I just realized that we don't generate much. I don't use my garbage
disposal very much. We don't compost, so coffee grounds and food
trimmings go into the (covered) garbage can and yet, we generate only
one bag of waste per week... which turns into more like half a bag
when it's taken out of the trash can to go to the trash bin, so we
empty the trash baskets in the den, bedrooms and bathrooms in there
too. We didn't eat out at all last week and still didn't generate
enough garbage to make emptying the kitchen trash worthwhile.
FINALLY, yesterday - hubby came into the kitchen and said with a
chuckle "I think it's full enough to take out". Blue Bin, recycling
is the same. Not much generated by us - it's mainly junk mail and
only one box a week. Hubby eats breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks -
so there's plenty of opportunity to produce trash. Is reducing your
carbon footprint a normal part of getting "older"?


--
Avoid cutting yourself when slicing vegetables by getting someone else to hold them.

sf wrote:
>
> I just realized that we don't generate much. I don't use my garbage
> disposal very much. We don't compost, so coffee grounds and food
> trimmings go into the (covered) garbage can and yet, we generate only
> one bag of waste per week... which turns into more like half a bag
> when it's taken out of the trash can to go to the trash bin, so we
> empty the trash baskets in the den, bedrooms and bathrooms in there
> too. We didn't eat out at all last week and still didn't generate
> enough garbage to make emptying the kitchen trash worthwhile.
> FINALLY, yesterday - hubby came into the kitchen and said with a
> chuckle "I think it's full enough to take out". Blue Bin, recycling
> is the same. Not much generated by us - it's mainly junk mail and
> only one box a week. Hubby eats breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks -
> so there's plenty of opportunity to produce trash. Is reducing your
> carbon footprint a normal part of getting "older"?
>

The vast majority of my garbage output is:

1. Boxes, packing foam and the like.

2. Shredded junk mail.

This has been the norm for many years and I'm 44. I don't think it has
anything to do with age, though the older you get the less you typically
acquire since you already have it. I think it's mostly a function of not
buying prepared foods (more packaging involved than fresh) and not being
wasteful i.e. not finishing what you put on your plate or not eating
leftovers.

On Sat, 11 Oct 2014 10:20:40 -0500, "Pete C." >
wrote:

> I think it's mostly a function of not
> buying prepared foods (more packaging involved than fresh) and not being
> wasteful i.e. not finishing what you put on your plate or not eating
> leftovers.

I'm thinking that's the case. I also don't buy or cook more than I
think I can consume in what I consider a reasonable amount of time.
As far as portion control goes: you're absolutely spot on. I know how
much we can consume without pigging out. That's the amount I cook and
that's what goes on the plate if I was requested to make extra for
lunch the following day. Hubby and I had a discussion about portions
just the other day that began with hubby saying "you know me better
than I know myself".


--
Avoid cutting yourself when slicing vegetables by getting someone else to hold them.

It appears that the amount of FOOD garbage is related to the amount of scratch cooking one does. If someone is living on 'boughten' cookies, canned soups, frozen pizza etc, no there won't be much for the compost heap or garbage pickup.

I had a lot the other day after processing a pineapple, peeling and coring 5 apples, and removing the tougher parts of a head of escarole.

On 10/11/2014 11:42 AM, Kalmia wrote:
> It appears that the amount of FOOD garbage is related to the amount of scratch cooking one does. If someone is living on 'boughten' cookies, canned soups, frozen pizza etc, no there won't be much for the compost heap or garbage pickup.
>
Uh, what? All that cardboard and plastic packaging from "boughten" food
has to go somewhere. Into the trash can! (There's no composting where
I live.)

> I had a lot the other day after processing a pineapple, peeling and coring 5 apples, and removing the tougher parts of a head of escarole.
>
I haven't peeled and cored apples in quite some time, although I have in
the past. The apple peels and cores went into the trash can. Another
example would be after coring cabbage. Snapping the ends off stalks of
celery. Onion peels. Things like that go into the trash, too.

Jill

On Saturday, October 11, 2014 12:13:47 PM UTC-4, jmcquown wrote:
> On 10/11/2014 11:42 AM, Kalmia wrote:
>
> > It appears that the amount of FOOD garbage is related to the amount of scratch cooking one does. If someone is living on 'boughten' cookies, canned soups, frozen pizza etc, no there won't be much for the compost heap or garbage pickup.
>
> >
>
> Uh, what? All that cardboard and plastic packaging from "boughten" food
>
> has to go somewhere. Into the trash can! (There's no composting where
>
> I live.)

I meant food waste. I used the term garbage to mean food waste only.

I am lucky to have curbside recycling, so I don't feel too guilty about cans and cardboard which I term as trash.

Wouldn't they let you compost if you wanted to?

On 10/11/2014 1:18 PM, Kalmia wrote:
> On Saturday, October 11, 2014 12:13:47 PM UTC-4, jmcquown wrote:
>> On 10/11/2014 11:42 AM, Kalmia wrote:
>>
>>> It appears that the amount of FOOD garbage is related to the amount of scratch cooking one does. If someone is living on 'boughten' cookies, canned soups, frozen pizza etc, no there won't be much for the compost heap or garbage pickup.
>>
>>>
>>
>> Uh, what? All that cardboard and plastic packaging from "boughten" food
>>
>> has to go somewhere. Into the trash can! (There's no composting where
>>
>> I live.)
>
> I meant food waste. I used the term garbage to mean food waste only.
>
> I am lucky to have curbside recycling, so I don't feel too guilty about cans and cardboard which I term as trash.
>
> Wouldn't they let you compost if you wanted to?
>
>
Ha! You know enough about where I live; the rules, the regulations, the
covenants. No, they don't allow composting.

There's only one trash/garbage pickup service available here, too. For
some reason a couple of years ago a majority of owners voted against
recycling. I have no idea why. I called to ask about how to know what
types of things to recycle? I was immediatedly asked, "Do you live on
Dataw?" Yes. She said "Never mind." Apparently the idiots who live
here couldn't be bothered to separate paper from plastic from cans and
somehow they protested enough to get the garbage company to pull the
plug on recycling. I don't understand it.

