| Author |
Across the Fence:  Recycle, trash, compost or burn  |
|
|
willowtreecreek
True Blue Farmgirl
4813 Posts
Julie
Russell
AR
USA
4813 Posts |
 Posted - Feb 15 2009 : 05:31:24 AM
|
I have a dilema and I want your thoughts. My husband and I are trying to work on adding recycling to our routine. The trouble is that we live 40 miles from the nearest recycling center and being in the middle of nowhere local pickup is not available. We have picked up tubs for glass, plastic and metal recyclables but are unsure about what to do about our paper products. With daily newspapers, junkmail, etc. we seem to have a lot of paper. We only plan on going to the recycling center once a month and we would have to store a LOT of paper trash in the meantime. I want to do what is best for the environment but I also want something that is practical and feasable for us. I know many paper items can be composted but I still think I have too much paper trash to make this really possible. Trash burning is allowed in our area but is this really safe and okay for the environment???? Putting paper waste out for trash pickup is available as well.
I'm curious about your thoughts. What would you do? Would you burn or trash it? Any other suggestions I am not considering?
Thanks in advance!
Farmgirl Sister #17
Blog
www.willowtreecreek.wordpress.com
|
|
|
kpaints
True Blue Farmgirl
1564 Posts
karen
cheney
wa
1564 Posts |
Posted - Feb 15 2009 : 07:51:20 AM
|
I just recycle my paper, however, I got a cheap shreader and shred some of this paper and use it for packing to ship or to store fragile items. It also looks pretty if you shred colors together and then stuff around gifts. I know this does not help much. I don't have any where near the paper you do. I just stay away from newspapers (I get that on the internet) and I also pay some bills online so there is no paper there either. I recycle my magazines to my neighbor and the rest goes to the center.
Find your joy and live it. http://cheneybaglady.blogspot.com/http://www.kpaints.etsy.com |
 |
|
|
lisamarie508
True Blue Farmgirl
2648 Posts
Lisa
Idaho City
ID
USA
2648 Posts |
Posted - Feb 15 2009 : 2:35:00 PM
|
Since, I heat with wood, I use a lot of paper that way early and then late in the season as I don't need to have a fire going during the day in the warmer weather. I also use a lot of paper in the gardens to keep the weeds down and hold in moisture. I use so much paper that I often have to get other's extra. If you lived closer, I'd take it off your hands!
Farmgirl Sister #35
"If you can not do great things, do small things in a great way." Napoleon Hill (1883-1970)
my blog:
http://lisamariesbasketry.blogspot.com/
[size=1]My apron website:
http://lisamariesaprons.bravehost.com [size=1] |
|
|
|
willowtreecreek
True Blue Farmgirl
4813 Posts
Julie
Russell
AR
USA
4813 Posts |
Posted - Feb 15 2009 : 2:39:29 PM
|
My husband teaches Journalism so he has to take in a lot of newspapers. I pay all my bills online e buy we still get lots of junkmail.
Farmgirl Sister #17
Blog
www.willowtreecreek.wordpress.com
|
|
|
|
Mumof3
True Blue Farmgirl
3890 Posts
Karin
Ellenwood
GA
USA
3890 Posts |
Posted - Feb 15 2009 : 2:45:14 PM
|
We burn the paper trash, especially things that we do not want in the trash like those credit card requests that come in the mail. Hate those! Once we have a full grill, we burn what is inside along with some leaves and then spread the resulting ash in the flower garden. Great for the soil and we have safely gotten rid of unnecessary paper.
I think the call is what you think is best for you!
Karin
Farmgirl Sister
# 18 :)
www.perfectlittlemiracle.blogspot.com
|
|
|
|
jpbluesky
True Blue Farmgirl
6066 Posts
Jeannie
Florida
USA
6066 Posts |
Posted - Feb 15 2009 : 4:46:39 PM
|
When I grew up, we had two trash cans.....one for burning and the other that actually went to the garbage man, like cans. We burnt all the time. If you do it safely, it is a good way to get rid of things that might clog the landfill.....we had a special metal basket that we put our burnables in. All were inside a paper bag. We always lit it and stood there until it was burned down. We had an alley. Daddy had a hose nearby. Then we kept our unburnables in another bin that we gave to the garbage truck. Surprisingly, that was very little!!!! I loved standing watching the trash burn. On a cold night, it was kind of a zen thing. Dark, cold, flames and silence.
Farmgirl Sister # 31
www.blueskyjeannie.blogspot.com
Psalm 51: 10-13 |
|
|
|
milkmaid
True Blue Farmgirl
187 Posts
Heather
Higginsville
Missouri
USA
187 Posts |
Posted - Feb 15 2009 : 7:43:42 PM
|
We use newspaper in the gardens as mulch it works very well. I also shred some for bedding in the barn for chickens and the lambs. I burn all the junk mail stuff and then spread the ashes in the garden.
Heather
http://goodfarm.blogspot.com/
Mother to five awesome kids, wife of 17 years and milk maid to two beautiful cows. Living the good life!!! |
|
|
|
harmonyfarm
True Blue Farmgirl
785 Posts
Debbie
Southeastern
Ohio
USA
785 Posts |
Posted - Feb 16 2009 : 10:19:20 AM
|
We shread the paper and use it under grass clipping in our flowerbeds and garden. The "comics" get saved for wrapping paper. Newsprint breaks down pretty fast and the worms love it. We burn anything with personal info on it. We have no where to recycle glass anymore, so being very careful not to bring it home.
Debbie
"If you can't find the time to do it right...how will you find the time to do it over" |
|
|
|
harmonyfarm
True Blue Farmgirl
785 Posts
Debbie
Southeastern
Ohio
USA
785 Posts |
Posted - Feb 16 2009 : 10:21:48 AM
|
Oh, and we cut milk jugs into smaller pieces and open both ends of veggie cans and smash them. Doesn't fill up the recycle bins as fast....
No matter what you do, it is something and it helps.....
Debbie
"If you can't find the time to do it right...how will you find the time to do it over" |
|
|
|
Annab
True Blue Farmgirl
2900 Posts
Anna
Seagrove
NC
USA
2900 Posts |
Posted - Feb 16 2009 : 4:58:18 PM
|
Might want to invest in a decent paper shredder and compost. OR shred the paper and start a vermiculture hobby.
We burn our paper products and use it for fuel in our water stove.
|
|
|
|
MandyC
Farmgirl in Training
18 Posts
Mandy
New York
18 Posts |
Posted - Feb 16 2009 : 6:48:33 PM
|
My kids' school participates in the Abitibi fundraiser program. It is really great. They put this bin outside the school and absolutely anyone who takes the time to deposit their junk mail, newspapers, magazines, etc. contributes to this awesome recycling and fundraising program. Abitibi collects the paper, weighs it, and pays our school so many cents per pound collected. We do nothing to maintain the bins. We just get a check.
Unfortunately, this won't help willowtreecreek because it isn't in Arkansas, but I thought I would post a link for anyone who does live in area serviced by this program because it is really great!
http://www.paperretriever.com/default.asp?id=1 |
Edited by - MandyC on Feb 16 2009 6:50:33 PM |
|
|
| |
Across the Fence: Recycle, trash, compost or burn |
|
Recycle, trash, compost or burn
