When we had 2 homes and one was empty I had to pay-county/city law. We fill our recycling bin which the company provides and it is big every 2 weeks. Garbage is about 2-13 gallon bags/week.

We are outside city limits. No requirements. Inside the city limit it is part of their sewer/water bill. No curbside recycling, anyone who wants to recycle has to take it to the recycle center.

[Chicken lady]

We are not required to have trash service, BUT I was told by the trash collection company that it is illegal to share trash service. Even though we have 6 can a week service and don't put our can out every week.

lately we have been using the trash service - we are building an addition without a dumpster, so ALL the non-recyclable, non wood waste is going in those 6 cans a week (including shingles). We have three cans to go up thus week and one is just the sticky plastic film from the new windows.

i'm thinking about cancelling the trash service once the addition is done and dd moves out for good and just taking our little plastic grocery sack of garbage with me when I leave the house - I could throw it out at the gas station, the grocery store - from which I bought most of it, the waste basket in my classroom - where they remove and replace the bag every night even if there is just a broken pencil in it, tons of places really, without exciting comment.