I've always been a person who leans to the side of being conscious about the environment. I mean, I don't want to actively try to ruin the planet for my future bloodline.  But it can be hard to figure out what you can do, and you can get easily overwhelmed.  So, I think it's a good idea that the City is doing this new recycling/trash collection system.

Now, one thing you ought to know that we didn't know until we called - they don't want you to put your recyclables in a plastic bag.  They will just have to break it open at the recycling plant, and that's more plastic wasted.  Kind of defeats the purpose.  So put your egg cartons, paper and stuff like that just in a regular can and dump it in the blue one.

Husbando and I don't think it'll be that hard, we already have two 13 gallon trash cans in our house.  We'll just have to train ourselves to put our recyclables in one, and our trash in the other.   It'll be a little bit of a challenge, but nothing we can't handle. After all, we've got a little time to "practice" since the actual new collection doesn't start til November. And, I think it'll be better for our neighborhood trash.  Possums and stray cats get in the trash all the time, and having these closed lids will help cut down on that.

I'm not looking forward to trying to remember to bring the cans down to the front of my house, though.  We've been putting our trash in the same spot for years! I guess if that's the worst of my complaints, I should be happy.

Anyway, to help you out a little, here's the list of what you can and can't put in the new cans when collection starts November 6.

Accepted Materials for Recycling

  • Phone books
  • Paper egg cartons
  • Opened mail and greeting cards
  • File folders
  • White or pastel office paper
  • Blueprints
  • Magazines, brochures and catalogs
  • Paperboard boxes
  • Paperback books
  • Newspapers
  • Pizza boxes
  • Corrugated cardboard
  • Paper bags
  • Paper milk/juice cartons (no foil pouches, do not flatten)
  • Clean balled aluminum foil (2" or larger) and pie pans
  • Empty aerosol cans (no caps)
  • Cans (do not crush or flatten)
  • #1-7 plastic tubs, screw top jars, bottles and jugs
    (no lids, no #7 PLA compostables do not flatten!)
  • Loose metal jar lids and steel bottle caps

Items NOT Accepted for Recycling

  • Thin plastic bags such as those used at grocery stores and big box retailers
  • Windows, window glass
  • Glass, drinking glasses, mirrors
  • Ceramics, plates, vases
  • Pyrex
  • Scrap metal
  • Light bulbs, fluorescent tubes
  • Tyvek Envelopes
  • Plastic microwave trays
  • Frozen food, ice cream or frozen juice containers
  • Medical waste, needles or syringes
  • Hazardous or bio-hazardous waste
  • Tissues, paper towels, napkins

What do you think?  Have you gotten your cans yet?  Will you try to recycle?

Canningly yours,

Behka

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