We are a large family, theres 7 of us, We have already been trying to minimize our environmental
impact on the world, we recycle, reuse, and reduce as much as possible, we have more blue boxes at the end of our driveway than any other house in our small town. Its discouraging when we see a family of 4 or even just a couple that put out 3 big bags of garbage and 1 recycling box on garbage day. We a family of 7 manage to only have 1 bag of garbage, we incur alot more waste and packaging and garbage all together but continually only have 1 bag of garbage per week..
We recently decided to try to reduce out stamp even more, we are challenging ourselves to a 3 month zero garbage challenge. Its going to be difficult, but I know we can do it.
but we will need some help and guidance. so any and all will be appreciated.
We are looking for products that will make this venture easier and greener..
our start date will be march 1st.
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You have taken on a really big challenge .It will be interesting to hear all about your endever. Im sure the kids will have great ideas on how to achieve your goals. Cant wait to see how things go.
ReplyDeletejust found this, how to make writing paper from junkmail!! We will give it a shot, we receive tons of junk mail...
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just found this. more useful tips!!
ReplyDeleteSchool Lunches, zero garbage..
Brown Bagging a lunch which produces little or no garbage.
It wasn’t very long ago that we used to pack 5 conventional "brown bag" lunches every day. Then one day I decided it was time to cut down on the amount of garbage my household was producing. So I started to do some figuring. I was sending out 25 drinking boxes a week in lunches. In a school year that totalled about 1000 tetra-paks. I used to think that these little boxes were the greatest invention - so convenient, easy and perfect for lunches. Unfortunately, they cannot be reused or recycled because they are made from three layers of materials: an outer layer of plastic, a middle layer of cardboard and an inner of aluminum foil. So I went out and purchased Tupperware cups with lids.
The next thing to tackle was the sandwiches. Being a mathematical type of person, I again began to do some figuring. I found out that in one year my family of five had gone through 600 metres of plastic wrap. That’s enough to wrap around my house 10 times! I decided it was no more necessary to wrap my sandwiches in all that plastic wrap than it was to wrap my house in it. I went out and bought plastic sandwich boxes with lids. And do you know, the 60 metre box of plastic wrap I bought a year ago is still not empty.
That took care of the sandwiches and drink, so how about the desserts and snacks? I find the small, clear plastic milk bags useful for a number of things. I cut the tops off and wash them out, then use them to wrap up cookies, muffins and vegetable sticks. Puddings, yoghurt and salads I make or buy in bulk and I reuse small yoghurt containers to send in lunches.
I couldn’t send my zero-garbage lunch to school in a disposable bag. could I? The solution: a reusable, washable lunch bag similar in size and appearance to the conventional cloth bag. Since these bags are difficult to find in stores and quite easy to sew up,
Hey Dave, what a great challenge! I have some information for you that you might find interesting and/or useful.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure if you are already aware of this, but it is something we do or Sheannah does when she wants to buy something (and she knows we don't have the funds to give her an allowance)... beer cans and bottles and liquor bottles are worth cash!
Glass or plastic (PET) containers, Tetra Pak, Bag-in-box less than or equal to 630 mL (beer bottles, plastic liquor bottles...): $0.10
Glass or plastic (PET) containers, Tetra Pak, Bag-in-box greater than 630 mL (liquor bottles): $0.20
Aluminum and steel cans over 1 L: $0.20
Aluminum and steel cans under 1 L (regular beer cans): $0.10
Here is a link: http://www.pir.gov.on.ca/English/assets/drp-faq.htm
We've made over $35 in one run. We will go to parks and check the garbages, bushes, and paths. On recycling nights, we'll hit a few housing complexes or do a few blocks.
Have you heard of Freeganism?
http://activism.ca/wiki/Freeganism
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freeganism
http://www.greenlivingonline.com/article/could-you-be-freegan
http://www.idealist.org/if/i/en/av/Org/141576-83
http://www.stumbleupon.com/url/freegan.info/
http://citizen.nfb.ca/node/7702&dossier_nid=1141#
A good going green guide from the Green Living site above:
http://www.greenlivingonline.com/guide/Toronto
Let me know what you think. There is some pretty eye-opening stuff there.
Maybe we'll join you in your challenge. Feel like some company?
Leslie G.
Thanx Leslie, great info, always room for company..!
ReplyDeletefound another link for our food scraps
http://www.deq.louisiana.gov/portal/default.aspx?tabid=2101
I just ordered 1 pound of red compost worms, we are going to Vermicompost, check out the link
ReplyDeletehttp://rayandgerries.myshopify.com/pages/about-us
now just have to get the worm tub organized, Dax is excited about it, the others arent yet.
This will take care of the food scraps, we have a dog so meat scraps are taken care of as well..
not only will we be reducing waste, the worms are creating high quality potting soil, worm castings are bib bucks!
ReplyDeleteWhere do you get these worms and where do you keep them?
ReplyDeletejust google composting worms ontario canada, i got them from "The Worm Factory" and they are in a rubbermaid bin in the house!
ReplyDelete