Jill

"jmcquown" > wrote in message
...
> On 10/11/2014 1:18 PM, Kalmia wrote:
>> On Saturday, October 11, 2014 12:13:47 PM UTC-4, jmcquown wrote:
>>> On 10/11/2014 11:42 AM, Kalmia wrote:
>>>
>>>> It appears that the amount of FOOD garbage is related to the amount of
>>>> scratch cooking one does. If someone is living on 'boughten' cookies,
>>>> canned soups, frozen pizza etc, no there won't be much for the compost
>>>> heap or garbage pickup.
>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>> Uh, what? All that cardboard and plastic packaging from "boughten" food
>>>
>>> has to go somewhere. Into the trash can! (There's no composting where
>>>
>>> I live.)
>>
>> I meant food waste. I used the term garbage to mean food waste only.
>>
>> I am lucky to have curbside recycling, so I don't feel too guilty about
>> cans and cardboard which I term as trash.
>>
>> Wouldn't they let you compost if you wanted to?
>>
>>
> Ha! You know enough about where I live; the rules, the regulations, the
> covenants. No, they don't allow composting.
>
> There's only one trash/garbage pickup service available here, too. For
> some reason a couple of years ago a majority of owners voted against
> recycling. I have no idea why. I called to ask about how to know what
> types of things to recycle? I was immediatedly asked, "Do you live on
> Dataw?" Yes. She said "Never mind." Apparently the idiots who live here
> couldn't be bothered to separate paper from plastic from cans and somehow
> they protested enough to get the garbage company to pull the plug on
> recycling. I don't understand it.
>

maybe they were used to commingled recycling where they came from (or have
their non-vacation homes). I must say - commingled is a big step up from
"every house sort their own trash".

On 11/10/2014 1:11 PM, wrote:

>>
>> Jill
>
> Here the city is moving towards using clear plastic garbage bags to
> catch people who don't want to recycle, if they don't want to do it,
> then they must pay so that somebody else does it. I'm all for it. It
> is a civic duty and we should be doing it for future generations. We
> make too much garbage and now they have made manufacturers package
> with recyclable stuff, it's the turn of the people to do it!
>
I have 2 wheelie bins for garbage (black) and for re-cycling (blue) and
will soon get a 3rd for organics (green). Anything in an opaque plastic
bag in the blue-bin is automatically put in the garbage stream at the
re-cycling depot so I have to make sure that shredded paper in in a
clear bag.
Since the city started this service a few years ago, I'm amazed at how
little real garbage I generate, but I think this is true for all
wrinklies after the kids have flown the nest.
Graham

On 10/11/2014 3:11 PM, wrote:

>
> Here the city is moving towards using clear plastic garbage bags to
> catch people who don't want to recycle, if they don't want to do it,
> then they must pay so that somebody else does it. I'm all for it. It
> is a civic duty and we should be doing it for future generations. We
> make too much garbage and now they have made manufacturers package
> with recyclable stuff, it's the turn of the people to do it!
>

Good for them. We have the law to recycle, but it is not enforced, no
inspections, etc. I was on the recycle committee in town when we
started over 20 years ago. It was kind of funny at the first meeting.
One of the women went on a rant about foam cups and how wasteful they
are. Then I asked her why she had a Bic disposable pen instead of a
refillable type. She shut up.

On 10/11/2014 3:11 PM, wrote:
> On Sat, 11 Oct 2014 13:42:23 -0400, jmcquown >
> wrote:
>
>>
>> There's only one trash/garbage pickup service available here, too. For
>> some reason a couple of years ago a majority of owners voted against
>> recycling. I have no idea why. I called to ask about how to know what
>> types of things to recycle? I was immediatedly asked, "Do you live on
>> Dataw?" Yes. She said "Never mind." Apparently the idiots who live
>> here couldn't be bothered to separate paper from plastic from cans and
>> somehow they protested enough to get the garbage company to pull the
>> plug on recycling. I don't understand it.
>>
>> Jill
>
> Here the city is moving towards using clear plastic garbage bags to
> catch people who don't want to recycle, if they don't want to do it,
> then they must pay so that somebody else does it. I'm all for it. It
> is a civic duty and we should be doing it for future generations. We
> make too much garbage and now they have made manufacturers package
> with recyclable stuff, it's the turn of the people to do it!
>
I have no idea why the majority of residents here complained about
having to recycle. It may have had something to do with having to buy
extra bins. I'm not sure why that would bother these toodling around on
golf carts people, but it's a guess. I was perfectly willing to
separate plastic, glass, cans. No composting here, so also food scraps
that won't go down the garbage disposal (those wouldn't have amounted to
much).

Jill

jmcquown wrote:
> On 10/11/2014 11:42 AM, Kalmia wrote:
>> It appears that the amount of FOOD garbage is related to the amount
>> of scratch cooking one does. If someone is living on 'boughten'
>> cookies, canned soups, frozen pizza etc, no there won't be much for
>> the compost heap or garbage pickup.
>>
> Uh, what? All that cardboard and plastic packaging from "boughten"
> food has to go somewhere. Into the trash can! (There's no composting
> where I live.)
>
>> I had a lot the other day after processing a pineapple, peeling and
>> coring 5 apples, and removing the tougher parts of a head of escarole.
>>
> I haven't peeled and cored apples in quite some time, although I have
> in the past. The apple peels and cores went into the trash can.
> Another example would be after coring cabbage. Snapping the ends off
> stalks of celery. Onion peels. Things like that go into the trash, too.
>
> Jill
>
You can't compost plastic, genius.

