I'm back on the wagon

While I haven't been doing exceptionally well on keeping my waste down as much as I hoped, it has been on my mind lately. Sometimes I feel so inadequate compared to EnviroWoman's journey against plastic :( :)

Some recent events to report ...

My Braun hand mixture just died ... it's tough making my banana, frozen berry and protein shake without it, but it still tastes the same lumpy. So, the next step is to contact Braun to see if they have a method of recycling it. I don't have much hope, but at least my question will let them know that disposal of their products (and short lifetime) is an issue for people.

Another step to take is to talk to the bakery department at IGA. All those yummy looking cookies, cinamon buns, pies just calling out to me. But they're packaged in non-recyclable plastics!! :( Why? I guess it's time to do some baking of my own!

I was about the throw out my garbage today for the first time in 07, but I figured that I should follow EnviroWoman's example and take a picture of it. Although I'll be extremely embarrased and ashamed at the collection of snack bags, I hope that it will be insentive to avoid such things for the next 3 months. Photo to come shortly ...

One of my [plastic] bags for bulk foods sprung a leak on Saturday as I loaded it with organic spelt flour. I had to use another one to enclose it, but now I've learned my lesson. Check for holes before I leave home and always carry extra. But I must admit that I was prepared with my own twist-ties - reused from the past. Just cross out the old bin# and add the new one.

At EPIC, I made a conscous decision that it was OK to buy three bags of fair trade dried tropical fruit, despite the thick plastic. What Level Ground Trading is doing for workers in Columbia is so wonderful, I couldn't resist - and it's people in Victoria doing it!

I wonder if I get credit for reducing someone else's waste? When I was out on my bike yesterday searching for fallen organic material to add to my compost, I intercepted a big bag of grass clippings headed for the garbage! The gardeners seemed confused that I wanted it, but I'm the one that's confused ... why don't professional gardeners compost!!?

One other good deed I did today was to flatten down the cardboard boxes that fellow condo residents put into the paper recycling cart. Six boxes took up the whole cart - What about the other 37 residents buddy!! I think I have another mission ... to guide my neighbours to the ways of proper recycling etiquette!! Does anybody else have this problem with their neighbours?