Keep it out of the landfill! Please, donate before resorting to Brush and Bulky.
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Showing posts with label 6 R's. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 6 R's. Show all posts
Sunday, August 18, 2024
Brush and Bulky Directions
Wednesday, August 10, 2022
Where are we supposed to put all this friggen' trash!?
The piles of brush and bulky in our neighborhood got me thinking about where all our trash goes after it is picked up. I have never understood why they pick up the tree branches and other organic materials at the same time as other big junk like broken washing machines, flat tires, and furniture. It all goes into the Los Reales landfill.
The Los Reales landfill takes in 2,300 tons of solid waste daily and the city spends roughly $8 million every year to process waste at the site.
A big portion of our trash that ends up in landfills is food waste. The US EPA estimates that more food reaches landfills and incinerators than any other single material in our everyday trash, constituting 24% of the amount landfilled and 22% of the amount incinerated. When food waste ends up in landfills, it decomposes and releases methane, a greenhouse gas 21 times more potent than CO2.
How can we keep that food waste out of our landfill? In addition to cutting down our food waste, I'd like to see the city offer a separate bin for food scraps so it can be composted for community and neighborhood gardens. I have a "lazy compost pile" myself. And my neighbors' food scraps don't go to the landfill either - because they give them to me!
Is there anything else we can do to cut down on the trash going into the landfill? One of the first solutions people think of is recycling. After all... recycling materials takes less energy than mining materials and producing new products. But all those products we consume contribute to climate change - even before it gets to the landfill. According to Sustainable Tucson's Zero Waste Lead, Kevin Green:
The US EPA published a landmark report in 2009 that found 42% of the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the U.S. are associated with the energy used to produce, process, transport, and dispose of the goods we use and food we eat. This includes the extraction or harvesting of materials and food. The report indicates that 29% of GHGs result from goods produced within the US, while food production contributes 13% of the GHGs.
So consuming less trash in the first place is really the way to go. That's why many people are moving towards a "zero waste" lifestyle where you follow the 6 R's of Sustainability: Rethink/Refuse, Reduce, Reuse/Repair, Repurpose, Recycle, and Rot (compost).
“Zero Waste: The Conservation of all resources by means of responsible production, consumption, reuse, and recovery of all products, packaging, and materials without burning them and with no discharges to land, water, or air that threaten the environment or human health.”
And there are other problems with recycling. For one, you need a buyer for those materials. ReCommunity Recycling Center no longer recycles glass because it doesn't have a buyer. I was shocked to find that they were throwing glass bottles into the landfill because it cost the city 3 million dollars a year to store it. Hearing his constituents' dismay, our Council Member Steve Kozachik championed a project to crush glass to make into cement and sandbags. Now we have glass drop-off sites all over town.
But there were other problems with our recycling program - namely contamination. That means putting gross things in our recycling like dirty takeout containers or even soiled diapers. It was so bad that we nearly lost our recycling program because China would no longer accept our dirty trash! But we haven't totally learned our lesson. We still put things that aren't recyclable in our recycling bin - like Styrofoam and plastic bags. (Plastic bags jam up the recycling machine.) Currently, the city only recycles #1 and #2 plastics.
Since so many of his constituents were frustrated about how much plastic ends up in the landfill, our pragmatic city council member came up with another innovative solution - making plastic blocks out of much of the plastic that can't be recycled, including plastic bags! He is currently conducting a pilot program to demonstrate to the Mayor and Council that the public will support the idea. He's asking his constituents to drop off the plastic that couldn't be recycled at the Ward 6 office. (See the list below.)
I have mixed feelings about this - because of the reasons I mentioned above. If you're already living a zero waste lifestyle, no doubt you will be making few or no trips to the Ward 6 office to drop off your plastic scraps. Keep up the good work. But in the current consumer culture, many of us have found it impossible to be be entirely zero waste. We are doing our best to reduce waste by toting refillable water bottles, recycled glass jars, reusable grocery, bulk and produce bags. But there are still products that we can't get in bulk or plastic free, like mushrooms wrapped in plastic and a lot of organic produce. What the heck?!!! Until our community can make the paradigm shift we need, Steve K's plastic block project is a good start.