On Sat, 11 Oct 2014 22:01:36 -0400, Roger > wrote:

>jmcquown wrote:
>> On 10/11/2014 11:42 AM, Kalmia wrote:
>>> It appears that the amount of FOOD garbage is related to the amount
>>> of scratch cooking one does. If someone is living on 'boughten'
>>> cookies, canned soups, frozen pizza etc, no there won't be much for
>>> the compost heap or garbage pickup.
>>>
>> Uh, what? All that cardboard and plastic packaging from "boughten"
>> food has to go somewhere. Into the trash can! (There's no composting
>> where I live.)
>>
>>> I had a lot the other day after processing a pineapple, peeling and
>>> coring 5 apples, and removing the tougher parts of a head of escarole.
>>>
>> I haven't peeled and cored apples in quite some time, although I have
>> in the past. The apple peels and cores went into the trash can.
>> Another example would be after coring cabbage. Snapping the ends off
>> stalks of celery. Onion peels. Things like that go into the trash, too.
>>
>> Jill
>>
>You can't compost plastic, genius.

You can if its biodegradable, retard.

On 10/11/2014 10:31 PM, Jeßus wrote:
> On Sat, 11 Oct 2014 22:01:36 -0400, Roger > wrote:
>
>> jmcquown wrote:
>>> On 10/11/2014 11:42 AM, Kalmia wrote:
>>>> It appears that the amount of FOOD garbage is related to the amount
>>>> of scratch cooking one does. If someone is living on 'boughten'
>>>> cookies, canned soups, frozen pizza etc, no there won't be much for
>>>> the compost heap or garbage pickup.
>>>>
>>> Uh, what? All that cardboard and plastic packaging from "boughten"
>>> food has to go somewhere. Into the trash can! (There's no composting
>>> where I live.)
>>>
>>>> I had a lot the other day after processing a pineapple, peeling and
>>>> coring 5 apples, and removing the tougher parts of a head of escarole.
>>>>
>>> I haven't peeled and cored apples in quite some time, although I have
>>> in the past. The apple peels and cores went into the trash can.
>>> Another example would be after coring cabbage. Snapping the ends off
>>> stalks of celery. Onion peels. Things like that go into the trash, too.
>>>
>>> Jill
>>>
>> You can't compost plastic, genius.
>
> You can if its biodegradable, retard.
>
Compost? Nope. I specifically said I can't compost. "Roger" can't
read. I called the company that picks up my trash and there are
markings on the bottom of things like plastic milk jugs which indicate
which ones are recycleable, too.

Jill

Je�us wrote:
> On Sat, 11 Oct 2014 22:01:36 -0400, Roger > wrote:
>
>> jmcquown wrote:
>>> On 10/11/2014 11:42 AM, Kalmia wrote:
>>>> It appears that the amount of FOOD garbage is related to the amount
>>>> of scratch cooking one does. If someone is living on 'boughten'
>>>> cookies, canned soups, frozen pizza etc, no there won't be much for
>>>> the compost heap or garbage pickup.
>>>>
>>> Uh, what? All that cardboard and plastic packaging from "boughten"
>>> food has to go somewhere. Into the trash can! (There's no composting
>>> where I live.)
>>>
>>>> I had a lot the other day after processing a pineapple, peeling and
>>>> coring 5 apples, and removing the tougher parts of a head of escarole.
>>>>
>>> I haven't peeled and cored apples in quite some time, although I have
>>> in the past. The apple peels and cores went into the trash can.
>>> Another example would be after coring cabbage. Snapping the ends off
>>> stalks of celery. Onion peels. Things like that go into the trash, too.
>>>
>>> Jill
>>>
>> You can't compost plastic, genius.
> You can if its biodegradable, retard.
>
>
This retard can read and understand words...

"Many people confuse "biodegradable" with "compostable". "Biodegradable"
broadly means that an object can be biologically broken down, while
"compostable <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compostable>" typically
specifies that such a process will result in compost, or humus
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humus>.^<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biodegradable_plastic#cite_note-5>
Many plastic manufacturers throughout Canada and the US have released
products indicated as being compostable. However this claim is
debatable, if the manufacturer was minimally conforming to the
now-withdrawn American Society for Testing and Materials standard
definition of the word, as it applies to plastics:

"that which is capable of undergoing biological decomposition in a
compost site such that the material is not visually distinguishable
and breaks down into carbon dioxide, water, inorganic compounds and
biomass at a rate consistent with known compostable materials."
(ASTM D 6002)
^<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biodegradable_plastic#cite_note-6>

There is a major discrepancy between this definition and what one would
expect from a backyard composting operation. With the inclusion of
"inorganic compounds", the above definition allows that the end product
might not be humus <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humus>, an organic
substance. The only criterion the ASTM standard definition /did/ outline
is that a compostable plastic has to become "not visually
distinguishable" at the same rate as something that has already been
established as being compostable under the traditional definition."

On Sun, 12 Oct 2014 08:34:04 -0300, wrote:



>
>That all depends. One shocker are those damn pods for those coffee
>machines like Keurig. Although they say they are recyclable, in
>actual fact, there are no places doing it. It would involve a whole
>lot of separation and the return is just not there. Boggles my mind
>how many of those damn things go to landfill.

The juice boxes are recyclable too, but not done much as it has to go
to special facilities. They are mostly paper, but have a plastic
lining that must be removed. K-cups have two materials also, making
it difficult to recycle, but it can pay if the quantity is there.

Handy is some places, it is an expensive way to buy mediocre coffee.
People are willing to pay for convenience though.

On Sat, 11 Oct 2014 08:42:23 -0700 (PDT), Kalmia
> wrote:

> It appears that the amount of FOOD garbage is related to the amount of scratch cooking one does. If someone is living on 'boughten' cookies, canned soups, frozen pizza etc, no there won't be much for the compost heap or garbage pickup.
>
> I had a lot the other day after processing a pineapple, peeling and coring 5 apples, and removing the tougher parts of a head of escarole.

I cored a pineapple and some apples last week too (made apple butter)
but I didn't have any escarole - so maybe that was the big difference
between the amount of garbage you and I produced.


