To anyone who thinks that the recycling efforts are a bit overwhelming and is contemplating quitting the living green lifestyle, my suggestion is to take a walk around your neighborhood on trash day. Take a look at the contents of your neighborhood’s recycling bin (Just a look. Don’t go poking around in your neighborhood’s trash).
If I don’t walk the other 6 days of the week, I make sure to take a walk around the neighborhood on trash day to reinforce the need to think and live green.
If your neighborhood is anything like mine (and I’m guessing it is), the two major items you’ll find in your neighborhood recycle bins are:
- Water bottles. Lots and lots of disposable water bottles. The good thing is that we are getting healthier by drinking our share of water, but the bad thing is we’re throwing away countless numbers of plastic water bottles.
- Liquid laundry detergent containers and liquid laundry softener containers. Our clothes are cleaner, whiter, brighter, softer and smell great, but our landfills are getting fuller and fuller with the plastic from the detergent and softener bottles. I read that only 9.5% of the plastic we used is recycled. Here’s some info that bursts a few of the plastic recycling myths.
When I finish my walk I always wonder if my neighborhood is any different from all of the other neighborhoods around the country…probably not.
If we set our minds on buying reusable water bottles and making our own laundry detergent, we can make an impact
on our non-reusable waste.
Buying reusable water containers is pretty easy to do. If you don’t have a water treatment filter on your home, or in your apartment, there are portable ones like the Brita filter where you can use tap water rather than store-bought water.
As far as the laundry detergent goes, it’s really easy and economical to make your own (see my earlier posts on homemade laundry detergent) and I’ve found that adding about 2/3 cups of baking soda to my wash helps my clothes to come out softer.
I haven’t quite given up totally on softener, but I do dilute it 2/3 part water to 1/3 part softener. I admit I’m hooked on the way softener makes my clothes smell.
Take a walk around your neighborhood on trash day to motivate yourself to continue your greening efforts.
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