It was a bit run-down and all the trash cans had been turned over. I assume some hooligans did this as a prank the night before. So not cool. (Also a good description of the weather, "so not cool.")
This one had been righted, but the trash was still all over the ground.
These two blue cans are not the same. There were at least five cans turned over.
I was also dismayed by the number of plastic bottles in the piles of trash. No recycling in sight. What a shame. It seems like it would be so easy to have an additional can for recyclables. I've heard if there is one bit of non-recyclable trash mixed in with the recyclables, the whole can is "contaminated." So, I guess I can see why it becomes just too much trouble for a city to manage. We (the general "we") are just not conditioned to do it right.I've been thinking of ways to reduce of our own waste and energy use. I've thought of installing a clothes line in the back yard. I wash beach towels every time we go to the pool and it just seems so wasteful to run the dryer for them. I really think I'll try to eliminate paper napkins. (I bet I could find some fun cloth napkins on etsy. Of course, that means more laundry. Back to the clothes line idea.)
I didn't think I'd ever fill a blog post with pictures of trash.
5 comments:
My impression is that dryers are used much more in the US.here very house (maybe not so ,much new apartments) would automatically have a washing line outside and the dryer is used when the weather is bad. Even then I hardly ever use mine. Usually when I have an urgent desire to wear a dirty pair of jeans. I just put the washing on a maiden in the house and it dries overnight.
Dumping the trash cans IS so not cool. We've been using cloth napkins for many, many years -- some I've made, some I've bought. I throw them in with the regular laundry, so it's no extra work. In the last few years I've dramatically cut down on the paper towels I use too. I have lots of wash cloths and use those to sop up messes and then toss them in the wash. With many, you can toss them as often as you'd toss paper -- just into the wash instead of the trash. I'm not so good with the laundry line. There are some things I'd prefer to dry in the dryer. I put about half on the clothes line and run the dryer about one load per two washer loads, so i feel OK about that.
Being back in the US I'm having a hard time with the limited recycling (we were used to is being so much more ubiquitous in Germany) and the mass amounts of paper and styrofoam. Last week I went to a pot luck and everyone ate off paper. In Germany, either the facility (school, community center, club, etc.) would have had their own set of dishes to use, or individuals are asked to bring their own place setting. It's a little extra clean up work, but so worth it. :-)
Just last week, I bought 3 yards of of 5 different woven fabrics. 2 yards of each became simple table cloths, and the other yard was made into napkins. Just sew a straight seam 5/8 inch around the square, and then fray out the ends. They look and work great. (I also bought 2 yards of 3 other fun fabrics to do exclusively napkins).
There's not much sewing mom can do anymore, but she did the tablecloth hems and the sewing around the edge of the napkins. I know I'm going to cherish these decades later because mom made them.
Also, Deborah, if you send some flannel, mom will make you "Granny Wipes" to use instead of paper towels (again, imperfect--but it gives her something to do, and gives you something useful.)
Doesn't it just break your heart to think about what type of world we are leaving for our kids? I just hate to think about it. I'll try too to think of eco-friendly ways to change our lifestyles. Thanks for posting this post! Robin
Hungry Racoons?
Post a Comment