Monday, July 14, 2008

com-post



This article may be trashy inspiration for K (and maybe for the rest of us lazy asses also).  I know J composts, and I horde reusable plastics and packaging materials like a pack(aging material) rat, but this takes it a few steps beyond.  I'm fascinated by the idea of a community actually being so well functioning as to even consider not having trash pickup.  Even if the idea was initially inspired by financial savings rather than environmental.

Judging from J's link below, I'm guessing this would be especially disastrous in Baltimore.  *L

3 comments:

smear said...

Oh lord, you said it. I think baltimore would have a coniption fit. In fact, besided San Francisco, i think this whole contry would. Could you imagine rich new yorkers being forced to save their smelly compostibles and walk to the sorting center everyday after washing lables?

I, however, LOVE it! If fits right in with my philosophy that life is better when you make it a challenge.

It seems to me like this type of recycling so, so far from Germany's general functioning, is it? I always loved that about deutschland -- forced composting, recycling and sorting. And it kinda shows that a huge society CAN deal with some more trash responsibilty.

I love composting.

smear said...

crap, what is with the baltimore? J, can you relate to this.."We'll see bro... his eyes shifting side-to-side like a paranoid crackhead on a Baltimore street corner." Nice one eh? I actually read that today- K.

smear said...

This is great. I love the chart. This is inspired me to use my hollowed out melon as a salad bowl and the salad bowl nee melon to collect tea leaves and flower petals that had fallen off of my flowers (as they all decided to be quitters at the same time). Next stop a handy compost bowl :)

Can you imagine doing this in the US? Breaking stuff down into 34 categories, would folks go for that? Our culture is so rooted in convenience: single servings, packaging, quick n' dirtay. Some places still do not recycle; I was in Reno, NV last summer and had a bottle of beer (oh my) before I realized that there was no recycling. I felt weird to throw it away. It made me drink more beer...
If you can't recycle ‘x’ product or vertically integrate the production of a good than don't sell it in that area. Simple yet harsh; but jesus folks you do not need vitamin water- it didn't exist 5 years ago and now...clogging up landfills. In particular I wish Hawaii would get tougher, well most places.
You points about Germany are good ones. Other places it’s just what you do, it’s not “being green” rather it's not being an irresponsible arse.

This also reminds me of reading about a self appointed recycling crew of elderly folks in Japanese cities that go around and help their neighbors sort their recycling. Rather they score it and leave a list of tips and maybe a ticket if the recycling isn’t sorted properly. *k