Comments on: Waste Hierarchy: Who’s on Top in the Game of Trash?

By: Oliver Fesel

Oliver Fesel — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 11:50:25 +0000

Great contributions and opinions.

By: Reuse the plastic!!! « the Opposite of Disappearing

Reuse the plastic!!! « the Opposite of Disappearing — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 19:15:03 +0000

[...] many people know, reuse is a step up from recycling. In fact, reuse is the middle-man between reduce and recycle, and some would be [...]

By: nannymule

nannymule — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 23:51:40 +0000

I sure wish someone or someones could start a list of ideas on how to reuse. I have been an avid recycler since mid 1970′s. I take my useable stuff to Goodwill and reuse as much as I can. But there seems to be a dearth of ideas of how and what one can reuse. A lot of suggestions on other websites are either silly or only useable for once, not when one has resusable stuff on a repetitious basis. Sure wish there were creative people who could make creative lists of reuseable stuff.

By: Nicole

Nicole — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 12:49:41 +0000

I would like to open a store that has a variety of shampoos and other products that could be available in bulk(by the barrel, etc.) where you can bring in your containers and by products by the OZ. Or LB. I find reducing to be my biggest hold up personally. I also wish that standing in a store and un packaging my products right there was an option. Why couldn’t some packaging be returned to companies for reuse?

By: CJ

CJ — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 21:01:04 +0000

I work as a municipality’s Recycling Coordinator. I have a tiny budget of 50 cents per capita. With that 50 cents and being only one person, I admit, my message has to be kept simple and easily digestable. Right now, and for the next 5 years, I see my message focusing on “recycle, recycle, recycle.” Our “success” is currently measured in terms of weight of recyclables. Meaning we are successful when more tons of recyclables are collected this year over last.

Eventually, we hope to see this our increase in weight of recyclables taper off and remain stagnant. At that point we’ll see that people have understood and comply with the recycle message. Our success will then be measured by a reduction in total trash and recyclable weight set out. In other words,we want to see residents disposing (whether trash, green waste, or recycalbes) of less material each succesive year. This is when we’ll focus on the reduce reduce reduce (and reuse and rebuy) message.

We, due to lack of funding and warm bodies, must embody the KISS (keep it simple, stupid) mentality – hence my single message of recycle, recycle, recycle. If there was some way to get some additional funding and to get some warm bodies (even volunteers are hard to come by these days) in here to help me – gosh, we could do more, but you must realize, your government is funded by YOU. So, in the end, if you leave it up to the government, you will have a big expensive government, is that what you want? Do you want your government to be the driver? Its up to each and everyone of you and who you elect to be your representatives.

By: Recycle Raccoon

Recycle Raccoon — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 20:26:29 +0000

My favorite ways to reduce trash include reusable lunch boxes/tupperware, cloth bags, and buying in bulk.
My favorite reuse ideas include Habitat’s HomeStore and using old t-shirts for rags.
I’m so glad you tackled the waste hierarchy issue because for every 1 garbage can we fill on our curb, 70 trash cans have been filled at a factory to make the stuff we toss. For more info on the 5 R’s (reduce, reuse, recycle, rot, & rebuy), you can check out my blog http://recycleraccoon.wordpress.com/the-5-rs/.

By: sherry roskam

sherry roskam — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 19:31:09 +0000

I moved to this Sr Living complex (60 units) 2/1/2 years ago. All units are 1 bedroom, over 62 years only.

About a year ago, I was able to push through the idea of recycling with bins on each floor, large receptacles in the basement area. We have a cooperative maintenance guy who is terrific but management had to agree. We started with plastic, aluminum and tin. Recently we have added paper (which was a huge concern). Next we work on glass.

I do not understand why any apt. complex with a “green” bone in it’s body couldn’t do the same. They pay for the trash hauling and this makes less pickups. Besides, it’s the right thing to do! Coming here from a house forces you to give away LOTS of things and be even more simple in your lifestyle. I love the resale shops and buy most of my clothes there (I still work as a professional counselor.)

By: To recycle pizza boxes « Vision

To recycle pizza boxes « Vision — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 23:32:36 +0000

[...] Waste Hierarchy: Who’s on Top in the Game of Trash? Earth911 [...]

By: eric wood

eric wood — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 17:30:50 +0000

In my blog, http://www.goinggreenaccidently.blogspot.com, I talk a lot about the three “Rs” of responsible living, reduce, reuse and recycle. While recycling gets the lion’s share of air time, I try to focus on reusing as well. I use old glass or plastic bottles as my “sharps” container for my diabetes blood testing lances, old plastic Chinese take-out boxes as lunch boxes and an old brief case as an artsy magazine “rack” for my library.

I sympathize with the person living in an apartment complex and the difficulty of recycling there. I’m fortunate in the community I live, my complex can actually participate in the curbside recycling program. Of course, this site is an amazing tool to find where I can take my other recyclables.

http://www.goinggreenaccidently.blogspot.com

By: Laura

Laura — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 16:03:35 +0000

I understand many people have limited space and feel overwhelmed by keeping recyclable trash in their home. This means everytime one goes out, they take their recyclables with them. If you ride a bike, take just the small amount you can tote with you everyday. Make a point of taking routes that go by recycle drop offs. My husband and I, to encourage others to recycle, have started picking up our neighbors’, family’s and friends’ recycling and dropping it at recycling centers. Not everyone is willing to put in the small amount of work necessary to recycle, but that is when the good neighbor needs to pitch in. Afterall, we all suffer the consequences.