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| Baobabs, Madagascar Photograph by Philippe Bourseiller |
Paper is one of the easiest things to sort and recycle, so make sure you don't throw away any used paper and cardboard. It can be used to make new paper and cardboard, as well as pakaging, tissues, paper napkins and tablecloths, and toilet paper. As for your magazines, before puting them in the recycling, offer them to the waiting room of your local doctor, dentist, or hairdresser, where they will be read again and again.
- from the book '365 Ways to Save the Earth' by Philippe Bourseiller
Personal note: I came across a great piece of advice while watching 'No Impact Man', by Colin Beavin. He suggests to unsubscribe from mail/magazines you do not want to receive. In America, one gets so many promotional flyers, booklets, papers which go directly into the trash can. I need to find out how I can go about recycling these. Usually one finds recycle-boxes close to the library, shopping areas.
Also, in India, there is the concept of 'Kabadi' or 'Raddi'. A person referred to as the 'kabadi-wala' drives around and buys (yes, buys!) your plastic bottles, papers directly from your house. He then segregates them and sends them forth for recycling/use. It is a very effective system. Here's an interesting video by HCLTechtube on how simple it is!
2 comments:
Do you segregate your garbage in the US? We have started doing it here in Pune. All the recyclable material is recycled and all the organic waste is hopefully put to good use too!
Personally I make it a point to reuse as much plastic as I can, and as many times as I can. All polybags reused for grocery shopping, washed when it gets dirty, used to line garbage bins when it gets torn and then finally thrown out when it can no longer be used.
Paper is cut into tiny slips for taking messages, for to-do lists, shopping lists, origami, craft/ drawing paper for the kiddo....
Look forward to some great new ideas from these posts!
No, we do not segregate our waste, it all goes into the dump in plastic bags we get from the grocery stores. However, I have started keeping the paper aside now, and shall look for a place I could give them for recycling. I am sure I would find a place for plastic recycling too. :)
When we had visited Kutch, Gujarat, I found a lady putting out the peeled portion of fruits/vegetable (organic waste) outside in a bowl and I actually saw a cow come and eat it. They are kept out for the freely roaming cows!
using plastic bags to line garbage bins is a great idea. Akshat also keeps a tab on when they become too many and stops taking any from the grocery store when he finds they have exceeded our requirements. Have to admit, he is more committed than me!
I love your idea of cutting waste paper and saving it to for more use.
Thanks for sharing your ideas! :D
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