--
Avoid cutting yourself when slicing vegetables by getting someone else to hold them.

Kalmia wrote:
>
>It appears that the amount of FOOD garbage is related to the amount of scratch cooking one does. If someone is living on 'boughten' cookies, canned soups, frozen pizza etc, no there won't be much for the compost heap or garbage pickup.
>
>I had a lot the other day after processing a pineapple, peeling and coring 5 apples, and removing the tougher parts of a head of escarole.

All critter food.... nothing edible ever goes into my trash can...
things like coffee grounds and teabags go into the composter. Aside
from recycleables the only trash is used cat litter. Meat scraps and
fat trimmings feed the crows... meat bones get crunched up by skunks,
coyotes, etc.

On Saturday, October 11, 2014 12:56:38 PM UTC-4, wrote:
> On Sat, 11 Oct 2014 08:42:23 -0700 (PDT), Kalmia
>
> > wrote:
>
>
>
> >It appears that the amount of FOOD garbage is related to the amount of scratch cooking one does. If someone is living on 'boughten' cookies, canned soups, frozen pizza etc, no there won't be much for the compost heap or garbage pickup.
>
> >
>
> >I had a lot the other day after processing a pineapple, peeling and coring 5 apples, and removing the tougher parts of a head of escarole.
>
>
>
> I generate assorted garbage but there are bins for everything. Pure
>
> garbage, cardboard, paper, plastics, general recyclables, refundable
>
> containers, non refundable containers. Also green bins for anything
>
> compostable. Our refundable containers are taken away by arrangement
>
> with a youth hockey team weekly and they are very grateful for the
>
> support generated, adds up nicely.
>
>
>
> Considering there are 90 units, we only generate one skip per week of
>
> absolute garbage, so we are doing a good job.

Where do bones or shells go?

"sf" > wrote in message
...
>I just realized that we don't generate much. I don't use my garbage
> disposal very much. We don't compost, so coffee grounds and food
> trimmings go into the (covered) garbage can and yet, we generate only
> one bag of waste per week... which turns into more like half a bag
> when it's taken out of the trash can to go to the trash bin, so we
> empty the trash baskets in the den, bedrooms and bathrooms in there
> too. We didn't eat out at all last week and still didn't generate
> enough garbage to make emptying the kitchen trash worthwhile.
> FINALLY, yesterday - hubby came into the kitchen and said with a
> chuckle "I think it's full enough to take out". Blue Bin, recycling
> is the same. Not much generated by us - it's mainly junk mail and
> only one box a week. Hubby eats breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks -
> so there's plenty of opportunity to produce trash. Is reducing your
> carbon footprint a normal part of getting "older"?

have you reduced it, or has it always been low? I bet the latter. I cannot
imagine how much trash others produce, mostly younger folks.

On Sat, 11 Oct 2014 08:44:57 -0700, "Pico Rico"
> wrote:

>
> "sf" > wrote in message
> ...
> >I just realized that we don't generate much. I don't use my garbage
> > disposal very much. We don't compost, so coffee grounds and food
> > trimmings go into the (covered) garbage can and yet, we generate only
> > one bag of waste per week... which turns into more like half a bag
> > when it's taken out of the trash can to go to the trash bin, so we
> > empty the trash baskets in the den, bedrooms and bathrooms in there
> > too. We didn't eat out at all last week and still didn't generate
> > enough garbage to make emptying the kitchen trash worthwhile.
> > FINALLY, yesterday - hubby came into the kitchen and said with a
> > chuckle "I think it's full enough to take out". Blue Bin, recycling
> > is the same. Not much generated by us - it's mainly junk mail and
> > only one box a week. Hubby eats breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks -
> > so there's plenty of opportunity to produce trash. Is reducing your
> > carbon footprint a normal part of getting "older"?
>
> have you reduced it, or has it always been low? I bet the latter. I cannot
> imagine how much trash others produce, mostly younger folks.
>
You're right, I've always been pretty good but I've noticed it has
reduced even more in the last couple of years even though we eat out
less often. Not sure why, because I've always been a scratch cook and
don't keep many leftovers in the refrigerator.


--
Avoid cutting yourself when slicing vegetables by getting someone else to hold them.

On Sat, 11 Oct 2014 08:13:32 -0700, sf > wrote:

>I just realized that we don't generate much. I don't use my garbage
>disposal very much. We don't compost, so coffee grounds and food
>trimmings go into the (covered) garbage can and yet, we generate only
>one bag of waste per week... which turns into more like half a bag
>when it's taken out of the trash can to go to the trash bin, so we
>empty the trash baskets in the den, bedrooms and bathrooms in there
>too. We didn't eat out at all last week and still didn't generate
>enough garbage to make emptying the kitchen trash worthwhile.
>FINALLY, yesterday - hubby came into the kitchen and said with a
>chuckle "I think it's full enough to take out". Blue Bin, recycling
>is the same. Not much generated by us - it's mainly junk mail and
>only one box a week. Hubby eats breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks -
>so there's plenty of opportunity to produce trash. Is reducing your
>carbon footprint a normal part of getting "older"?

We generate a fair bit of recycling, but that's mainly because the
recycle company here takes a lot of different stuff. All of our
vegetable material gets composted, and in the winter we burn most of
our paper and cardboard waste, including stuff like toilet rolls and
used kleenex from the waste baskets.

As far as garbage is concerned, we mainly have cat litter and meat
scraps. Because of the smell (and wild critters) we save up our meat
waste in a container in the freezer.

Bag tags here are $3 a pop, so we don't put out a bag of garbage
unless it's pretty full. Perhaps one bag every 3 weeks.

Doris

On Saturday, October 11, 2014 10:48:03 AM UTC-5, Doris Night wrote:
>
> We generate a fair bit of recycling, but that's mainly because the
> recycle company here takes a lot of different stuff.
>
>
Same here.
>
>
> As far as garbage is concerned, we mainly have cat litter and meat
> scraps. Because of the smell (and wild critters) we save up our meat
> waste in a container in the freezer.
>
>
Same here again, but no wild critters. Meat scraps and meat trays go in the freezer in one of those plastic grocery bags until garbage day.

