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I am assuming you mean recycling started in your area in the late 80's since I started recycling in the early 70's. No pick up but it was only a mile to the drop off.
I used to get 5 newspapers a day and 20 magazines a month. Over the years I cut that to 0.
I wish something could be done about junk mail. I only get 3 or 4 pieces of real mail a week. I go paperless whenever possible.
Still too many boxes much bigger than necessary. Amazon is a big offender.
Early 70's? That is great. I guess if you count taking back bottles, we did that, but you're right, there wasn't anything else set up yet for the public to recycle.
Amazon is terrible about shipping things in huge boxes. My company ships a lot and I have a rule, no air space in the box or package, use the smallest box that will work.
When we opened our new store, instead of buying new fixtures and furniture, we purchased most items from a closing Radio Shack and GE office. Frugal and green.
Not much new that we haven't always done. Take the recycling on Saturday because the town has no pick up. Bought a new kitchen recycling bin for the vegetable peelings. Always tear leftover computer paper in half to use as scrap paper. Bought another drying rack so we don't have to use the dryer. I heartily agree that junk mail should cease and desist. It's a weekly mess that just goes into recycling.
Took my dead microwave to a county-sponsored recycling collection yesterday, and replaced the microwave with a used oven procured from Freecycle.
There are so many Freecycle groups, freebie Facebook groups etc. that are a great resource for recycling and reusing. Aside from the microwave, I've found a food processor, furniture, cat food (the most important!), house plants, light bulbs, vacuum cleaner, toiletries - all things no one could use any longer. And I've given away pots and pans and kitchen utensils, dinnerware, toiletries, holiday decorations, clothing, DVDs and VHS tapes (people with kids love them!), bedding, curtains, etc. etc.
Facebook yard sale groups are a great way to make a little money, too. You sell stuff piecemeal instead of all at once as in a yard sale, but you also don't have to invest a lot of time in prepping the stuff for sale.
Freecycle is great. Craigslist can also be a good resource. We bought several interior doors that a contractor was nearly giving away and we built work tables out of them.
I am assuming you mean recycling started in your area in the late 80's since I started recycling in the early 70's. No pick up but it was only a mile to the drop off.
I used to get 5 newspapers a day and 20 magazines a month. Over the years I cut that to 0.
I wish something could be done about junk mail. I only get 3 or 4 pieces of real mail a week. I go paperless whenever possible.
Still too many boxes much bigger than necessary. Amazon is a big offender.
I highly recommend texture. It has so many good magazines for $15 a month, and you can create folders to save the articles in for future reference.
Don't own a car, take the bus, walk, & bike, eat organic and vegan, use my Publix bags for the trash bags, buy only second hand clothes and computers, etc. I never even thought if this as going green. It was just using common sense.
[quote=LilyLeftTheValley;44861202]Whether...
to pat yourself on the back by publicly proclaiming it;
in the hope of inspiring others;
to share ideas and processes;
and/or remind folks that there are others out there doing their level best...
post how you've lived green lately.
We did the ultimate "green" thing, we bought an energy efficient house. We love it! It's so efficient that my electric bill most of the time is less than $100.00 (many times it's $81.00 or $83.00 and that's running the a/c in the summertime). We have a well and septic so no water bill or sewer bill.
When I walk my dogs I take a few plastic shopping bags with me to pick up all of the aluminum cans, plastic and glass bottles I find. One year I got 200 pounds of aluminum cans which I sell to the recycling plant, it takes me 2 weeks to fill my recycling bin in the winter when I don't go out but when I do get out I fill 2 every week without fail.
I went with a compost bin that I use to place all of the grass/leaves/fruit/veggie scraps instead of in the trash. The compost soil has been great for my basil, tomato plants and other herbs I grow. Another plus is it teaches my son that we can be resourceful with our trash to help out. He has really gotten into it and is always asking if something should go into the trash, recycle or compost bin when he doesn't know.
I wish something could be done about junk mail. I only get 3 or 4 pieces of real mail a week. I go paperless whenever possible.
There is, but it takes patience and persistence: Stop Junk Mail
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Bought a new kitchen recycling bin for the vegetable peelings. Always tear leftover computer paper in half to use as scrap paper. Bought another drying rack so we don't have to use the dryer. I heartily agree that junk mail should cease and desist. It's a weekly mess that just goes into recycling.
