I’m a long-time recycler and an avid composter. Even before our city introduced a green bin program, Dan and I had one in our backyard.
Over the winter though, we got lazy. It’s easier to just toss everything out in the trash than to cart it out to the green bin or the blue box. Not surprisingly though, the amount of garbage being hauled out to the curb was ever increasing. Our two bags/week turned into 4 or even 5 on the worst weeks.
So in early summer, Dan and I decided t try something novel: to actually use the bins as they were meant to be used and not just when we felt like it or when it was easy. And the timing couldn’t be better. Rumour has it that they are changing to bi-monthly garbage collection in our area this fall. 😐
THE GOOD:
Our little experiment has shown us just how much we can save from going in the landfill by recycling what we can, and composing almost everything. It’s actually kind of ridiculous what you are allowed to out in the green bin…cat litter, bacon grease, floor sweepings, wooden popsicle sticks, cardboard, feathers and pet hair…. And thanks to all that, and more, our 4 bags have gone down to 2/week. And that includes diapers.
THE BAD:
It does take extra time. It is easier to pop everything in the garbage.
THE UGLY:
The ugly is oh, so ugly. The use of these green bins has quadrupled x 1000 the number of flies hanging around. Some days I feel as though all of them have congregated in my kitchen. The buzzing drives me right around the bend. It sounds exactly like a scene in the movie when they are about to discover the dead body…
But it’s not just the flies. It’s the maggots. *gag* and the freaking HUGE spiders that are only too happy to set up shop to catch the flies and maggots. *gag*
Oh, and the smell. On garbage day with all the green bins open at curb-side, you basically have to hold your breath as you sprint to the car or you may actually gag.
So there you have it. The good definitely outweighs the bad and the ugly, in our house anyway. And in a few months the insects will be gone again until spring, so what’s grossest about the green bins (to me) fades away in the colder months.
At least there’s that to look forward to as summer starts draws to a close. And that may be the only thing… 🙁
