Day Two: Why Am I Doing This?

Trash Tally

First things first, here's the waste that we've created in the last 24 hours (the tub 'o litter is nearly full now after just two days):

For an explanation of the categories, check yesterday's blog!

Why Am I Doing This?

Here's a little more background for why I'm doing this (tallying my household trash, making it public, writing a blog, etc.):

• It's important. For anyone who knows me, I obviously care about the environment and try to 'do my part' to minimize my impact or even help in some way. Bringing some attention to the end of our consumption chain is becoming a significant issue for me. Landfill space won't last forever. But plastic might. We've got to do better, on this issue and others.

When it really comes down to it, who doesn't want to help wildlife or the environment in some way?

• I wanted to raise my own awareness. In doing this project, I've labeled the various tubs around the house for our daily tally. Mike pointed out that simply having 'LANDFILL' written on our regular garbage sort of stops him in his tracks - to really consider this stuff we're tossing out and that it doesn't just disappear. Because of this project, I know now that my trash is driven 140 miles east from Portland to a landfill site in Arlington, Oregon (which also takes a lot of Seattle's trash). Do you know where yours goes?

No, this is not our set up at home but I have seen this kind of labeling more often around town.

• Because I can. Living in the U.S., and especially in Portland, there are a lot of options for waste disposal and I plan to use them. I have a roof over my head, food to eat, and clean water coming out of my tap. The least I can do is try to be responsible about my waste. When visiting other parts of the world (usually poorer countries), I have often been saddened and discouraged by all the waste just lying around (think: plastic bottles and bags all over Central America). Where I live, I have a truck that picks up all my stuff, even sorts it for me, and carts it away where I never have to see it again. Nearly for free. I have no excuse not to take the effort to minimize my impact and get my waste to the right places.

On a beautiful beach in Nicaragua, just littered with plastic and Styrofoam, stood this rusty waste basket with a message that roughly translates to: We need to change ourselves and not the ocean.

Okay, now I really will get some tips and tricks in tomorrow's blog. But hey, I kept my promise and didn't post any cat-in-litter-box photos today. The kitties must be slacking...   :)