For the last week, I have been actively trying to think of ways to surpass the barriers of recycling. If you read my post, "A Walk Across the Parking Lot," I listed 3 reasons why I think people don't recycle. In that post, I addressed the 3rd reason: Lack of awareness of recycling facilities. Today, I attempted to address reasons 1 and 2:
1) Trashcans are closer.
2) Recycling requires sorting.
The obvious solution to these problems would be a "trashcan" for recycling that sorts for you, can occupy any space normally occupied by a regular trashcan, and can be manufactured for as cheap as a regular trashcan. Unfortunately, I am not a wastebasket engineer.
So, here is the solution that I came up with for my own life:
Let me begin by saying that I live in an apartment and, therefore, do not have endless amounts of space or even a lot of space. However, after some clever maneuvering, Josh and I were able to clear out one of our floor level cabinets. In this cabinet, we put 2 small, white trashcans (each identical to the one we already have under the sink). One of these trashcans is now for plastic and the other is for paper. Glass we intend to keep in a box on the pantry floor. We've already been collecting glass for several weeks, and it's basically clean and completely odorless after we rinse it. Trash will still go under the sink.
It's not a perfect system yet, but it's a step in the right direction! "Approximately 88% of the energy is saved when plastic is made from plastic rather than from the raw materials..." AND, Recycling one ton of paper saves enough energy to power an average, U.S. home for 5 months! At least 70% of all trash is recyclable, so I'm working towards recycling 100% of recyclable materials. If I only had space to compost, then I could practically be trash free!
Reasons to recycle from EPA for those still on the fence.
A nearly exhaustive list of recyclable materials and guidelines. This website also has fun facts and many other helpful links!
Something I just learned about plastic: The numbers on the bottom of plastic bottles indicate their ability to be recycled. Number 1 and 2 are the best, but number 7 is basically non-recyclable.
So glad you're recycling! Nice.
ReplyDeleteI noticed that you said you didn't have the space for composting. I just thought that if it's something that you were interested in, you may consider vermicomposting.
I live in a small apartment and can't have containers on my balcony but I've been successfully vermicomposting for a while. I would totally recommend it. I use a 22x14x6 (estimated measurements) Rubbermaid that I drilled holes in. I have one lid on top and another underneath (although liquid rarely leaks out). The whole thing fits under my kitchen sink. For just two of us, it's the perfect arrangement.