Avoiding Trash When Spending Time with Others

Trying to live without creating any landfill waste has been interesting. Over all it hasn't been that hard especially when I am hanging out at home but when I spend time with other people it can get more interesting.

 For instance I have discovered it is pretty common for others to bring trash to your place. Company brings things in bags and such that are normally thrown away. Music students often have snacks that are in wrappers and stuff like that. Personally I am not ready to make this big announcement "We are trying to live with Zero Waste around here (or I am - much of my family is not really ready to take that step) and would you please take care of your own trash." So we provide trash cans and sometimes I go through it later and see if any of it can be composted or recycled or reused in anyway.

This Sunday I also ended up out and about quite a bit. There was a fellowship dinner at church. We are very blessed that at church there are a lot of us who don't really like to waste so for dinners and even big events with over 100 people we still use real dishes and silverware and we wash them and use them over and over and over again. We also use fabric towels instead of paper towels. So it is easy to stay zero waste at church.

We did also go to a 4-H potluck. Even though 4-H is known for being green that isn't super obvious. :-) I did bring plates and silverware along but then I knew Aaron would be embarrassed if I pulled them out and since this was his event and since it was the cheap paper plates that I knew would compost or work for fine for fire starting I did use a paper plate. I used my own fork however and took it and Ken's plasticware home for washing. I brought our plates and programs home for using to start our fire with.  I had a water bottle in the van but forgot to bring it in at first. I thought about grabbing a disposable water bottle or a plastic cup but I refrained and went out and got my water bottle instead. It really is nicer anyway. I do need to learn to think ahead to bring it in with me places however.

 That day as well we were also invited over to some friends to play games and they offered some yummy snacks. Again disposable plates and cups were offered. Since it was just snacks I was able to avoid their use and just take a little bit at a time in my hand.

  All this stuff is in a way rather petty but it makes you think about all the ways that we can create trash through the day. Also I think about how I could easily avoid the temptation to use that trash by planning ahead a little more. It isn't that hard you just have to think about it.