Welcome to JOYFUL REFLECTIONS. Also welcome to MARCH!!!! My header picture this month is a photo I took of the pretty Crocus blooms in our yard... The Crocuses and Daffodils are the first signs of spring here in Tennessee. I am definitely ready for SPRING...

Friday, August 28, 2009

Questions about Recycling


George and I have tried very hard to be good at recycling, and 'going green'. Here's some of the ways we try to help the environment (and all of US along the way):
-drive a Toyota Prius
-save energy by driving the speed limit (or under)
-using coupons when buying groceries, etc. (also buying store brands and their specials)
-not using our dryer very often (using racks and lines around the house); NOTE: Our community does not allow outside clothes lines.
-seldom use our air-conditioner in summer or our furnace in winter (use fans in summer for cross-ventilation, and wood fires in our fireplace in winter)
-washing clothes in cold water
-have our own compost ---for rich dirt for our roses and flowers
-purchased triple-paned windows and doors a couple of years ago--which help save energy
-recently, because of SUZANNE (click on her name to see her great blog), we finally started using our own reusable bags when we go shopping
-we have different containers so that we can separate items to take to our county recycling center once a week (plastics, cardboard, cold drink cans, paper, etc.)






NOW---after saying all of that , I know that there is still alot more that we could do.. BUT---we do pretty good compared to many folks these days. One thing that really bothers me is that, just recently, our county recycle center has told us that we can only recycle No. 1 and 2 plastics. Good Gosh.... Have you ever tried to take time to check and see which of your plastics have a No. 1 or 2 on them?????? What a hastle.... George says that our county must have a contract with a plastic company that only takes No. 1 and 2 plastics (the heavier ones).


SO---'they' WANT us to recycle. Right????? How many busy people are going to take time to separate plastics??? And now---we are having to throw away (in our garbage) some great plastic items such as cottage cheese or butter containers, or yogurt containers, etc. etc. etc.... We (I'm sure you do also) use ALOT of plastics. We didn't mind recycling plastics ---but now, we have to throw away more than we can recycle. What's up with that????? Anyone know?????? Makes me so upset!!!!!


IF 'they' (the Powers-that-be in our county/country) want us all to recycle, someone had better come up with a better solution... What say you????


Hugs,