Reducing our Trash OUTPUT at the Back End...

There are so many ways we can reduce what we throw away by the old familiar watchwords: Reuse, reduce, recycle! You'll notice that there are many overlaps in these 3 categories; also some analogs in this post to the previous one, since some of what we do to reduce input (making gifts rather than buying them for example) simultaneously reduces output (no packaging from the gifts or shopping bags).

Reuse: Do you need to throw away those old t-shirts and socks? Can the t-shirts become rags? Can the socks transform into hand puppets, with buttons for eyes and a few fun odds and ends?

What about the cardboard boxes you just broke down? Some folks use them on their gardens to smother a weed crop before planting veggies...

If you want to reuse those plastic bags, you can use string to make a few "bag-clotheslines" and hang washed bags with clothespins until they dry. We have 4 of those elasticized tube bags (where you put bags in on top and pull them out the bottom) on the back of a door - one for handled bags, one for clear veggie bags, one for small baggie size, and one for miscellaneous. Ziplocks are easily kept in a used tissue box under the sink: large ones folded in half and small ones in a large one to find sizes easily.

Fancy or pretty bags can be kept to use as gift bags.

Reduce:   If you train everyone in your household to "think before you throw," much of your "trash" may be avoided. Rob Gogan, one of our February 11th speakers, shared that 2/3 of our trash is actually recycleable: 27% paper, 16% plastic, 6% metal and 17% organic matter... which leads to our next idea:

Start a compost pile! (Kevin Sweet's Dept. of Health office sells plastic composters for below cost!)  If you don't know how to compost, add questions at the end of this post and one of our resident experts will help you - and others. Every question one person asks helps others who also want to know; another form of recycling.  ;-]


Recycle: The Household Goods Recycling of Mass. in Acton (hgrm.org) collects furniture, some mattresses, books, appliances, kitchen stuff and many other household goods for those in need. Big Brother/Big Sister and other charitable organizations make giving even easier by sending you a postcard to register for home pick-up. Other electronics, as well as paints and toxic cleaners, can be saved for Maynard's Hazardous Waste Day, usually in June. (However, disposing of toxins costs the Town a lot of money, so any paint you can swap or give to a friend helps our town budget.)

Check your recycling schedule and associated DPW flyer for tires, appliances, TV's and other things that can be brought to the DPW Barn on specific Saturdays; check the town website for dates.

 Torn plastic bags and some plastic packaging can be recycled in the grocery store.

NOW:  it's your turn! What ideas do you have about how to reduce trash, at the front and/or the back end? What do you throw away most frequently? What fills up most of your trash? And do you have any sources for bulk tofu or tempeh, as wrappers from these fill up my trash most frequently?!

Let's work collaboratively to reduce all of our trash!

Sherry, for MaynardCAN & Transition Maynard