I do have one suggestion though. Instead of using EVEN MORE PLASTIC by putting it in the plastic bags Steve provides in his starter kits, please put it in one of the many plastic bags that we can't help getting.
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| This is a cereal bag that I'm putting in a bigger bag we got with a delivery. Don't judge. |
Here's a message from Steve:
Ward 6 Wants Your Non-Recyclable Plastic Trash
From now until the end of the year Council Member Kozachik and the Ward 6 Office are hosting a pilot program in which we are collecting non-recyclable plastics and turning them into construction-grade building blocks. All those plastic materials you cannot place in the blue bin are right now ending up in the landfill. We want them. And we’ve got free plastic bags for you to collect them in before dropping them off at the ward office.
We’ll be handing out free clear plastic bags along with informational material describing the pilot project we’re hosting. Bring us bubble wrap, plastic drink cups, lids and straws, candy bags, single use plastic bags, 6-pack holders, plastic food trays – bring it all. Working with our partners in this program – ByFusion, Tank’s Green Stuff and the City of Tucson Environmental Services – we'll turn that waste into reusable products you’ll soon see in building projects around the city.
The Ward 6 Office is located at 3202 E. 1st Street. Stop by and grab your Starter Kit and join us in being a part of this waste reduction/reuse program. Nobody else in the state of Arizona is doing this, so your involvement is a part of Tucson residents leading the state by example – once again! Thanks to Reyna Preciado from KGUN for stopping by the ward office and covering the story. Here’s a link to her piece.
Councilman Steve Kozachik is collecting rerecyclable plastic - KGUN 9
https://www.kgun9.com/news/local-news/councilman-steve-kozachik-reusing-plastic-for-local-projects
Recently ByFusion was highlighted in national media through CNN (See link below.) You can see their operation in action and hear the background on how this whole idea got started. You’ll see that our pilot is a part of cutting-edge stuff that only a handful of jurisdictions are currently doing. We don’t mind leading by example – and we love it that so many of you are on board.
https://www.cnn.com/2022/08/03/business/byfusion-waste-plastic-blocks/index.html
https://www.cnn.com/videos/business/2022/07/26/recycle-plastic-waste-building-block-byfusion-orig.cnn-business
In the video, you see them building various structures with the blocks. I’ve shared this image before – it's the seat bench we built out in San Gabriel neighborhood. The seat is made from Anita Goodrich’s crushed glass (also spawned in the ward 6 garage) and the blocks are the one’s we’re now collecting plastic for. If you want to see the San Gabriel bench it’s in their pocket park located at Irving and Santa Barbara. When you go by, don’t worry about it looking kind of lonely in that location. We are working with Tucson Clean & Beautiful on a landscape design for the area. Planting is scheduled for this fall.
Here’s the graphic showing what we can use.
"On Sunday, I did a little dumpster diving in our Plastics Only bin – I was removing Styrofoam someone had thrown in. NO STYROFOAM. It is not plastic and constitutes contamination in this process. It belongs in the trash."
MORE INFORMATION
Tucson councilman collecting plastic trash for construction projects
https://tucson.com/news/local/tucson-councilman-collecting-plastic-trash-for-construction-projects/article_67e9c5ea-0c6c-11ed-9807-4f7d1a2869df.html
What you can recycle:
https://www.tucsonaz.gov/es/recycle
Download Recycling Coach
https://www.tucsonaz.gov/es/recycle-coach
Glass drop off sites:
https://www.tucsonaz.gov/es/announcement/glass-reuse-plan
Plastic block program could stick - Arizona Daily Star, 01/08/2023
https://arizonadailystar-az.newsmemory.com/?publink=5917ba4db_134aa00
Thursday, November 29, 2018
Lessons from our Recycling Queen - UPDATED March 2022
Click on What Goes Where, type in item and click on the blues search button.
Here's how this blog and Sustainable Tucson's Zero Waste Committee got started:
Here's how this blog and Sustainable Tucson's Zero Waste Committee got started:
After the city's inaccurately named "Recycling 101" event turned out to be more of a budget meeting than a presentation on how to recycle, Sustainable Tucson hosted our own program, "Recycling and Beyond."
