When it comes to avoiding trash, that starts in the store. Think about how something is packaged, when there is tons of styrofoam with no # or tons of "blister" packaging, think twice before you buy it.
By reusing things, I repurpose them. We make bird feeders out of milk cartons. To-go containers for lunch are butter, sour cream or cottage cheese tubs. Toilet paper tubes are used as binoculars for the kids. Or I literally reuse things by using freecycle or donating to a charity. I even take used egg cartons to my local friendly egg supplier (or you can take them to the farmers market).
I love to garden, so it made no sense that I went to Home Depot to buy compost when I could make it myself at home. It couldn't be easier. I layer "brown" (yard waste-leaves, pine straw, weeds) and "green"(kitchen waste, rinds, eggshells, napkins, pasta, etc.) and I add a little water and the sun adds the heat. I wait a few months and I have beautiful black gold (aka compost). I did learn a few months ago that I should NOT add receipts from restaurants and stores. These receipts commonly are printed with ink that contains BPA. That BPA does not go away when you make compost, therefore getting into anything that you grow. Yuk!
Luckily I live in Roswell, GA and recycling here is pretty advanced. We don't have to sort recycling and we can recycle plastics #1-6. Most cities are 1 and 2 only. Regardless of this fact, I would still recycle everything some way or another. If in doubt, I go to my favorite recycling website. This place has it all and even some tips that even die-hard-greenies might not know. One thing I do make sure to do is remove the tops of all containers, no matter what material. Hard plastic tops can be recycled at Aveda. Some things that I have learned along the way: aluminum foil doesn't have to be washed, just pick off the food, so the bugs don't have a picnic. All paper is recyclable as long as it is not shiny. Break down boxes, small and large. Don't put broken glass in the bin. Make sure your area recycles paper milk cartons (usually 1/2 gallon), most don't, so don't buy them. Most importantly, don't let trash get in your recycle bin.
I feel like I have an obligation to my kids and their kids and their kids' kids' to leave the earth better than I found it. I might not be here in a hundred years, but my trash will be. That should be a reason to care.