On Sat, 11 Oct 2014 11:48:03 -0400, Doris Night
> wrote:

>On Sat, 11 Oct 2014 08:13:32 -0700, sf > wrote:
>
>>I just realized that we don't generate much. I don't use my garbage
>>disposal very much. We don't compost, so coffee grounds and food
>>trimmings go into the (covered) garbage can and yet, we generate only
>>one bag of waste per week... which turns into more like half a bag
>>when it's taken out of the trash can to go to the trash bin, so we
>>empty the trash baskets in the den, bedrooms and bathrooms in there
>>too. We didn't eat out at all last week and still didn't generate
>>enough garbage to make emptying the kitchen trash worthwhile.
>>FINALLY, yesterday - hubby came into the kitchen and said with a
>>chuckle "I think it's full enough to take out". Blue Bin, recycling
>>is the same. Not much generated by us - it's mainly junk mail and
>>only one box a week. Hubby eats breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks -
>>so there's plenty of opportunity to produce trash. Is reducing your
>>carbon footprint a normal part of getting "older"?
>
>We generate a fair bit of recycling, but that's mainly because the
>recycle company here takes a lot of different stuff. All of our
>vegetable material gets composted, and in the winter we burn most of
>our paper and cardboard waste, including stuff like toilet rolls and
>used kleenex from the waste baskets.
>
>As far as garbage is concerned, we mainly have cat litter and meat
>scraps. Because of the smell (and wild critters) we save up our meat
>waste in a container in the freezer.
>
>Bag tags here are $3 a pop, so we don't put out a bag of garbage
>unless it's pretty full. Perhaps one bag every 3 weeks.

No garbage service here, but nothing leaves the property if it can be
eaten by human, animal or decomposed. Other than that, I guess I
generate about a ¼ of what you call a garbage bag on a typical week,
which is pretty much plastic packaging of some sort.

It has been a l-o-n-g time since open burning is allowed in a city of any size around here. So my
Garbage consists mostly of paper waste and food scraps. I don't use the garbage disposal very
much. And I don't have anything outside that could use compost. We have municipal trash pickup
weekly, all part of our water/waste bill, and are allowed one of those giant bins each week. Being
solo, I usually need to put the can out curbside only once every two weeks.

Yard waste and recycling go in separate containers. Yard waste stickers (one per 30 gallon trash
can) cost $20 per calendar year. They are used for anything organic like leaves, branches, twigs, weeds, etc.

N

On 10/11/2014 11:13 AM, sf wrote:
> I just realized that we don't generate much. I don't use my garbage
> disposal very much. We don't compost, so coffee grounds and food
> trimmings go into the (covered) garbage can and yet, we generate only
> one bag of waste per week... which turns into more like half a bag
> when it's taken out of the trash can to go to the trash bin, so we
> empty the trash baskets in the den, bedrooms and bathrooms in there
> too.

With just me and my wife, a bag a week is about right. Occasionally it
may be two. The recycle bin only goes out every other week. We don't
use a lot of canned goods. It is newspapers and a few wine bottles a
week. Right now, there are four of us and the amount of trash has a bit
more than doubled.

We recently renovated two bathrooms so we got a 10 yard container to get
rid of the old stuff It also was a good time to get rid of other
accumulated "stuff" in the basement and garage. It was full when it left.

As Pete mentioned, we don't have the need to acquire much more "stuff"
these days. Rather than accumulate goods, I'd rather use the money on
eating at a nice restaurant go taking a trip. We have all the
appliances, TVs and computers we will ever need and I'm not replacing
them as long as they work.

"sf" > wrote in message
...
>I just realized that we don't generate much. I don't use my garbage
> disposal very much. We don't compost, so coffee grounds and food
> trimmings go into the (covered) garbage can and yet, we generate only
> one bag of waste per week... which turns into more like half a bag
> when it's taken out of the trash can to go to the trash bin, so we
> empty the trash baskets in the den, bedrooms and bathrooms in there
> too. We didn't eat out at all last week and still didn't generate
> enough garbage to make emptying the kitchen trash worthwhile.
> FINALLY, yesterday - hubby came into the kitchen and said with a
> chuckle "I think it's full enough to take out". Blue Bin, recycling
> is the same. Not much generated by us - it's mainly junk mail and
> only one box a week. Hubby eats breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks -
> so there's plenty of opportunity to produce trash. Is reducing your
> carbon footprint a normal part of getting "older"?

I think so, we compost food trimmings and coffee grounds for the worms,
including some newspapers that we run through the shredder first, recycle
the rest so we have very little trash after that. We recently went to the
smallest trash receptacle available from CA Waste and still only about a
bag, if that, but it sure used to be more.

Cheri

On 11/10/2014 9:13 AM, sf wrote:
> I just realized that we don't generate much. I don't use my garbage
> disposal very much. We don't compost, so coffee grounds and food
> trimmings go into the (covered) garbage can and yet, we generate only
> one bag of waste per week... which turns into more like half a bag
> when it's taken out of the trash can to go to the trash bin, so we
> empty the trash baskets in the den, bedrooms and bathrooms in there
> too. We didn't eat out at all last week and still didn't generate
> enough garbage to make emptying the kitchen trash worthwhile.
> FINALLY, yesterday - hubby came into the kitchen and said with a
> chuckle "I think it's full enough to take out". Blue Bin, recycling
> is the same. Not much generated by us - it's mainly junk mail and
> only one box a week. Hubby eats breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks -
> so there's plenty of opportunity to produce trash. Is reducing your
> carbon footprint a normal part of getting "older"?
>
>
Quite often for me it's only one supermarket plastic bag-full every
week. I keep the wheelie bins in the garage and in cooler weather I
usually wait 2-3 weeks before taking the trouble to put the bin by the kerb.
Graham

On Saturday, October 11, 2014 8:13:32 AM UTC-7, sf wrote:

> I just realized that we don't generate much. I don't use my garbage
> disposal very much. We don't compost, so coffee grounds and food
> trimmings go into the (covered) garbage can and yet, we generate only
> one bag of waste per week... which turns into more like half a bag
> when it's taken out of the trash can to go to the trash bin, so we
> empty the trash baskets in the den, bedrooms and bathrooms in there
> too. We didn't eat out at all last week and still didn't generate
> enough garbage to make emptying the kitchen trash worthwhile.