On our invitation, Sherri Ludlam, Environmental Scientist in the Department of Environmental and General Services came to our program and gave us a deep dive into the rules of recycling. Her.topic was "old and new challenges to Tucson's recycling program." One of the new challenges was that China wouldn't be accepting all of our dirty recycling anymore because of the contamination. Contamination is all the trash that doesn't belong in recycling - including plastic bags that jam up the machines. That same contamination is costing the company contracted to do our recycling truck loads of money. Our bad. Tucsonans put everything from dirty diapers to dead cats to Saguaros in our recycling cans. Sherri reminded us that there are actual people who sort through all that yucky trash. So don't throw in anything that you wouldn't want to find in the recycling can.
Of course it is still important to safeguard Tucson's recycling program by following the new rules. Toward that end, I asked Sharia to clarify the recycling rules. I like to think of Sharia as our own "Recycling Queen."
On our invitation, Sherri Ludlam, Environmental Scientist in the Department of Environmental and General Services came to our program and gave us a deep dive into the rules of recycling. Her.topic was "old and new challenges to Tucson's recycling program." One of the new challenges was that China wouldn't be accepting all of our dirty recycling anymore because of the contamination. Contamination is all the trash that doesn't belong in recycling - including plastic bags that jam up the machines. That same contamination is costing the company contracted to do our recycling truck loads of money. Our bad. Tucsonans put everything from dirty diapers to dead cats to Saguaros in our recycling cans. Sherri reminded us that there are actual people who sort through all that yucky trash. So don't throw in anything that you wouldn't want to find in the recycling can.
Present at both meetings was a bold young woman, Sharia Des Jardins, who gamely explained why you can't recycle freezer boxes. (See reason below). Besides doling out much needed explanations for the new recycling rules, Sharia was there to ensure that conversation covered more than just the profit margin for the recycling company. And Sustainable Tucson had it covered. After an enlightening presentation on the 6 R's (Refuse Reduce Reuse Repair Recycle Rot) by Zero Waste Maven Alex Kosmider, we had a lively discussion that led to forming a "Zero Plastic Waste" working team. We are already doing research to repeal the Arizona law prohibiting towns from banning plastic bags. Here is a video of our first meeting.
Since then, Sustainable Tucson's Zero Waste team produced a video called, "No, That Isn't Recyclable" and advocated against single-use plastic bags at the State Legislature. There are exciting new projects happening under committee lead Kevin Greene - including a new Repair Cafe! Find out more and how you can get involved here:
Since then, Sustainable Tucson's Zero Waste team produced a video called, "No, That Isn't Recyclable" and advocated against single-use plastic bags at the State Legislature. There are exciting new projects happening under committee lead Kevin Greene - including a new Repair Cafe! Find out more and how you can get involved here:
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| Possible Zero plastics team project? |
Of course it is still important to safeguard Tucson's recycling program by following the new rules. Toward that end, I asked Sharia to clarify the recycling rules. I like to think of Sharia as our own "Recycling Queen."
NOTE: Since this article was written the city now has a glass recycling program program where you can drop off clean glass bottles and jars to be crushed into sand for cement and sand bags. They have also started the Orange Bin Hard to Recycling program. You can place all the other plastics (even plastic bags and Styrofoam!) that weren't previously recyclable into an Orange Hefty bag and drop them off at the orange bins at various locations.
Queen Sharia Des Jardins shares her own version of "Recycling 101"
I am the first to admit that the info put out by the city is confusing. They say that we can recycle plastic, cardboard, and paper. They show us pretty pictures on a nice blue background but there is much that they actually don’t say that would be helpful. The only way in which we will be able to fulfill our part in the aspects of proper recycling is to fully understand what is and isn’t good. And by that I don’t mean what is and isn’t good for their bottom line. I mean for the planet and for our future.
So, to begin with here are the basics:
Yes – soda cans – rinse, air dry. Please don’t crush it makes it harder for them to be sorted as they become smaller.
