Back To Basics: Your Trash Can

With everything from climate change to the new energy bill at the forefront of the environmental sector, we can sometimes forget about the little things that make a difference.

For example, leaky faucets can drip at a rate of one drip per second. That can waste more than 3,000 gallons of water each year. The simple act of fixing a leak, or even just turning off water while brushing your teeth, can have a huge impact.

Since the little things can often get lost, we decided to return to our roots and get back to the building-blocks of sustainability. And what better to start with than the one item we all have…trash! So, let’s get down to the nitty gritty facts about your trash can and reducing your home’s waste.

Although many U.S. cities maintain an active recycling program, recycling in most is not mandatory, making it an option for residents and businesses. Photo: Amanda Wills, Earth911

Step 1: Think Inside the Bin

Before you pick the color, type and design of your trash can, its best to know what exactly you’re going to put in it.

Seem simple? Well, it used to be. But with expanding curbside programs and more reuse ideas, what you used to throw out may actually belong in another bin. Take stock of your waste and re-assess what you really need to toss out.

Time For a Trash Audit

While it isn’t the most pleasant job, a trash audit is a necessary step to really grasp what you’re throwing out and, in turn, what you can save. The audit itself is simple, just follow these easy steps:

1. Pick a time period – A week is a good place to start.
2. Get everyone on board – If they live in your house and they make trash, they are involved, so catch ‘em up to speed.
3. Throw stuff away – Go about your normal routine, and toss out what you usually do. It is important that to be honest with yourself and not try to be on your “best behavior.” Remember, you’re trying to get an accurate measurement of your waste output.
4. Weigh in – Each time you take a trash bag out of the house, plop it on the scale. This way you can have a baseline for comparison. Though you will visually be able to see your trash dwindle, the satisfaction of cold, hard facts is the icing on the cake.
5. Put on some gloves – Check daily to see what you threw away that could have been recycled, composted, reused or avoided. This part is the eeewwww moment. But, by doing it daily, it wont be as bad. Don’t be deterred by what you find. Remember your mission. You can do it!
6. Get graphical – Write down your findings, and use them to make a plan. What can you recycle that you’re currently tossing in the trash? What can be composted? What can be reused and, in turn, what didn’t need to be there in the first place?

Step 2: Research What To Do Outside

According to the U.S. EPA, every American throws away an average of 1.3 pounds of food scraps daily. This means, the first thing you can do to really lighten that load is start a compost or vermicompost (composting with worms ) pile.

Starting a compost project is easier than you think. From your kitchen, to your backyard, to a worm bin, composting can make a huge dent in your waste and produce a rich product you can use to help maintain your yard, give to friends or even sell at the local farmers’ market or garden center.

In addition to composting, the simple act of reuse can have a huge impact on your waste production. Basically, reuse means finding a second (third, tenth or hundredth) use for a product to prolong its usable life. Even more importantly, reuse can be a lot of fun. Check out ways to reuse your:

• Jeans
• Plastics
• Costumes
• T-shirts

What’s Just Outside Your Door

The American Forest and Paper Association (AF&PA) states that 87 percent of the U.S. population, or 268 million people, have access to curbside or drop-off recycling programs. This means that many materials can be recycled and programs are, for the most part, accessible.

1. Check with your local government for a list of materials you can put in your curbside bin.
2. For everything that can’t be put in your curbside bin, check Earth911’s recycling directory for drop-off locations near you.
3. Use mail-back and store drop-off programs. This option is great for electronics and automotive waste. Most auto parts stores and mechanics will take used motor oil and old tires. Many electronics can be mailed to manufactures or traded for money. Drop-off programs, such as Best Buy’s and the EPA’s eCycling Progam, make electronic recycling accessible for consumers.
4. Trade-in programs can often be an option when you are purchasing new items from that same company. By planning ahead while purchasing your newest gadget, you can build in the cost of proper disposal right from the get-go, saving you money and time in the long run.

Products carrying the term "biodegradable" are only compostable in a commercial composting system. Photo: Amanda Wills, Earth911.com

Step 3: Choose Wisely

Now that you’ve figured out how much you throw away and recycle and researched composting options, you know what size container you need and how your waste should be organized. Since knowing is half the battle, you’re, well, half-way done. The next steps are easy…

It’s All About the Hardware

• Think outside the can – With some new designs available, you gain flexibility in reusing plastic bags from your shopping trips. This design, from DCI, reuses wood and clothes pins for your trash needs. Use this concept for inspiration and make your own collection unit.
• Keep your trash in… the trash – Buying recycled trash bags is a simple switch to make and helps close the loop in the recycling process.
• Clean it up – Undiluted distilled white vinegar kills 99 percent of bacteria, 82 percent of mold and 80 percent of germs. Who knew? So don’t purchase harsh chemicals to clean those cans when a simple cooking staple can do the trick. If the smell bothers you, add some essential oils or keep the area well-ventilated until it dries. Another natural option is tea tree oil. This leaf contains terpenoids, which have antiseptic and antifungal properties.

Hindsight is 20/20

Before you even make the purchase, think about what the end results are. Now that you know what you can recycle, reuse and reduce, take this mindset with you on your next shopping trip and buy products with the same qualities.

• Recycled-content products are made from materials that would otherwise have been discarded. That means these products are made totally or partially from recycled material, such as aluminum cans or newspaper.
• Post-consumer content is a material that has served its intended use and is being reused in a different product. “Post-consumer” also indicates that the material is not from the manufacturing process but from a finished product that has already been used.
• Recyclable products can be collected and remanufactured into new products after they’ve been used. These products do not necessarily contain recycled materials and only benefit the environment if people recycle them after use.