Changing my attitude about trash and what I can do about it!

I’ve always been pretty comfortable with the idea of recycling, at least intellectually. I’m just not so sure about the reality of actually doing so yet. The thought of doing my part to help the environment encouraged me, however, to give it a try. My major objection in the past had been that you have to work at it most every day! And, I am by nature; a rather lazy individual (read as typical male). That doesn’t mean that I can’t try! So, as the year 2012 swings on in, I’ve decided to attack my waste from two distinct angles; stuff I will need to segregate for recycling and also curtailing any non-recyclable junk I may not need anyway.

The segregation part of my plan seems pretty straightforward. I broke my recyclables into four distinct categories; steel cans, paper, aluminum cans and plastic (coded 1 & 2). These will go into plastic bags that will be hauled on a periodic basis to the receptacles located behind the Municpal Building of Forsyth, Mo. (A recent communiqué from one of the city officials I asked indicated that they accept paper, cardboard, plastic and maybe aluminum cans). When I made an exploratory trip to the site, I found a sign on one of the dumpsters that reads as follows:

 [There were three dumpsters that looked as though they were meant for recyclables although I'm not sure. This will be addressed in a future blog.]

Well, that simplifies things somewhat, and that will take a huge bite out of the amount of waste I throw away. (I’ve been composting my leftover vegetable scraps for years already, so that’s not a problem)! That leaves me with some ‘miscellaneous waste’ such as Styrofoam and the like. This is where I plan to implement the other half of my recycling effort to help reduce these items as much as possible. From now on, when I go to the store, I plan to look closely at each item I purchase with an eye to what it will take to get rid of once the contents are consumed. Chief among the so-called problem items would be; glass containers, anything that contains non-recyclable plastic and items like chicken bones that cannot be composted. (I’m hoping to locate ‘public dumpsters’ somewhere in the area that these can be placed in). Also, burning is an option, but it’s an option I would not be happy exercising.

While I'm at it, here’s a few things I’d like to see happen in Missouri in regards to recycling;

1)      Create a state-funded initiative oversight panel with the goal of creating a uniform policy for the collection and management of all items the state regards as recyclable.

2)      Have counties work closely with existing waste collection services to include separate residential collection bins for those who want to participate.

3)      Offer courses at the schools to help teach kids the value of recycling and what their role will be in the future when we all have to recycle.

4)      Explore ways in which recycling can be conducted state wide and in such a way that it is sustainable for the state to do so.

Remember, there will come a time (soon I think), whereby communities like Forsyth will have to address the issue of what they are going to do about waste. We can all sit around with our heads in the sand until that time or we can proactively begin the process of making our world a better, cleaner and more efficient one to be passed onto the next generation.