Reducing our carbon footprint

[SoulSurfer]

We just got a composter. So we might be late in the game but I figure that it is never too late. We also dig gardening (fresh herbs and and some other yummy things) in our "postage stamp" of a back yard. Should be fun if only for the exercise

 

[Patman]

Don't you have a "green" recycling bin in your area? We've had one in Mississauga for a couple of years now. All the food stuff and other organic stuff (tissues, wood, plants, etc.) goes into the green bin and gets picked up with the other recyclables.

 

[SoulSurfer]

Don't you have a "green" recycling bin in your area? We've had one in Mississauga for a couple of years now. All the food stuff and other organic stuff (tissues, wood, plants, etc.) goes into the green bin and gets picked up with the other recyclables.

Of course we do, but the compost is great for the garden.

 

[Riley P]

We'll have to have a burn out competition to celebrate your compost!

 

[desi]

... Should be fun if only for the exercise

You know you ARE getting old when you make comments like that

Seriously though, backyard gardening can be a lot of fun. We grow some vegetables with the kids each year. That's the only time they LOVE eating veges...

 

[Patman]

Of course we do, but the compost is great for the garden.

So you were already reducing your carbon footprint before, unless you weren't using your green bin? It took us a while to warm up to the green bin, we didn't use it for the first six months at all, but now I put everything I possibly can into there. There was a time when we were putting out 2 or 3 full garbage bags per week, but now we are down to one! So we're recycling maniacs now!

 

[LATNC5]

we try to recycle when ever possible...but the only thing we seem to recycle 100% is our drink containers that have a deposit. i would really like to get a compost bin.

 

[Riley P]

Paper is the easiest. Recycling anything else in Sask is very time consuming, and that is once you locate where to recycle the more odd (for here) items such as glass, tin, plastics, etc. Trust me, they do not make it easy...except for bottles. Bottles are easy, but the lines are very long to get your money back.

 

[X-SPAN]

Local and provincial governments both need to realize that in order for recycling to be popular and effective it must be convenient and affordable for all citizens. If it isn't, people won't "buy in" to the program and some will dump their trash anywhere. :nono:

We have garbage collection every two weeks and it includes many recyclables. Items for recycling are supposed to be separated into either the yellow bag (cardboard, paper, tin cans, aluminum foil, plastics) or into the blue bag (newspapers, sales flyers, magazines, other printed material).
But when the bags are emptied into the truck, they both get emptied into the same compartment; which just happens to be right beside the compartment that receives regular household garbage.
So who knows where the recyclables are actually going? Might be they end up in a land fill with the rest of the crap.

The local goverment provides for free drop-off of garden waste, lawn clippings, etc. at their waste sites. But the line ups to do so are long as it all goes into a dumpster that can accomodate unloading from only two vehicles at a time.

Not all recyclable materials are free to dispose of. Drywall (gypsum board) costs as much or more to dump off as it cost to purchase; and yet it is recycled into new drywall. :swear:

 

[Riley P]

Saskatoon is bringing in a system where our garbage containers are going to be half the size that they currently are. We are going to have to pay every time the container is emptied. This is in an effort to help us recycle.
Unless the city provides much more convenient recycling programs and makes it easy to do, I expect to see a lot more dumping of garbage in our back lanes, along the river, or anywhere else people can throw garbage to avoid paying extra fees to dispose of their waste.