We have been big on recycling for a while now.
Our garbage has diminished to about 1 kitchen-sized bag per week.
It's an improvement, but not as much as I had hoped.
The biggest hurdle to decreasing our recyclables,
is thinking about packaging before a purchase is made.
In any event, we take our recyclables to the local "transfer station",
as the dump here is euphemistically called.
We have, unfortunately, mostly plastic,
from water jugs, (our son drinks like a fish),
and a few assorted items like applesauce,
cookies and apples.
We had these three bins stacked in the garage,
right next to the door that leads into the kitchen,
to make it easier for things to end up in the right place.
The bins fell over a lot, and it just got to be a nuisance.
Big K whipped this up in no time
after I gently reminded him about it.
We used to have a store-bought cart in Cooper City,
but it disappeared on garbage day.
Guess someone recycled the whole kit-n-kaboodle!
out of scraps of PVC pipe
that we had laying around,
as well as some store bought pieces.
It's held together with glue, no screws at all.
The cost was around $40,
which is about half the price of a store-bought cart.
It works like a charm, allowing the bins
to nestle into each slot
without fear of the contents getting spilled.
Wheels could be added if needed,
but since we take our bins to the dump ourselves,
we didn't deem it necessary.
Extra bins could be added for other recyclables,
like paper, cans and glass,
but we corral those in large feed sacks
and just sort them when we drop them off.
Here's a list of materials:
3/4 inch PVC 40 feet
18 Tees
12 Elbows
4 Crosses
This simple gadget sure makes keeping things in order
just a tad easier.
It's a keeper.
Other posts about recycling:
Recycling Gone Wrong
Repurposing in the Garden
Repurposing Old Towels
Hi Daisy, I love your recycling frame, it would work great for clothes baskets in the laundry room also!
ReplyDeleteGreat idea!
DeleteGreat idea!!! Big K is so talented. I bet it's so nice to have them organized. I wish we could reduce our waste as well. I've been trying to avoid overpackaged products - it's amazing how much plastic is used! Most of our plastic now comes from the business because all of the oils and butters come in plastic buckets, bottles, and tubs. We've reused the buckets ourselves and give them to anyone and everyone who will take them to use to try and cut down on some waste. Our actual garbage is significantly less, as yours is, then it used to be. But I too would like to see it reduced. That's funny that your dump is also called a "transfer station". Prior to moving to the east coast I'd never heard it called this before. I was so confused the first time my in-laws were having a conversation about it...… that and "carriage". It took me a bit to figure out that a carriage was a grocery cart. lol ;)
ReplyDeleteAll we can do is be conscious of our decisions and work at improving our choices. I wish companies would do more toward that end. ;0D
DeleteNicely done! Our county doesn't accept glass for recycling. It would cut down significantly on our waste if they did, but I'm thankful they accept everything else.
ReplyDeleteWow! I though glass was one of the easiest things to recycle. Maybe a glass artist could use the leftovers?
DeleteOur city has curbside mixed recycling bin pickup. I would prefer it if they would take them sorted, but they don't. That is a wonderful way to use up pvc scraps. Well done.
ReplyDeleteYes, they do that here in the big cities. I guess it's easier for the homeowner though, just toss everything into one big bin. Thanks for visiting!
DeleteWhat a great idea! Good point about thinking ahead on packaging before buying. Sometimes it seems the packaging is better quality than the item!
ReplyDeleteYes, it's sometimes an exercise to stay in the moment and be mindful of every choice. ;0)
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