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Green I can AFFORD!!!

By
Services for Real Estate Pros with On Maternity Leave

There is constant talk about doing something "Green" - OR "How to make your home more GREEN". The makers of This Old House have a new show called This New House all about green features.   Yes, I would love solar panels, new appliance, new energy star windows -- the list goes on and on BUT who is going to PAY FOR IT.  Honestly, not everyone can AFFORD the green choice.    So I changed all the light bulbs in my house, bought a digital thermostat and then what? 

The garbage man had a flyer talking about "recycling" but I avoided it like the plague. Trash just doesn't need to be more work. No one likes to take the trash out -- why make it worse? It smells bad especially during NC's hot-humid summer.  There is nothing worse than driving clients down a street on "Garbage Day" with overflowing trash carts or recycles blowing in the wind.  

My husband is wonderful. He takes out the trash -- no pestering needed why would I mess that up. I  still called the Garbage Man expecting it to be at project to recycle but was surprised. Yes, it does require some effort but not a tremendous amount -- a child could do it -- (hint hint)

 

A Little Bit of Effort Required:

  • Hang recycle flyer on fridge as reference
  • Rinse out the stuff.
  • Break down the boxes
  • Only recycle things that can be recycled
  • Keep recycles separate from trash
  • Don't bag it up -- just throw it in cart. 
  • Push 2 carts to curb (the exercise will not kill you)


 Many of the local garbage services in Johnston County, NC provide a HUGE recycling cart.  Not the little green bin. The big cart is great simply because IT CLOSES --the newspapers don't fly all over the yard pissing off your Home Owner's Association or neighbors. Plus, there is no need to keep the recycles in the house. If you live in the a more rural area, like I do, you must have a lid that closes to prevent the "wildlife" from making your trash cart a buffet line. 


Racoon pic

I was really surprised how much of our trash was a recycle.  My husband did notice the difference almost immediately. We take much longer to fill the kitchen trash can.  Once we separate out all the yogurt containers, milk jugs, cereal boxes & spaghetti sauce jars. There was basically very little smelly food trash left. I was actually pleased to see how little food ($Money$) we throw out. 


The BEST Benefit of Recycling in our area is JOBS.   No it will not employ 1000's overnight but the industry is growing. Recycles in our area are "manually sorted" -- which means a REAL PERSON sorts them.  Plus there are 2 trucks -- 1 for trash and 1 for recycles which means the more people sign up the more EMPLOYEES they will need.

 Restaurants in Wake & Johnston County are already REQUIRED  to separate the glass bottles already. Apartment Complexes are REQUIRED to provide recycle dumpsters for tenants. Plastic bottles were banned from out landfill in October. Check out this video from WRAL.  

 Based on an article I read "Recycling Means Business"  (Click and Read)  Recycling centers EMPLOY 60 times more people than landfills.  In North Carolina, 100 jobs are created by recycling for every 10 lost in landfill industry. 

It does cost an additional $5 a month-- the cart is free.  My guy from Advantage Waste comes twice a month on my regular trash day. If you live in Johnston County and recycling has not yet made it to your doorstep you can take it to the Recycling Convenience Center for FREE.  If you live elsewhere in NC check with your local pick up service or your municipality's website. ( IE wakegov.com)

 Even if you are not into the GREEN THING do it to help create a LOCAL NC JOB.  

 

Posted by

Jennifer Marks, Broker, CNE SFR

Mom To Be-- Loving Maternity Leave!

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Don Wixom
RE/MAX Executives Nampa, ID - Nampa, ID
"Looking out for your next move..."tm

Jennifer, thanks for the encouragement on recycling. It hasn't hit our neighborhood yet, but we will be ready when it does. Happy New Green Year!

Jan 02, 2011 10:52 AM
David Popoff
DMK Real Estate - Darien, CT
Realtor®,SRS, Green ~ Fairfield County, Ct

Jennifer you are so right, here in Ct. we recycle bottles, cans, paper and it probably adds up to about 25% of our weekly trash.  We also started a compost which seems to save another 10 -15% of our weekly garbage, this is a double payback since it saves in landfills but also in materials since we are recycling.

Jan 06, 2011 09:12 AM
Jennifer Marks
On Maternity Leave - Garner, NC

David-- thanks for the update about CT. I grew up in Orange CT and I remember taking cans to the Stop & Shop for deposit. I am surprised with the push to be green that "deposit" on drink bottles & cans has not become more popular. 

Jan 08, 2011 03:48 AM
Adrian Willanger
206 909-7536 AdrianWillanger-broker.com - Seattle, WA
Profit from my two decades of experience

Jennifer~nice "green" post, it's funny in Northeast Seattle we have a couple of neighborhoods locked into a heated recycling battle. True story.

Mar 15, 2011 12:19 PM