Depends on whether one of us has a cold or not. I took out a bale of used
kleenex last week.

We ditched the 13 gallon tall kitchen bags, because the kitchen garbage can
stank long before the bag filled. Now we switched to 8 gallon Glad bags
(generics aren't tough enough), and change them midweek, whether full or not.

We did compost our vegetable waste for years, but then lost interest.

> Is reducing your
> carbon footprint a normal part of getting "older"?

We don't cook much out of boxes, jars, and cans any more. Not so many
catalogs come; we're down to three magazines and one newspaper -- which
is itself shrinking.

> wrote in message
...
> On Saturday, October 11, 2014 8:13:32 AM UTC-7, sf wrote:
>
>> I just realized that we don't generate much. I don't use my garbage
>> disposal very much. We don't compost, so coffee grounds and food
>> trimmings go into the (covered) garbage can and yet, we generate only
>> one bag of waste per week... which turns into more like half a bag
>> when it's taken out of the trash can to go to the trash bin, so we
>> empty the trash baskets in the den, bedrooms and bathrooms in there
>> too. We didn't eat out at all last week and still didn't generate
>> enough garbage to make emptying the kitchen trash worthwhile.
>
> Depends on whether one of us has a cold or not. I took out a bale of used
> kleenex last week.
>
> We ditched the 13 gallon tall kitchen bags, because the kitchen garbage
> can
> stank long before the bag filled. Now we switched to 8 gallon Glad bags
> (generics aren't tough enough), and change them midweek, whether full or
> not.
>
> We did compost our vegetable waste for years, but then lost interest.
>
>> Is reducing your
>> carbon footprint a normal part of getting "older"?
>
> We don't cook much out of boxes, jars, and cans any more. Not so many
> catalogs come; we're down to three magazines and one newspaper -- which
> is itself shrinking.

I really wish I could cut down on the junk snail mail. Besides the cans,
that really is the bulk of my recycling. Every day I go through the mail
and it almost all goes into the bin straight away. I don't even need the
store ads except for occasional coupons. The amount of waste generated by
junk mail is insane. I get a packet of coupons each week and I will never
use a one of them. There are occasionally restaurant or pizza delivery
coupons but most are for things like roofing and windows. Ads for stores
where I would never shop and catalogs that will never be opened. Now that I
have the Internet, I have no need for any of these things. I have tried
various measures to stop the junk mail but none of them worked.

I have noticed that some of the apartment complexes around here are now
putting recycle bin right by the mailboxes. So apparently I am not the only
one with this problem. And they actually encouraging companies to send out
more catalogs to keep the post office busy.

On Sunday, October 12, 2014 9:07:59 PM UTC-5, Julie Bove wrote:
>
> I really wish I could cut down on the junk snail mail. Ads for stores
> where I would never shop and catalogs that will never be opened.
>
>
If those catalogs have a 1-800 number on them you can call and ask for your name A N D address to be removed from their mailing list. Junk mail that has a postage paid return envelope can be use to make the same request. The company sending out the original mail has to pay for that postage paid envelope, not you. I've used both methods numerous times and it's amazing doing these two things can really cut down on that garbage.

> wrote in message
...
On Sunday, October 12, 2014 9:07:59 PM UTC-5, Julie Bove wrote:
>
> I really wish I could cut down on the junk snail mail. Ads for stores
> where I would never shop and catalogs that will never be opened.
>
>
If those catalogs have a 1-800 number on them you can call and ask for your
name A N D address to be removed from their mailing list. Junk mail that
has a postage paid return envelope can be use to make the same request. The
company sending out the original mail has to pay for that postage paid
envelope, not you. I've used both methods numerous times and it's amazing
doing these two things can really cut down on that garbage.

---

You seriously do not know how many I receive! I am not about to spend many
hours and many days searching for a phone number on there and then calling.
Plus any time I order from one of those places it just generates new
catalogs. You seem not to know how these things work. I also don't know
what kind of junk mail would have a postage paid envelope and I'm not going
to open things to look for one.

On Sun, 12 Oct 2014 21:44:00 -0700, "Julie Bove"
> wrote:

> wrote in message
...
>On Sunday, October 12, 2014 9:07:59 PM UTC-5, Julie Bove wrote:
>>
>> I really wish I could cut down on the junk snail mail. Ads for stores
>> where I would never shop and catalogs that will never be opened.
>>
>If those catalogs have a 1-800 number on them you can call and ask for your
>name A N D address to be removed from their mailing list. Junk mail that
>has a postage paid return envelope can be use to make the same request. The
>company sending out the original mail has to pay for that postage paid
>envelope, not you. I've used both methods numerous times and it's amazing
>doing these two things can really cut down on that garbage.
>
>You seriously do not know how many I receive! I am not about to spend many
>hours and many days searching for a phone number on there and then calling.
>Plus any time I order from one of those places it just generates new
>catalogs. You seem not to know how these things work. I also don't know
>what kind of junk mail would have a postage paid envelope and I'm not going
>to open things to look for one.

Another rejection of a perfectly good solution (which I also used to
do when junk mail was a problem). Has Bove EVER accepted a suggestion
and thanked them for it?