No – dirty bakery boxes, takeout boxes – these have also come into contact with food and grease. If there is a single spot on it it is contaminated. Please put these in the trash not the recycling bin.
No – loose shredded paper. Do not place shredded paper loose in your recycling container. Place it securely inside a cardboard box, paper bag or clear plastic bag.
Local businesses or organizations accept paper for reuse or recycling. Visit the Tucson Clean & Beautiful Recycling Directory for more information.
So, to begin with here are the basics:
Yes – plastics, bottles and containers with numbers 1-2. Any bottles such as gallon milk jugs, water, soda, etc. should be lightly rinsed – preferably air dried, and the cap put back on before tossing in the bin. This goes for things such as laundry soap bottles too. Please don’t crush them either.
Yes – aluminum cans from foods– rinse, leave labels on. Also, if you can don’t fully remove the lids. When using a can opener try to open it most of way but not fully so that the lid is still attached. The small, loose metal lids get lost at the sorting facility.
Yes – soda cans – rinse, air dry. Please don’t crush it makes it harder for them to be sorted as they become smaller.
Yes- paper – office paper, mailers, brochures, etc. They ask if it is small that you don’t recycle it. It just slips through the rollers at the sorting center. You can always put small slips in an envelope. Just don’t over stuff it or they will pull it off the line wondering what might be in it. No envelopes with plastic bubble on the inside.
Yes- periodicals, phone books, etc. They are easy to sort and if they haven’t been ripped apart, they should be easy to recycle.
Yes – newspapers, paper bags – Most paper items are recyclable provided they don't contain grease, food residue or a wax coating. Things like glue, tape, staples and envelope windows are ok, but be sure to remove plastic wrappers.
Yes – newspapers, paper bags – Most paper items are recyclable provided they don't contain grease, food residue or a wax coating. Things like glue, tape, staples and envelope windows are ok, but be sure to remove plastic wrappers.
Yes – corrugated cardboard – any of those Amazon or shipping boxes. Don’t worry about the tape unless it covers more than 50% of the box. Just remember to break them down and no need to cut them up in pieces. The bigger the better to fit through the machinery at the sorting facility.
Yes – paperboard, molded fiberboard - cereal boxes, processed food boxes, egg cartons (not Styrofoam), etc. Again, break them down if you can.
Yes – ½ gallon milk containers coated in wax, Gable top cartons like the ones used for milk, cream and juice are accepted for recycling. Cartons must be empty and rinsed clean. Can be flattened to conserve space. Plastic caps are ok.
Yes - containers from broth, soups, drink boxes that are foil lined.
NOT IN BLUE BINS: Glass – bottles, jars, etc. Lightly rinsed and air dried, no lids. (Save water by putting a little water in the bottle and shaking it..) But now you need to bring them to grass drop off spots located around town.
Ridged plastics such as buckets, storage containers, landrey baskets, igloo coolers, and chairs are picked up at bulky trash day. (We hope they sort through them and recycle them.)
No – frozen food boxes! What! They accept waxy milk cartons, but not freezer boxes?! That’s right folks, you thought they were just a box but no, they are paperboard mixed with plastic so that when they are exposed to temperature fluctuations and wetness the boxes won’t collapse.
No – greasy pizza boxes – Anything that has come into contact with food or grease is a no go. Worst contamination you can do. If the lid is clean, you can rip it off and recycle it.
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| Greasy pizza box - NO! |
No – dirty bakery boxes, takeout boxes – these have also come into contact with food and grease. If there is a single spot on it it is contaminated. Please put these in the trash not the recycling bin.
No – loose shredded paper. Do not place shredded paper loose in your recycling container. Place it securely inside a cardboard box, paper bag or clear plastic bag.
Local businesses or organizations accept paper for reuse or recycling. Visit the Tucson Clean & Beautiful Recycling Directory for more information.
Shredded paper in a see through bag so waste management workers can identify it.
No – plastic lids for containers such as yogurt and sour cream. Those lids are actually made of lower grade plastics than the containers themselves. They are also small and less likely to stay on through transport than tops that screw on. Once loose they will fall through the rollers at the sorting facility or gunk them up and cause shutdowns.
