[rmd2]

Originally Posted by Midnight Cowgirl

I've had a compost bin (but not a heap) right next to my A/C unit outside. It is no more unsightly than the compressor itself.

And BTW, for those who are not familiar with compost, it does NOT smell.

Vermin love composts. Wouldn't want to live next to you.

[Ladygolfer93]

Personally I would label myself "average" as far as being aware of recycling and control of waste, but lately I've been thinking/questioning more and more if there might not be a better way of doing things. One example, I absolutely love the weed, insect, fertilizers, and fungus products that come in the bottles you attach to the hose. So easy, so fast, don't even need to put on "work" clothes, and so incredibly inexpensive compared to hiring gardener/lawn people to do it, but, lately I have wondered if anyone has thought of a way to just refill the bottles rather than purchase the entire hose fitted container each time. I know the same applications can be bought in large gallon or more heavy plastic containers, but then you get into the messy mixing like the old garden sprayers. I think there is plenty of opportunity for some ingenuity. Could things like laundry detergent, fabric softener, etc. come in the "old fashioned" paper cartons like some milk and juice still does ? Or, are these as much of a problem as the thick plastic such things now come in ? What about mouth wash and such, could it come in cartons like juice ?

[CFrance]

This is quoted from The Guardian, US Edition, which is doing a series on recycling in America...

"Plastic degrades in quality when it is recycled, and while it’s tough to know how many times a piece of plastic will get recycled before becoming unusable, experts estimate it may only be once or twice. After that, it is landfilled, incinerated, or ends up in the environment.

"There’s only one real solution, these experts say: make and consume less plastic."

I reference this article: How you're recycling plastic wrong, from coffee cups to toothpaste | Environment | The Guardian

There was once a poster a year or two ago who, defending her daily consumption of bottled water, said it was okay for her to do that because she recycled every bottle. Those bottles will all end up in the landfill eventually.

We must come up with solutions.

[Ladygolfer93]

This is the first place I have ever lived that allowed garbage put out in sacks. It was new to me ! I have lived in several places that provided the special cans that save so much manual labor, and I have lived in locations that require each resident purchase one or more of the "official" can from the city (and they are very expensive). So the developer here would most likely not purchase the cans at all, it might be a required additional cost here.

[Ladygolfer93]

Hummm… I too have used the tall white 13 gal. bags for at least 16 years now. Some weeks have so little I even use a double WM or Publix bag, tie it well at the opening, etc. and put that out. I do use heavy weight large black bags if I have an exceptional amount once in awhile but not often !

[eyc234]

You obviously know nothing about composting. Do some reading, gain some knowledge and then make intelligent comments. Following your comment means that vermin should be rampant around the villages because there are lots of dead, brown and green plant materials which is the only thing that goes into a compost pile.

[MorTech]

The plastics are just Ethylene.
They decompose (oxidize) to CO2 and Water...Which is plant food.
This is basic grade school Chemistry/Earth Science.

[ladyarwen3]

One of the bigger problems I have is trying to reduce the amount of plastic I purchase. More and more items are now only available in plastic. It's nearly impossible to buy milk in a carton unless I pay 3 times more for organic. Powdered laundry detergent is a rare find; and I no longer buy the powdered drink mixes in plastic (Crystal Light and the like). If I can find the 4C brand in the cardboard box I will use that instead. I use a refillable device for my Keurig, but even coffee is hard to find in something other than plastic! I never EVER buy bottles of water.
I think we need to focus not on recycling but reducing the amount of plastic that we purchase. I am thrilled to hear that Dunkin Donuts is starting to do away with their Styrofoam coffee cups! We need to put pressure on all of these companies to look for alternatives to plastic in their packaging!

[Midnight Cowgirl]

Originally Posted by Liz22

Vermin love composts. Wouldn't want to live next to you.

Yes, rats probably do love composts but they have to be able to get into my bin which they absolutely cannot do unless they have the muscles of Atlas.
Actually, it would be impossible for them to open it.

And since you probably have palm trees around your house (or your next door neighbor's house) you probably DO have rats because that's where they live.

I have no palms and NO rats but I'd bet you do!
And maybe -- just maybe -- you DO live next door to me and just don't know it!

[coffeebean]

Originally Posted by MorTech

The plastics are just Ethylene.
They decompose (oxidize) to CO2 and Water...Which is plant food.
This is basic grade school Chemistry/Earth Science.

The plastic grocery bags? Plastic bottles? Plastic containers? Which plastics?

[twoplanekid]

Remember, this important meeting starts at 9 a.m. tomorrow at Laurel Manor Recreation Center. I will be there and hope to see many of you at this presentation to be followed by a question-and-answer session.
__________________

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by MorTech

The plastics are just Ethylene.
They decompose (oxidize) to CO2 and Water...Which is plant food.
This is basic grade school Chemistry/Earth Science.

You probably should have taken advanced chemistry/earth science, because you missed the part where you learn that it can take between 10 and 1000 years for a plastic grocery bag to decompose (depending on the complete composition of the bag) and 750 years for a plastic bottle to decompose.

Bags made of plastic are NOT biodegradable. That is why there are recycling programs. It's why some landfills are full. It's why China isn't accepting more recycling plastics. It's why the pollution at the bottom of the oceans is causing marine life to suffer.

[big guy]

Originally Posted by dewilson58

China has been cutting back since 2016. China announced an almost complete import band in January of 2018.


The USA is going to have to manage its own items.


A business opportunity.


From Yale:

The recycling crisis triggered by China’s ban could have an upside, experts say, if it leads to better solutions for managing the world’s waste, such as expanding processing capacities in North America and Europe, and spurring manufacturers to make their products more easily recyclable.

Or using less!

[Two Bills]

Originally Posted by big guy

Or using less!

Supermarkets could lead the way by simply stop issuing plastic bags.
If they want to give bags, paper only.
Aldis have done it from the start. No bags, bring your own.
Simple.

[CFrance]

Originally Posted by MorTech

The plastics are just Ethylene.
They decompose (oxidize) to CO2 and Water...Which is plant food.
This is basic grade school Chemistry/Earth Science.

Originally Posted by coffeebean

The plastic grocery bags? Plastic bottles? Plastic containers? Which plastics?

Ridiculously over-simplified statement on plastics. And yes, which plastics? Don't forget children's toys, lawn furniture, and the like.