 We all live with garbage around us. Some live on it or in it. The word garbage in this sense is broad. What I'm calling garbage could be a glass bottle or a Styrofoam cooler. How is this garbage put to rest? Landfills are where I reckon it mostly goes, but the thrifty will find other uses. One could make cardboard mansions, Styrofoam boats, ground up flip flop playground mats, or cigarette butt mattress stuffing. You'll find that most trash isn't really trash at all. Please visit this site again, for marinsgarbageman.org has just launched. You can help shape the content of the site by sending suggestions or information regarding waste management. Soon this site will have tips on refuse collection and facts about garbage that show how beneficial it is that waste be put in it's proper place. If you live in Marin please visit marinsanitary.com for a list of places to dispose of your garbage responsibly. Below are some wise tips written for the marinsanitary .com newsletter. “Plastics, my boy! There’s a future in plastics.” Familiar words from our old favorite movies- It’s a wonderful life, The Graduate and others. Very prophetic, but sadly ironic. Plastics never go away, so the future will be plastic, total plastic, unless we change are buying habits now. Here’s how: *By products in bulk. *Avoid buying products wrapped in plastic or individually wrapped. *Select products with minimal packaging. * Know the difference between plastics that can be recycled and those that can’t. * Avoid plastics with the numbers 3 or higher inside the chasing arrow recycle symbol. There is currently NO market for these plastics and they go directly to landfill. * Limit purchases of plastic to bottles with small necks. These are the only plastics for which there is a market. *Reuse your plastic. * Buy products that can be reused, refilled, recharged and then recycled. * Take an active role! Advocate for containers that can truly be recycled to manufacturers, stores, restaurants and local leaders. *Teach your children these lessons. |