No – plastic films that that are security covers - such as the lift off ones on yogurt containers. Those aren’t even recyclable at the shops.
No – Styrofoam in recycling cans. The city has no way to recycle this.
No – compostable containers. These may be from lettuce or other produce/foods. These are not made of plastics that are recyclable. They are made to break down in the landfill or your compost pit, but actually don't break down there either. They take a special composting practice.
Compostable plastics aren't the same as traditional plastics. They require specialized composting facilities not available to most municipalities. Please place these materials in the trash.
No – plastic bags – absolutely not! They are the bane of recycling centers across the nation. If you must take them from the grocery stores, please return them to a participating store that will recycle them for you. They go to a completely different type of facility to be processed.
Remember these guys...
What to take to your local grocery stores that accept recycling: Plastic bags, deflated air pillows from shipping, Tyvek packaging, plastic shipping envelopes, etc. If the plastic had foods in it or has become dirty or sticky, please at least rinse and dry if not clean before recycling. You can contaminate a whole bin while the shop waits for it to be full enough to send off for processing.
No – trash – this includes anything you know for sure won’t ever have another use. Things like used diapers, kitty litter, doggy doo, broken stuff. Furniture, strollers, etc.
Please remember that when you put things in your recycling bin that aren’t recyclable someone has to pull those things out. If you wouldn’t want to touch them, please don’t make them do it either. Consider compassionate recycling!
Guest blogger Sharia Des Jardins
Sharia has been doing eco/green coaching professionally for the last 3 years. She managed an eco-friendly home and kitchen store in Portland for many years. While running the T-Rex Museum in Tucson - sustainability, ecology and recycling were part of every group tour for the 6 years she was there. She made sure that every staff member ended their tours with the inevitability of human extinction if we continue in the manner of which we are accustomed to treating the planet. She has been educating friends and family for the last 20 years about what they can do. Sharia also works part time at Jen’s Organic Home and Baby here in Tucson since her return to the city in April 2018 after over a decade of living in the Pacific Northwest.
Check our Sustainable Tucson's music video, No! (That Isn't Recyclable) here. Consider sharing to increase your positive impact!
Download the city's Recycle Coach on your phone here.
Guest blogger Sharia Des Jardins
Check our Sustainable Tucson's music video, No! (That Isn't Recyclable) here. Consider sharing to increase your positive impact!
Download the city's Recycle Coach on your phone here.
Tuesday, July 19, 2016
Celebrating Imperfection: A Zero-Waste Journey
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| A waaahmbulance, whine, and french cries. by guest blogger Alex Kosmider |
I was a bit floored by Jana's invitation to write as a guest blogger about my experiences with zero waste. So thanks for the opportunity to share what I know.
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| Ain't she cute? |
My mother’s influence has made aspects of Zero Waste a part of my life for as long as I can remember. She gardens, cans, sews, nags employers to implement recycling programs, and hands out reusable bags at the grocery store. She was president of the PTA at my elementary school and even painted a mural in our cafeteria of children holding hands around Planet Earth (I know--cutest thing ever, right?) She planted my favorite tree at the time (a willow) and organized a school-wide grounds improvement day. When I left the family nest, I already had a sense that nature, and coexisting within it, was important and needed to be protected. (Thanks for that, mom!)
However, my appreciation for considerately sharing our habitat with other species went hand-in-hand with a realization that we humans are seriously screwing with our natural resources. Two books really made me feel the sheer weight of the problem of waste: The Story of Stuff by Annie Leonard and Zero Waste Home by Bea Johnson. I had always viscerally cringed at single-use plastic and full plates of food thrown away back when I worked as a buffet server. When I moved to Japan, I observed that packaging was abundant yet kept tidily out of sight for the sake of a harmonious environment. I saw the adorable, ice cream truck-like Japanese trash compactors bring trash and recycling “away,” but I knew that “away” doesn’t exist: I mentally envisioned the truckloads dumping into the ground or (in the case of Japan,) lining up at incinerators to send up billows of toxic smoke. Since then, my interest in a zero-waste lifestyle has bordered on obsession. I feel empowered to take control of my own consumption at home. Thus the seeds of my environmental evangelism were planted.
