This was a good day to start the challenge because it was recycle pick up day. I took a photo of our usual recyclable waste. Yeah I know it’s recyclables and that’s good. But I think less waste is actually better. I feel so guilty buying something online and just tossing the box. Although I do love buying things online (something I am trying to hold back from doing during this challenge). I find I use less packaging if I buy locally. For example, you can bring your own bag if you purchase clothes, food or basically anything. My goal is to get us down to 1 bin of recyclable waste a week and 1 bag of trash every 2 weeks.
Every Spring, I do attempt to try and grow a small vegetable garden. So to create less waste, I am venturing into the world of composting. I went to the local garden center and picked me up a small compost bin for our kitchen counter and the Town of Hempstead Sanitation dept. for a larger outdoor compost bin. One day of organic food waste in the compost bin and it already smells in my house. Ugh! It says on the bin that you cannot throw meat or dairy into the compost bin. I wonder why?? I thought compost was ALL organic matter.
Anyway this weekend I will attempt to set up the outdoor compost bin. I am terrified of creepy crawly things so the idea of having to buy a bucket o’worms is horrifying. I guess I Just set the thing up and follow the photo copied instructions the Town of Hempstead gave me. A little brown stuff, a little green stuff, food waste and ouila! In two weeks, DIRT! YAY!
On another topic, for the last month, I have suffered from terrible post-nasal drip. Dealing with this has required the use of A LOT of tissues. My friend Julie says tissues and paper towels are compostable but I am not so sure. Paper towels are bleached. That would go into the dirt and water stream eventually right? Do I lose my tissues for a hanky?? I guess that’s ok. I have managed to easily let go of paper towels for cut up t-shirts and it’s working out pretty well. The irony is, when I got home today from work, on my front porch was our bi-monthly shipment of paper towels from Amazon. Doh! I forgot to cancel. I thought that was going to be my kryptonite in this challenge. But I think right now it’s definitely tissues. And why do they have to individually wrap tea bags!!! Seriously? I need get loose tea and one of those re-usable tea holders. Details details. . .