Coming to the end of the trash week challenge from
Dave, I am not really shocked at the amount of garbage we went through. What I am however, is determined. Determinded to cut down on the plastic bags, paper products, and other plastic items. As I was shopping though, I realized something on that front...it's going to be nearly impossible in some areas. Paper plates/cups/napkins/towels/bags are out. Those things are easy to cut out. Already have that done. But nearly everything in the store is wrapped in plastic or in a can. Fresh produce is all in plastic. Frozen veggies (which I prefer) are in plastic bags. Bread...in plastic bags. I may go back to baking my own bread all the time again. But with the new baby due so very soon, that won't happen yet. Flour and all other baking items come in paper or cardboard. So anyhow, I'll spare you the rest of my thoughts about all of that. Here's the results in pictures...

These first two pictures are how we started out. Not much. But not typical days at home either with it being the holiday. A few paper towels, two milk cartons, cereal box, gift box, mac&cheese boxes, etc.

Ah...but then it gets worse. The left picture is one days total trash. I had some help with trash that day and they just threw it in the big trash can in the basement. The laundry stain bottle, a tide bottle, a furnace filter and some razors joined the rest of the garbage in there as well.

So after day 2, we got out boxes from Christmas gifts and plastic bags to sort trash into as we went. MUCH easier than trying to do it at the end of the day/week. From day 3-8 this is what we got. A larger box over flowing with cardboard items. Pop tart boxes, cereal boxes, 2 Pepsi One boxes, 1 Nellie's laundry soap container, crayon/marker boxes, etc. All will be recycled at hubby's work except the milk cartons. The picture on the right is the chip bags, foil wrappers from pop tarts and other misc foil.

Aluminum cans. They will just get added to the box outside for when hubby hauls scrap. Then there's the plastic. I stopped keeping track of every plastic thing we tossed. It was just too much. Both bags are full. There are atleast 5 milk jugs in there. 1 vinegar jug. Plastic bags from lettuce, salads, cereals, a couple of sour cream/cottage cheese/cream cheese containers, etc. All of which is crumpled and smashed to make more room in the bags for more plastic.

Last but not least is the other paper. There was another overflowing plastic grocery bag of paper towels and kleenex. But that must have dissapeared to outside at some point. I'm certain it did, otherwise my kitchen would have smelled of poop all week. We use paper towels as wipes instead of buying normal baby wipes. Not for long though!!
I'm fairly certain my husand is going to light this all up tomorrow. Maybe Saturday if the weather comes as they say tomorrow. But it will get dumped in the bin and light up like yesterdays trash. Hahaha. He will however be pleased that he doesn't have to sort through it for things that don't belong in the trash bin.
Oh...food garbage...that got taken out every other day as usual. Dumped out ontop of the snow in the field. No need for a fancy compost bucket here. Country living has it good sides.
So for now, the trash sorting and keeping is over. Children have learned a lesson in science and conservation. About where stuff comes from. About where our energy comes from and which appliances suck the most out.
The rest of the month of January will still be well spent. Conserving energy. Not using the dishwasher or dryer (except to dry the large blankets and if hubby dries his work clothes once a week). Turning the heat down just a couple of degrees, leaving the tv/dvd/xbox unplugged when not in use. Lights off if no one is in the room or the sun is shining. Things like that. Then we will compare our past couple of months electric bills with this months and see if we really can make a difference in that area. If the bill is still over $200-$250 I am going to cut the power completely and go pioneer. A bit drastic, I know. So I won't go that far, but someone from the elecctric ompany will be out checking out every nook and cranny of this house where electrical things are concerned.
Good-bye garbage. You'll make a nice warm pretty red fire this weekend.
*ok...so when I made this post, the pictures were side by side. I need a wider template or something.*