With this knowledge, I try to live in a way that is as zero-waste as I can muster. My relationship with "stuff" is informed strongly by the principles Bea Johnson outlines in her book, which shares some simply-put advice on how to reduce the physical waste in your home I add this mini-lecture only because this knowledge blew my mind a bit: she adds two more steps to the traditional model of "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle" that takes the reduction of waste to the next level.
Notice that the "new" concept of refusal is the first and largest part of the pyramid. Kind of a big shift in thinking, huh? Refusal to accept unnecessary packaging or to buy new things (within reason, of course) guides how I use, repair, and re-purpose the things I already own before I look to purchase anything else. And in a country where companies spend literally hundreds of billions of dollars trying to get you TO buy new things, refusal requires some skills that big businesses have spent the last couple of decades getting us to forget, like how to mend, repair, re-purpose, buy used or make do. And with two dogs and a toddler (with one on the way), there are pretty much endless opportunities around my home for repair and reuse. Here are some tricks I've picked up along the way, as well as some local Tucson resources for the tools and know-how.
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| My daughter atop Lily, her noble scissor-toothed steed, complete with repurposed bucket as battle helmet. |
Mending: Lily is my wonderful, sweet, neurotic 70-pound lapdog with a nervous habit of scissor-chewing through fabrics. So I have a bit more experience with this than I ever wanted to have. However, I like that each mend you make gives you the potential to leave your creative mark on that item. Suddenly there is a story behind that article of clothing that the visible mend commemorates. Frankly, though, I derive the most satisfaction from the fact that mending my clothes helps me not to contribute to the problem of the 21 BILLION POUNDS of post-consumer textile waste that Americans produce annually. There are a few techniques I rely on extensively like patching and embroidery.
Aren't these jeans pretty? You don't have to turn your mangled denim jeans into a pond landscape, though. It'd be great to say I did that one myself; my repair jobs are much more mundane, like these shorts, masticated by my dog.
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| Mending art! |
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| Frankenshorts |
I affectionately refer to them as Frankenshorts, as the mend is clearly visible, since I had no matching thread available. But don't they just scream, "Let me tell you the story of my shorts!?" Either way, they work just as well as other shorts to enable the important work of toddlers.
Like caring for teddy bears and watching out for “dun-doh!” (thunder!)
A pretty painless mend saved these pajamas, which don't look bad, if you ask me!
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| Practically unnoticeable, right? Just say, "yes." |
Scared of needles or just don't want to deal with it? Iron-on patches often do the trick. Admittedly I like the idea of not having to rely on an iron and adhesives, but the process can be quick and painless, and sometimes patches just look cool.
Iron-on patches are so hot right now.
I also found in repairing a sofa (also caused by dog chewing) a great stitch that sews up tears quite well.
If your piece has a hole rather than a tear, darning apparently works, but I have never hand-darned. Instead, I have used a technique similar to that used in this video where a denim mender sews over the same area over and over in many directions until new fabric is created. I was able to prolong the life of my husband's favorite jeans using this method. The jeans have since passed (may they rest in peace), but I will say that it gives one the satisfaction (I suspect) of a surgeon stitching up a gaping wound, minus the years of schooling and the terrible stress! Or you could just patch it.
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| I literally "heart" my pants |
Don't feel confident enough to do it yourself? Search for a local tailor or seamstress. I have gotten a zipper repaired on a pair of favorite athletic skorts. Fifteen dollars and a lot of procrastination later, I have a functioning wardrobe staple again!
Speaking of procrastination, here is my "to mend" pile. Perhaps I should take my own advice and bring some of these items to a tailor. However, being quite stingy with my money, I am willing to let non-essential stuff sit in a pile until I find the time to repair it. Sustainable? Kind of...
“Tomorrow, tomorrow, I love ya, tomorrow. You let me pro-craaa-stiiii-naaate!” Pretty sure that’s how the song goes.
Unfortunately, sometimes the damage is not worth repairing and the clothing becomes raw fabric for any number of purposes. This is where I must tread the fine line between sensible storage and packrattery. Much smaller pieces become household rags. Goodwill also accepts rags and other fabric scraps to be recycled (so I trust, anyway) just bring a bag labeled "RAGS."
