Green Building

I found this video on YouTube about a local builder embracing the concept of "green" building.

The Dump

Trash. Everyone has some. Everyone has to get rid of it. I've recently decided to dump my private trash collection service and take my trash to the local transfer station, better know in my town as The Dump. I did this for several reasons:

1. The fees charged by the company doing the curbside trash collection on my street were astronomical.
2. I had heard from friends of mine that the company had been caught throwing the recycling into the trash portion of the trucks.
3. Given my strong recycling habits and all my composting, I had very little trash to put out for collection.

I live in Sudbury, Massachusetts. My town does not have curbside trash collection. Period. End of discussion. Residents are responsible for taking care of their own trash disposal, recycling, leaf and brush removal, etc. One option available to residents is a "Pay-As-You-Throw" system. Residents purchase a sticker for "The Dump", at which you may throw out special, prepurchased bags full of trash. I have recently started using this system. It takes a bit of work, but it's worth the money saved.

In my mind the best thing about "The Dump" is the plethora of recycling and reusing bins/huts. The recycling takes a little bit more work -- separating plastic by number, separating newspaper from other paper, etc., but I KNOW that the recycling is actually recycled. Additionally, there is a special place for flourescant bulbs, a book exchange hut and the much loved, "Put and Take". The "Put and Take" is a great place to bring items for which you no longer have a purpose and to take things left behind by others!

What does your town have to offer in terms of trash disposal, recycling and reuse? Do you trust your curbside trash collection service to actually recycle everything you put out for this purpose? If you have a Pay-As-You-Go system, does this encourage recycling in your household?

Responsible Partying

And I don't mean responsible in the "don't drink and drive" sense. That goes without saying. I mean in the green sense. I attended a great event today and, like most events, parties, etc., there was no recycling.

The use of paper plates and plastic cups is, understandably, a necessity for a huge event. I've done my fair share of entertaining. It's nearly impossible to keep up with dishes for a small event, let alone a large scale event, without the benefit of paid staff. Recycling, on the other hand, requires nothing more than a couple extra trash cans and the desire to make the event a little greener.

So next time you host something, be kind and provide your guests with a recycling option. It's a way to party more responsibly.