"itsjoannotjoann wrote:
>Julie Bove wrote:
>>
>> I really wish I could cut down on the junk snail mail. Ads for stores
>> where I would never shop and catalogs that will never be opened.
>>
>If those catalogs have a 1-800 number on them you can call and ask for your name A N D address to be removed from their mailing list. Junk mail that has a postage paid return envelope can be use to make the same request. The company sending out the original mail has to pay for that postage paid envelope, not you. I've used both methods numerous times and it's amazing doing these two things can really cut down on that garbage.

That's exactly what I do... got rid of all those fercocktah Cruise
catalogs... they spend a fortune on those slick mags, and they send a
bunch every week. If they didn't send so many a cruise would cost
half as much.

On 10/13/2014 10:06 AM, Brooklyn1 wrote:
> "itsjoannotjoann wrote:
>> Julie Bove wrote:
>>>
>>> I really wish I could cut down on the junk snail mail. Ads for stores
>>> where I would never shop and catalogs that will never be opened.
>>>
>> If those catalogs have a 1-800 number on them you can call and ask for your name A N D address to be removed from their mailing list. Junk mail that has a postage paid return envelope can be use to make the same request. The company sending out the original mail has to pay for that postage paid envelope, not you. I've used both methods numerous times and it's amazing doing these two things can really cut down on that garbage.
>
> That's exactly what I do... got rid of all those fercocktah Cruise
> catalogs... they spend a fortune on those slick mags, and they send a
> bunch every week. If they didn't send so many a cruise would cost
> half as much.
>
What bugs me is charities that send out stacks of free self-adhesive
return address labels. These are charities I've never given money to.
Unless I move I'll never have to buy self-adhesive return address
labels, ever. How much money do they waste every year on those stupid
things?

Jill

On 10/13/2014 9:06 AM, Brooklyn1 wrote:
> "itsjoannotjoann wrote:
>> Julie Bove wrote:

>> If those catalogs have a 1-800 number on them you can call and ask
>> for your name A N D address to be removed from their mailing
>> list. Junk mail that has a postage paid return envelope can be use
>> to make the same request. The company sending out the original
>> mail has to pay for that postage paid envelope, not you. I've
>> used both methods numerous times and it's amazing doing these two
>> things can really cut down on that garbage.
>
> That's exactly what I do... got rid of all those fercocktah Cruise
> catalogs... they spend a fortune on those slick mags, and they send
> a bunch every week. If they didn't send so many a cruise would cost
> half as much.

The cruise lines stopped publishing cruise brochures many years ago,
since you can see the deck plans, online. We sell over a million dollars
worth of cruises every year, and we do not have one
brochure in the office. I like your idea of stopping junk mail, since it
benefits neither party.

Becca

On Sun, 12 Oct 2014 19:07:59 -0700, "Julie Bove"
> wrote:

>
> wrote in message
...
>> On Saturday, October 11, 2014 8:13:32 AM UTC-7, sf wrote:
>>
>>> I just realized that we don't generate much. I don't use my garbage
>>> disposal very much. We don't compost, so coffee grounds and food
>>> trimmings go into the (covered) garbage can and yet, we generate only
>>> one bag of waste per week... which turns into more like half a bag
>>> when it's taken out of the trash can to go to the trash bin, so we
>>> empty the trash baskets in the den, bedrooms and bathrooms in there
>>> too. We didn't eat out at all last week and still didn't generate
>>> enough garbage to make emptying the kitchen trash worthwhile.
>>
>> Depends on whether one of us has a cold or not. I took out a bale of used
>> kleenex last week.
>>
>> We ditched the 13 gallon tall kitchen bags, because the kitchen garbage
>> can
>> stank long before the bag filled. Now we switched to 8 gallon Glad bags
>> (generics aren't tough enough), and change them midweek, whether full or
>> not.
>>
>> We did compost our vegetable waste for years, but then lost interest.
>>
>>> Is reducing your
>>> carbon footprint a normal part of getting "older"?
>>
>> We don't cook much out of boxes, jars, and cans any more. Not so many
>> catalogs come; we're down to three magazines and one newspaper -- which
>> is itself shrinking.
>
>I really wish I could cut down on the junk snail mail. Besides the cans,
>that really is the bulk of my recycling. Every day I go through the mail
>and it almost all goes into the bin straight away.

I get mail at my PO Box, junk mail never comes home... I tear up my
name and address and toss it in their bin... of late there are tons of
political propaganda, I don't read any.

On Monday, October 13, 2014 9:59:55 AM UTC-4, Brooklyn1 wrote:
> On Sun, 12 Oct 2014 19:07:59 -0700, "Julie Bove"
>
> > wrote:
>
>
>
> >
>
> > wrote in message
>
> ...
>
> >> On Saturday, October 11, 2014 8:13:32 AM UTC-7, sf wrote:
>
> >>
>
> >>> I just realized that we don't generate much. I don't use my garbage
>
> >>> disposal very much. We don't compost, so coffee grounds and food
>
> >>> trimmings go into the (covered) garbage can and yet, we generate only
>
> >>> one bag of waste per week... which turns into more like half a bag
>
> >>> when it's taken out of the trash can to go to the trash bin, so we
>
> >>> empty the trash baskets in the den, bedrooms and bathrooms in there
>
> >>> too. We didn't eat out at all last week and still didn't generate
>
> >>> enough garbage to make emptying the kitchen trash worthwhile.
>
> >>
>
> >> Depends on whether one of us has a cold or not. I took out a bale of used
>
> >> kleenex last week.
>
> >>
>
> >> We ditched the 13 gallon tall kitchen bags, because the kitchen garbage
>
> >> can
>
> >> stank long before the bag filled. Now we switched to 8 gallon Glad bags
>
> >> (generics aren't tough enough), and change them midweek, whether full or
>
> >> not.
>
> >>
>
> >> We did compost our vegetable waste for years, but then lost interest.
>
> >>
>
> >>> Is reducing your
>
> >>> carbon footprint a normal part of getting "older"?
>
> >>
>
> >> We don't cook much out of boxes, jars, and cans any more. Not so many
>
> >> catalogs come; we're down to three magazines and one newspaper -- which
>
> >> is itself shrinking.
>
> >
>
> >I really wish I could cut down on the junk snail mail. Besides the cans,
>
> >that really is the bulk of my recycling. Every day I go through the mail
>
> >and it almost all goes into the bin straight away.
>
>
>
> I get mail at my PO Box, junk mail never comes home... I tear up my
>
> name and address and toss it in their bin... of late there are tons of
>
> political propaganda, I don't read any.



