Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

It amazes me how much garbage is thrown out everywhere.  On a recent trip to Duluth I noticed piles of stuff alongside the curbs of houses.  To me it looked like a yard sale, but these items were going to the dump, never to be used again.  It’s unbelievable how many cell phones, computer monitors, keyboards, and other items end up in a landfill, mainly because it is cheap and easy.  I have a problem with throwing anything away.  We have bins for recycling plastic, glass, aluminum, and tin that we use and expect our guests and visitors to use.  All of our cardboard is broken down and driven 12 miles to a trailer, but we try not to make a special trip and waste gas in the process.  Anytime an ink cartridge is empty I put it in a pile to bring to school for some fundraiser, milk caps that give a nickel to school are kept in a ziplock, used stamps are saved to provide a glass of milk to the needy, magazines and newspapers are brought to town and the list goes on.  All of our used clothing is put in boxes and either gone through with friends or given to the Cook County Recycling Center for re-sale.  Many used items are brought to the recycling center and we even have our own chapter of freecycle.org up here.  Of course everyone and any business is going to create garbage and some of it needs to end up in a landfill, but some of it doesn’t have to.  There are people and businesses everywhere that do not even do the most simplest of recycling even when it is convenient and easy, let’s try to encourage these people to do their part.  Thanks to those of you who do your part, keep up the great work.