In our busy lives it’s easy to put the trash out on the curb and forget about [...]]]> Earlier this month, Philadelphia Mayor Nutter presented his budget proposal to city counsel which included a $300 annual trash fee per household.  Other local municipalities, like Norristown, recently announced a trash hauling fee as well.

In our busy lives it’s easy to put the trash out on the curb and forget about it.  Don’t get me wrong, I have at times been a big fan of the ignorance is bliss philosophy.  When it comes to the challenge of trash, there are serious consequences that are not only affecting us now but will compound for our children and future generations.

From our curbs trash goes to landfills some of which are in our neighborhoods and in some cases, trash is hauled around the world on barges spilling into our oceans along the way.

I recently spoke with a resident of Norristown who was outraged that the borough would add expenses to struggling families in these economic times.  I listened and empathize with the financial burden on so many American families today and agree with my N-town neighbor…garbage costs.              

• It costs us all financially whether you pay a hauler yourself or pay a tax or fee to your local government.
• It costs us in land as this trash must be “stored” somewhere. Currently we fill and close one landfill a year in the U.S.
• It costs our health as these garbage “storage” facilities can and have polluted groundwater and air.  Landfill leachates rank as some of the most frequently recorded pollutants.  Emissions from landfills produce smog causing respiratory problems like asthma.
• It costs us environmentally by contaminating soil and producing powerful green house gas.  Decomposition in landfills can create methane gas.

In other cities in other parts of the world trash is handled quite differently it is common to pay to have your waste removed and the more garbage you produce the more you pay.  The incentive to produce less waste of is real and monetary.  Perhaps this model, would work well in U.S. cities.

There have been some brave experiments like that of “No Impact Man” and his family in New York City who spent a year of their lives working towards producing no trash.  To find our more about his project visit Colin Beavan’s blog.

The really good news is that we can make small changes which will help these waste woes.  Here are a few easy tips that will make a difference!

• Minimum Packaging – try to buy items with the least amount of packaging
• Preferred Packaging – if you buy packaged goods and we all do choose those packaged in recyclable materials like aluminum, paper and plastics #1 and #2
• Bring your own bags – millions of plastic bags are thrown away annually.
• Avoid disposables – Here are some tips that can really save you money.  Cloth napkins instead of paper, Rags instead of paper towels, Stainless steel lunch containers and water bottles.
• Donate or Freecycle.org – Don’t throw out items that still have some life left in them.  Someone else can benefit.
• Recycle – Every item that can be recycled or repurposed stays out of the land fill.

I have touched on a few happenings in the world of trash.  If you have ideas about garbage, let me know. 

TREECYCLE your live tree!

What does your trash service do with the trees they pick up?  Most trash haulers [...]]]> Are you holiday’d out?  Had enough egg nog, parties, and cookies? Ready for a bit of hibernation?  Before you can put on your slippers and flannels you must deconstruct your holiday décor. Here are some Sensibly Green tips

TREECYCLE your live tree!

What does your trash service do with the trees they pick up?  Most trash haulers offer a Christmas tree pick up and take your tree to the landfill. I called five of the regional haulers and all of them deposit trees in landfills including J.P Mascaro & Sons and Allied Waste Services (formerly BFI, now Republic). 

The good news is that many municipalities offer tree drop off days.  To find a center that accepts and turns holiday tree into compost go to http://www.earth911.com

I wondered if that may be true.  Over the [...]]]> At a meeting I attended last week someone asked the question, “Is using a dishwasher more energy efficient then washing dishes by hand.  She wondered if the dishwasher manufacturers weren’t the ones promoting the idea that built in dishwashers are the greenest way to handle our dirty dishes. 

I wondered if that may be true.  Over the years, I have read many articles on this debate and did not really take time to research the sources so I thought I would tackle this conundrum myself.

 Here are the stats I compiled from www.energystar.gov

All things being unequal, we must assume the same amount of dishes for the comparison to be accurate.  A standard dishwasher holds an eight place setting and six serving pieces.

Can you hand wash and rinse a load of dishes with just 2 gallons of water?  If so, then hands down, hand washing can be the greener choice.  If so, perhaps you should contact the Guinness Book of records for your amazing dishwashing skills.  In the interest of science, I attempted this feat.  I used a double sink and filled bowl #1 with 1 gallon of warm soapy water for scrubbing.  In bowl # 2, I prepared a 1 gallon jug filled with warm water to use for rinsing.  On the counter piled a 4 piece place setting and 2 serving pieces.  As my grandmother taught me, I started with the glassware, then silverware, onto plates but I was out of rinsing water.  And frankly, the pieces that were done were not sufficiently rinsed to my liking.  I then attempted the experiment again with four gallons of water.  I kept the same 1 gallon for washing and now had three gallons to rinse.  I was able to wash and rinse less than half of the amount of dishes a machine would with the same amount of water.  It is hard to beat the machine.

According to the Energy Star website, using a dishwasher “can save you over 230 hours of personal time over the course of a year.  That’s almost 10 days!”  That’s what I’m talking about.

So the answer is….built in dishwashers win.  If you have an Energy Star dishwasher and only run it when it has a full load then it is clear cut.  If you have the dishwashing skills of a ninja then perhaps you can beat an older, average machine.

Let’s not forget the reduce and reuse part of the 3 R’s mantra.  If we don’t dirty a dish it does not need to be washed so only use 1 glass or cup per day per person. Skip the separate salad plate and just use one plate per person at dinner.  Skip the serving dishes all together and serve directly from the pot or pan you cooked in.

 Greenest Choice:  Energy Star dishwasher run only when there is a full load.

 Happy washing!