Wait'll the medigap ads start rolling in......


I have successfully stopped the catalogs - yes, it took a few phone calls, but I usually chat em up a bit, ask about their weather, shit like that.

On 14/10/2014 7:28 AM, Kalmia wrote:
> On Monday, October 13, 2014 9:59:55 AM UTC-4, Brooklyn1 wrote:
>> On Sun, 12 Oct 2014 19:07:59 -0700, "Julie Bove"
>>
>> > wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>>>
>>
>>> > wrote in message
>>
>>> ...
>>
>>>> On Saturday, October 11, 2014 8:13:32 AM UTC-7, sf wrote:
>>
>>>>
>>
>>>>> I just realized that we don't generate much. I don't use my garbage
>>
>>>>> disposal very much. We don't compost, so coffee grounds and food
>>
>>>>> trimmings go into the (covered) garbage can and yet, we generate only
>>
>>>>> one bag of waste per week... which turns into more like half a bag
>>
>>>>> when it's taken out of the trash can to go to the trash bin, so we
>>
>>>>> empty the trash baskets in the den, bedrooms and bathrooms in there
>>
>>>>> too. We didn't eat out at all last week and still didn't generate
>>
>>>>> enough garbage to make emptying the kitchen trash worthwhile.
>>
>>>>
>>
>>>> Depends on whether one of us has a cold or not. I took out a bale of used
>>
>>>> kleenex last week.
>>
>>>>
>>
>>>> We ditched the 13 gallon tall kitchen bags, because the kitchen garbage
>>
>>>> can
>>
>>>> stank long before the bag filled. Now we switched to 8 gallon Glad bags
>>
>>>> (generics aren't tough enough), and change them midweek, whether full or
>>
>>>> not.
>>
>>>>
>>
>>>> We did compost our vegetable waste for years, but then lost interest.
>>
>>>>
>>
>>>>> Is reducing your
>>
>>>>> carbon footprint a normal part of getting "older"?
>>
>>>>
>>
>>>> We don't cook much out of boxes, jars, and cans any more. Not so many
>>
>>>> catalogs come; we're down to three magazines and one newspaper -- which
>>
>>>> is itself shrinking.
>>
>>>
>>
>>> I really wish I could cut down on the junk snail mail. Besides the cans,
>>
>>> that really is the bulk of my recycling. Every day I go through the mail
>>
>>> and it almost all goes into the bin straight away.
>>
>>
>>
>> I get mail at my PO Box, junk mail never comes home... I tear up my
>>
>> name and address and toss it in their bin... of late there are tons of
>>
>> political propaganda, I don't read any.
>
>
>
> Wait'll the medigap ads start rolling in......
>
>
> I have successfully stopped the catalogs - yes, it took a few phone calls, but I usually chat em up a bit, ask about their weather, shit like that.
>
You were lucky. I still get heavy optics catalogues despite 2 phone
calls and several e-mails to take me off the list.
Graham

On Sunday, October 12, 2014 10:07:59 PM UTC-4, Julie Bove wrote:
> > wrote in message
>
> ...
>
> > On Saturday, October 11, 2014 8:13:32 AM UTC-7, sf wrote:
>
> >
>
> >> I just realized that we don't generate much. I don't use my garbage
>
> >> disposal very much. We don't compost, so coffee grounds and food
>
> >> trimmings go into the (covered) garbage can and yet, we generate only
>
> >> one bag of waste per week... which turns into more like half a bag
>
> >> when it's taken out of the trash can to go to the trash bin, so we
>
> >> empty the trash baskets in the den, bedrooms and bathrooms in there
>
> >> too. We didn't eat out at all last week and still didn't generate
>
> >> enough garbage to make emptying the kitchen trash worthwhile.
>
> >
>
> > Depends on whether one of us has a cold or not. I took out a bale of used
>
> > kleenex last week.
>
> >
>
> > We ditched the 13 gallon tall kitchen bags, because the kitchen garbage
>
> > can
>
> > stank long before the bag filled. Now we switched to 8 gallon Glad bags
>
> > (generics aren't tough enough), and change them midweek, whether full or
>
> > not.
>
> >
>
> > We did compost our vegetable waste for years, but then lost interest.
>
> >
>
> >> Is reducing your
>
> >> carbon footprint a normal part of getting "older"?
>
> >
>
> > We don't cook much out of boxes, jars, and cans any more. Not so many
>
> > catalogs come; we're down to three magazines and one newspaper -- which
>
> > is itself shrinking.
>
>
>
> I really wish I could cut down on the junk snail mail. Besides the cans,
>
> that really is the bulk of my recycling. Every day I go through the mail
>
> and it almost all goes into the bin straight away. I don't even need the
>
> store ads except for occasional coupons. The amount of waste generated by
>
> junk mail is insane. I get a packet of coupons each week and I will never
>
> use a one of them. There are occasionally restaurant or pizza delivery
>
> coupons but most are for things like roofing and windows. Ads for stores
>
> where I would never shop and catalogs that will never be opened. Now that I
>
> have the Internet, I have no need for any of these things. I have tried
>
> various measures to stop the junk mail but none of them worked.
>
>
>
> I have noticed that some of the apartment complexes around here are now
>
> putting recycle bin right by the mailboxes. So apparently I am not the only
>
> one with this problem. And they actually encouraging companies to send out
>
> more catalogs to keep the post office busy.

VORTEX, VORTEX....