Recycling

Little things get me excited sometimes. Like when I took my recycling this week and found that they had cut bigger holes in the dumpster so I could dump everything in all at once. The holes used to be about 6 inches high and I would have to push everything in, one piece at a time. Like I said, little things.

I've been a recycling nerd for years. I would challenge myself to set out only one bag of rubbish for the weekly collections. But to do that you've got to recycle all the things you can.

Trash is a perpetual problem when you live in the country. Our rural area doesn't have a trash collection unless you pay extra for it ($200/yr). And about half the year there's a burn ban in effect which prevents burning any trash on our property. So for the past year, I've been taking my rubbish and recycling to the nearest place I could find - which is about 10 miles away. This place takes most things for recycling, except glass. The recycling dumpster is huge and you can mix everything. And you can dump your trash for $1 a bag. The trash bag can be any size, too. So I make a trip over there every couple of weeks or whenever the recycling piles up.

This is the only sign you see down this little side road.

The entrance has a little sign with the hours. The recycling is on the left. The trash is on the right.

The recycling dumpster has three slots.

I was thrilled when I slid the door open and found the bigger opening for recycling.

It's pretty crude metal cutting, but it works just fine.

I use an odd collection of plastic tubs and old laundry baskets to carry my recycling.

I drive up the hill to the two trash dumpsters.

I had two bags of trash for two weeks. 2 bags cost $2 to dump.