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| My Goodwill Rag Bag. Seriously, what's up with my dog? |
Repair, non-clothing: This topic can be a bit tricky, and is a bit more out of my comfort zone than clothing-related maladies. Unfortunately, due to wasteful production practices such as planned obsolecence--where companies specifically make an item flimsy or easily breakable so consumers must buy another--many things we have in our homes are specifically designed to be difficult or impossible to repair, or not even worth the cost of repairing. But that doesn't mean we shouldn't try.
Frankly, the greatest extent of my own successful repairs involve Gorilla Glue and broken ceramics--hat tip to my friend, a potter, for this gold nugget of wisdom. I have to say that Gorilla Glue is fantastic at bonding ceramics together, so much so that they are watertight and therefore remain in everyday use. I have saved bowls, mugs, a salt shaker, some IKEA furniture that I apparently don't know how to assemble correctly, among other things.
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| Gorilla Glue is amazing. |
I would love to start a repair cafe where volunteers can offer their fixing expertise. But I am excited to try the closest thing we have here in Tucson - Xerocraft. It is a workshop that offers classes on woodworking, sewing, laser cutting, welding, and other stuff that is helpful in repairing.
What other repair resources do you know of in Tucson?
Reuse: Here are some things that I've done to reuse--ideas that you could...ahem...reuse.
Bulky and Brush pickup days. (This could probably be a blog post all on its own.) Essentially there is always somewhere in Tucson where households put their Brush and Bulky trash out for collection. Yes, I’m talking dumpster diving, minus the dumpster. If you have a friend with a truck (or another appropriately-sized vehicle that you don't mind getting a little dirty), this is such a gold mine for large items that can be reused with a bit of creativity.
While some of the things that people throw away are genuinely toxic and probably shouldn't have existed in the first place, as Jim Carrey says as The Grinch, "One man's toxic sludge is another man's potpourri." My sentiments exactly. So the last time we had this pickup in our neighborhood, I scored some tires, wood, and stumps for my toddler to play with in our backyard.
Wood boards and a few tires make a fun natural-ish play area for the toddler.
I worked up the guts to ask the homeowner if they would help me load these freshly-cut Palo Verde stumps from her Brush and Bulky pile, as the heavier ones easily exceeded 100 pounds.
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| This is my bag, baby. |
Mesh produce bags. While I try to use my homemade produce/bulk bags whenever possible for groceries, I occasionally succumb to the pull of non-local mandarin oranges that come in plastic mesh bags, which I prefer to a plastic produce bag because many are quite durable and can be made into reusable mesh produce bags Cool, right? Of course, it does require some knowledge of crochet, but it's easy enough to learn.
"Make do": I have yet to determine what exactly makes certain objects such coveted targets for my dogs, but many things in my home have been diminished to a still-useful-but-not-pretty state via mastication. If the object is still usable, why not continue to use it?
See this half-pen? The important half is still intact, so a quick snip with the scissors prolonged its life. Of course, in an ideal world I would own a refillable fountain pen, but I would hate for my pets to ruin that investment.
And no one really sees these combs, so they remain in our rotation. Perhaps that is obvious, but a Zero-Waste lifestyle embraces this kind of imperfection. A few missing teeth is just a sign that you stand for something, right?
And no one really sees these combs, so they remain in our rotation. Perhaps that is obvious, but a Zero-Waste lifestyle embraces this kind of imperfection. A few missing teeth is just a sign that you stand for something, right?
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| We'll call her nubs. |
These suggestions are in no way exhaustive. In fact, they are just the beginning! I am several years into my journey, and frankly I still have a long way to go. But I'm glad to see the desire to mend, repair and reuse (rather than buying new) getting a 21st-century makeover, thanks to people like you who made it all the way through this post!
If you are interested in discussing more ways you can reduce your contribution to the landfill, please, visit my Facebook group, Zero Waste Tucson. We welcome your ideas, questions, and discussion related to reducing packaging, food, and water waste.
Feel free to reuse this post!
Feel free to reuse this post!
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