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Trash Talk

By
Real Estate Agent with Rocky Mountain Realty #EA40039680

Trash Talk

I want to talk about trash! Three months ago I cancelled my trash service. I live in a rural community and the trash service is private and expensive. With the price of fuel the inevitable was going to happen (again) the price of my service was due to up. Personally, I put so little trash out it just wasn't worth the price for what little I put out.

At a our recent neighborhood pot luck I discovered many of my neighbors were either thinking of cancelling their service or already had. We talked about pooling together and getting one of those large trash containers. I offered to house the container on my property since my property runs the length of our dirt road. But talk turned to recycling.

For the 3 months that I haven't had trash service I've been trying to recycle. Ya know what? It's really working out well. Even with my recent cleaning binge the recycling is just working.

Here's what's working for me recycling wise:

Recycling Plastics in Fremont County Colorado happens 4 times a year at the County fairgrounds.

Soda cans and the like go to the Humane Society and the money goes to the lost pets.

Bottles go into the recycle containers around town, specifically in front of the grocery stores

Paper including junk mail, catalogs and magazines go into the recycle center in front of Sonny's hardware store.

Food scraps go into 2 piles. One pile is vegetable based and will decompose for compost. The other pile including bones, egg shells and some yard waste go into a burn pile.

Cleaning Binge: I've made 3 trips to local charities for the things that can be used again. I'm 8 miles from town so all of the above items go when I'm going the appropriate direction.

The various trash services are going to keep driving down my road whether I need them or not, so the pollution factor really does come into play here. But maybe one day all my neighbors will do this and the trash truck can just skip us and make fewer trips.

...............................................r

If you are thinking of buying or selling in Pueblo, Beulah, Rye, Colorado City, Hatchet Ranch, Penrose, Canon  City please contact Dena Stevens @ Colorado Western Real Estate - We Know Colorado!

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Daniel Wexler
ReMax - Fountain Hills, AZ

What a great idea. I am close with some neighbors who do this already. However, not a shared version. A trash car pool if you will. thanks for the tip.

Aug 15, 2008 06:04 PM
ASHEVILLE REALTY REFERRAL RESOURCE 828-776-0779
REAL ESTATE REFERRAL NETWORK - Asheville, NC
CONTACT janeAnne365@gmail.com

Dena~

Good way to save gas...and $$$...THX for sharing  and YAY for recycling with care.

Aug 16, 2008 12:40 AM
Steve Hoffacker
Steve Hoffacker LLC - West Palm Beach, FL
Certified Aging In Place Specialist-Instructor

Dena,

Our county has a very aggressive recycling program, but in the absence of a formal program you are doing very well. Keep it up.

Steve

Aug 16, 2008 12:57 AM
Sabrina Kelley
ERA Herman Group Real Estate - Woodland Park, CO
Woodland Park Colorado Mountain Homes and Land

You are right Dena trash disposal is costly in rural areas.

Teller county has a newer transfer station but the rates are still very high.

I am always seeking new ways to cut down on what I throw away.

Aug 17, 2008 11:11 AM
Sweet Viscape
Arlington, VA

What a great idea!  I live in Park County and have the same problem.  We put out very little trash (less than a bag a week), and it's gone up three times in two years.  It's getting cheaper just to take it down the road to the dump.  It's only six dollars there.

But, recycling is a great idea!  I'll have to call Mother Earth (our local recycling place) and see how much they cost. 

Thanks again for the tip.

List your Properties for Free Here!!  http://viscape.com/properties/wizard/start 

Aug 20, 2008 10:23 AM
Mary McGraw
GLREA - Rockford, MI
2015: Solar Energy Is Still A Simple Machine!

Wow Dena! I have to admire your efforts and wish I was as good as you about this!!!

Gold star, dear!

Aug 21, 2008 06:33 PM
Pete Jalbert
The Maui Real Estate Team, Inc. - Paia, HI
R(S)

That is pretty cool. I was watching a video on this town of Japan that has something approaching 100% recycling. They literally had about 50 different recycling groups to sort products. I imagine you would get diminishing return with that granularity of recycling in the states, but it is a good example that we could do better.

Aug 21, 2008 07:23 PM
Michelle Finnamore
Toronto GTA, Alliston, Newmarket - Vaughan, ON
Preparing your property for sale

HI Dena, I commend you on your individual efforts. It's the socially responsible thing for everyone to try and recycle as much as they can.

Our town of 155,000 has a 98% compliance rate with recycling. We have different coloured bins that the town supplies free of charge. Blue for paper, plastic, cardboard and tins. Green for wet waste.

There is a diaper recycling centre and twice per year a toxic waste (paint etc.) recycling drop off at the town.

With a family of four we may have 1 bag of garbage in a week but not always. If you do not buy prepacked foods it really cuts down on the waste.

I also donate to Goodwill and Salvation army twice per year.

Once per year our town has a day when you can put whatever you do not want out at the end of your lane and anyone can pick it up for free. The college students love this day as they can furnish their residences for free as much as possible.

The dry cleaners runs a day each year where you can drop off your winter coats etc. to be donated to the homeless shelter. Another great community initiative.

A lady in our town gathers baby and children's clothes for the women in crisis centre or anyone who just needs a helping hand.

So many opportunities to reduce, reuse and recycle.

Aug 22, 2008 01:19 AM
-- Casey Brischle
Columbia Bank - Spokane, WA
Spokane Home Loan Mortgage Professional

Nice little idea.  I love to hear it is working out for you!  I think you can put those egg shells in the compost as well though!

Aug 27, 2008 08:50 AM