I have a problem.
I have always operated a compost heap. It’s a great way to get rid of all the leftover bits when you do anything with fruit and vegetables. Well now, the city has given me a nice big green bin that will take all the stuff I normally put in my own composter PLUS all the bits you're NOT supposed to because it will attract raccoons and other critters.
Today was our collection day. I only got my green cart last week, but was able to have it almost three quarters full by garbage day. And it is not even the start of the fresh fruit and vegy season! I also had my little green bin, to take stuff to the big green bin, full. That went to my home composter.
This is good. Or is it? What do I do with all the excess plastic left over from my green garbage bag because I had didn't even have enough to fill it? And, hello, I can now put things like greasy pizza boxes, paper bags, facial tissues, freezer paper, microwave popcorn bags, paper napkins, plates and cups, paper towels and waxed paper in my green bin. That is going to cut down on my paper supply for the blue box people. (Are they related to the Blue Man Group?). You can line your bin with a paper bag (hard to come by) or newspapers (have lots). Luckily, the blue box and the green bin are collected by the same people so they should be okay about things.
But I can also now put dryer lint, feathers, (do I have to buy some if I don't have any?), dog hair (have a dog, so I'm okay there), sugar and donuts and flour and meat, all in my green bin. What will the garbage people think when I have less and less for them and more and more for the green bin? Will they maybe stop picking up my garbage all together? I mean I have recycled for a long time, but I have always had a little something to offer them. Am I going to be putting them out of work? I know recycling is a good thing, but will the garbage guys union be angry at me because I don't have my one bag that I am allowed each week? I wouldn't want a picket line in front of my house
Oh, and do I feed my own composter and starve the city's? What will the neighbours think if I don't put out a full green bin? How do I keep my own composter going?
When I go grocery shopping, do I have to remember that I want freezer paper, not Styrofoam for my meat products so that I can recycle them to the green bin? Make sure to get corn with the husks on and carrots with the tops and bananas with the peel (okay that’s stretching it). All good for my green bin! Insist that my grocery store offer me the paper or plastic choice again, because right now I don’t have it and I need the paper bag to line my bin? (Although I can go to one of a number of stores to BUY the bags, but that will use up gas and pollute the air). Should I make sure that I always get my shellfish IN the shell, and my meat ON or at least WITH the bone, my fish with bones and my walnuts WITH shells?
Seems like a hell of a way to go on a diet when you think about it, though. Come home from the grocery store and start putting things away. Shouldn't have bought the bacon. Too much fat and cholesterol. Into the bin!
Did you really need those cookies and that box of donuts? Into the bin!
And, really, jam and mayonnaise, butter instead of margarine, hell as well as margarine. INTO the bin!!!
What about the candy bar? The peanut butter? INTO THE BIN!!
Soon it will become a disorder like compostia continiuum. But that too is good, because then I’ll have to have a newsletter (paper for the bin). And of course we’ll have a meeting each week where I’ll have to serve something. (corn ON the cob, (cobs for the bin) cookies on paper plates, (plates to the bin and uneaten cookies as well), Popsicles (sticks for the bin), coffee, (grounds and filters for the bin).
Oh the possibilities!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Maybe I am getting a little carried away, but it’s MY blog.
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