Reuse, Reduce, Recycle update

Ok, so some of us are more motivated to jump on the bandwagon than others, I admit. I just enjoy the challenge of seeing just how much I can reduce, reuse, and recycle and how little we can have picked up for the trash that goes into the landfill each week. Since we have single stream recycling here in Florida, it is just plain interesting to try  recycling everything that we used to throw out and it is difficult for me to understand why everyone else isn't as enthusiastic about it as I am. I mean, we can recycle about anything but raw garbage here and I guess we could compost that, if Michael could stand the mess.  He just doesn't take to messes too well.  Plus, I would expect  that the raccoons would dig it all up and have it strewn all over the yard by morning.

Yes, I am more committed to this enterprise than Michael is.  I'll dig the toilet paper tubes out of the garbage to recycle where as he says we don't need to go that far.  I should start saving some for the grandkids to make Santas and elves with when they come.  You never know when you might have a rainy morning to occupy.

I'll grab an old sponge under the sink to wipe up a spill, but not quite as fast as he can snatch a tissue out of the box, wipe and throw it into the garbage.  Drives me crazy.  That is one more tissue wasted, one more little piece of a tree that could have been saved. I'm not really that cheap, just like to conserve.

I did get him to quite double plastic bagging our garbage, though.  That's some progress.  And sometimes he'll use an old running tshirt to wipe windows, but not all the time.  So I just have to appreciate the progress there is, as little as it may be.

Really though, my efforts are put to shame next to my friend Julie's. I am actually embarrssed when she asks me if I use plastic bags for sandwiches or left overs in the frig. I try to reassure her that I wash them every time and reuse them over and over again. She is better than I am.  She uses storage containers that she has washed from a product and reuses them.  And she uses bread bags instead of buying bags when she needs a bag for something. So I am reusing the bread bags even though it drives Michael crazy to see them in the drawer.  It's like having garbage in your draw to him.

I've tried using a bucket to catch the wasted water that goes down the drain as the water is heating up in the shower. After my shower, I would carry  it outside for my plants. Guess I need to try that again.  Coming through the house with a full bucket of water really must drive Michael crazy, though.