This week our audit was trash. How much we have, what we can’t recycle, and more. Here’s what you need to get up to speed:
Weekly Green Audit Challenge: Trash!
Daily Green Audit Tip: Trash Control
Daily Green Audit Tip: Trash Control & What Can’t be Recycled
Update: Aerosol Product Recycling
Now, let’s add the audit all up and see where we stand. The key point is that this audit should have made you aware of what you’re throwing out vs. what you’re actually recycling.
If you noticed that there was an excess of paper, cardboard, cans, and plastics in your trash the fix is easy …read more

This week’s audit is trash control. Knowing how much trash you have and how to have less.
Yesterday we looked at items you should not find in your trash; items you can recycle. Today let’s look at what cannot be recycled.
Aerosol cans made from combined plastics and metals.
Squeezable plastics – in the past none of the squeezable plastics were recyclable (think mustard bottle). However, I’ve seen news that some are now. It’s still sort of iffy though.
Depending on where you take them, and what area you live in, the following may not be recyclable: Light bulbs, crystal, plastic silverware, foam, window …read more

This week’s audit is trash control. Knowing how much trash you have and how to have less.
Today’s tip is a rundown of what’s recyclable. Almost everything is somewhat recyclable. Of course, some things more than others.
As you audit your trash this week, here are some items you should not see in the garbage can. All of these items have the potential to be recycled. Later this week we’ll look at how.
Paper: This one is obvious. Don’t throw paper in the garbage can. That means – basic white paper, notebooks, sticky notes, index cards, newspaper, junk mail, magazines, food packaging, old …read more

In the previous post I mentioned the new Weekly Green Audit Challenge series. Each Sunday, I’ll post a new room or space we can look at during the week. Mon-Fri, I’ll post a new daily tip about how to meet your goals when it comes to this specific audit. Make sense? Hopefully. If not it will.
If you aren’t sure what a green audit means you’ll want to read Green Audit 101.
This week’s green audit focus will be on your…. Trash. Woo hoo, trash. Did you know you can run a green audit on your trash? Well, you can. It’s not …read more

Just some basic figures to consider tonight from Worldwise:
how long will it take to decompose…
Cotton rags
1-5 months
Paper
2-5 months
Rope
3-14 months
Orange peels
6 months
Wool socks
1 to 5 years
Cigarette butts
1 to 12 years
Plastic coated paper milk cartons
5 years
Leather shoes
25 to 40 years
Nylon fabric
30 to 40 years
Tin cans
50 to 100 years
Aluminum cans
80 to 100 years
Plastic 6-pack holder rings
450 years
Glass bottles
1 million years
Plastic bottles
Forever
If you aren’t already recycling (composting counts!) all you can, you need to, or your great grandkids 10 times over are going to find your trash from yesterday. Here’s some help: How to Recycle Practically Anything.
Get the kids involved:
Trash 4 Kids has …read more