Do you and your spouse agree on recycling and global warming issues?

[Clare]

Are you and your spouse on the same page when it comes to recycling, global warming, energy conservation and such?

Alex and I are totally different and it drives me nuts! I recycle everything possible and try my best to conserve energy and water. He never recycles and wastes water and electricity all the time. He "can't be bothered" recycling :rolleyes: Really, how hard is it to throw the glass, plastic and paper in a different bin? I'm forever digging recyclables out of the rubbish bin and putting them into the recycling bin. He takes really long showers, the other morning he was in there for nearly 30 minutes and I was sooo irritated! He has every light on in the house, even in the middle of the day when it's so sunny that you can't tell if the light's on or not!

I'm going to get him to watch An Inconvenient Truth with me, but I don't know how much good it will do. He just doesn't seem to care enough to put any effort into it :dunno:

[Alyson]

Luckily for us we're on the same page. And, now that we're moving into a house rather than living in an apt. we plan to recycle even more. It's hard to here because we're really limited on space so we just recycle plastic, glass and aluminum. When we move we'll recycle everything we can!
Clare, I haven't seen that movie.. is it good? Maybe I'll go rent it tomorrow!

[Cami]

His rubbish rarely makes it into any sort of bin so that's not really a problem at our house. :rolleyes:

I think it's like that recent thread about your priority (economic, social, environmental, etc)? He's inclined to do environmentally friendly things to the extent that it's not an economic issue. I'm pretty much the same although I think some basic things like recycling trash are more second nature to me because deal with it more often.

[schwanda]

His rubbish rarely makes it into any sort of bin so that's not really a problem at our house. :rolleyes:


Are you living with my husband???? :lol:

In theory, yes. In practice, not at all. Tom approves of recycling but isn't motivated enough to do it. His family never, ever recycled anything or conserved. My family is/was fanatical about it. My mom keeps her house so cold in the winter that I have to remind her to turn the heat up when we're there so the kids don't freeze! They recycle everything. In my apartment building in Baltimore there isn't any recycling and I've been lazy about it. In NY we recycle when I'm around to make sure it happens.

Amanda

[TtownAnne]

Not at all - DH is an ardent far right Republican, so anything to do with global warming is made up by Al Gore and the rest of the limousine liberals to get people fanatical about something, blahblahblah. :rolleyes: I try to recycle as much of our paper/cardboard/newspaper as possible, but our town's required container for recycling glass and bottles is poorly made and blows over in the slightest breeze so I don't recycle those because I don't feel like being out in my pajamas at 6:30am picking up my bottles from my neighbors' lawns.

[magoo]

We're definitely both on the same page. I can't even imagine throwing a can or bottle in the trash now. I'll carry cans or bottles home with me to put them in the recycling if there isn't one handy when I'm out. The big thing on my mind lately is a composter. Our yard is so small that I don't really want an ugly composter front and centre, but I also hate that we don't have one. We'll have to see what we can come up with.

[Karri]

We're definitely both on the same page. I can't even imagine throwing a can or bottle in the trash now. I'll carry cans or bottles home with me to put them in the recycling if there isn't one handy when I'm out. The big thing on my mind lately is a composter. Our yard is so small that I don't really want an ugly composter front and centre, but I also hate that we don't have one. We'll have to see what we can come up with.

This is how I feel, as well. We also recycle our rainwater and use it to water our yard. We've both been recycling for so long that its just second nature to us and we'd never think to do anything else.

[Trish]

We're definitely both on the same page. I can't even imagine throwing a can or bottle in the trash now. I'll carry cans or bottles home with me to put them in the recycling if there isn't one handy when I'm out. This is us, too :nod:

We actually had a composter at one of our old houses, but haven't gotten a new one. I think I'll put that on our Spring to do list :nod:

[gulp!]

We're definitely on the same page. :nod:

Clare, have your husband watch the movie. It's extremely powerful stuff. I just don't understand how people can ignore all the scientific data.

[Nichole]

We're definitely on the same page. :nod:

Clare, have your husband watch the movie. It's extremely powerful stuff. I just don't understand how people can ignore all the scientific data.

Ditto to both sentences. :nod:

Brendon's major (Hydrological Sciences) was under the Environmental Studies department, so he's pretty well educated on the subject. The only thing he does that drives me a little crazy is that he thinks some unrecyclable things are recyclable. :lol: (ie. paper towels or plastics that our city doesn't recycle [they only collect #1 and #2 plastics]) We've been talking about setting up a compost heap for a while too, but just haven't pulled the trigger.

[Mandi]

We're both on the same page too. We recycle just about everything and are pretty careful about water and electricity.

[magoo]

I keep hoping that the city will finally set up curb side compost collection so that we can skip the backyard composter. :heee: They've been talking about it for ages.

ETA that I really want a rain barrel too. I haven't been able to convince Eric to stand in line for a subsidized one yet. They're only $30. Each year, the city gives away a certain number of them, but the line is huge, and starts early, and they always run out.

[Brooke]

We're on different pages totally. I conserve and recycle as much as possible. He does not. He can't be bothered to think about global warming because he says he won't be around so why should he care? I tried to argue that he should care about his grandchildren's future but he didn't see the point.

[Alyson]

This is how I feel, as well. We also recycle our rainwater and use it to water our yard. We've both been recycling for so long that its just second nature to us and we'd never think to do anything else.


You can recycle rainwater.. how? :chin: Wow, I've never heard of that. I feel stupid! Maybe because I live in the desert in Southern California though.. so we really don't get too much rain, but can you tell me about that Karri?! Thanks!!!

[Karri]

Yes, Alyson. Its very common (at least around here). You put it under your downspout of your gutter. We purchased ours last spring and it was very inexpensive. It looks like you would think a barrell does, but it has a special lid thingey on the top so that mosquitoes do not breed. I believe our county also sells them, as well, as that is how our neighbors got theirs.

[Trish]

Yes, Alyson. Its very common (at least around here). You put it under your downspout of your gutter. My parents do the exact same thing and they actually use an old barrel, I think? They use it to water all their flowers and plants in their garden.

[Girlo]

Recycling rain water is a great idea! :aok: We definitely have the natural resources around here to do it.

I'd say we're on the same page. :nod: I'm a bit more fanatical about throwing stuff in the recycle bin than Paul....although he does recycle ALL of his scrap paper from his office. :) We keep the heat down and the lights off...although this is more to save money.

What is it about the men that they can't/don't want to recycle? In every case that's been posted here, it's the guys that could care less...or are lazy!
Oh, and An Inconvenient Truth is the next on our Netflix cue. :yippee: Should be here today!!

[Lynn]

I'm more conscious of it than Keith is. When we first moved into this house it took me a few months to go and collect the recycle bins from the sanitation department. At the time we were throwing away an average of 2-3 garbage bags of trash a week. Since I got the bins it cut our garbage down to one bag a week. :up:

I recycle everything I can. It makes such a difference and it hardly takes any time.

I'm pretty fanatical about electricity and heat but Keith likes to keep lights on in rooms he's not in (i.e. above the kitchen sink) just for light. We are on the same page for heat though. I'd rather use the sun to heat up rooms than the furnace.

*ETA, I just asked Keith if they recycle at his work and he said no. :faint: He works at a huge tree and shrub NURSERY. :disbelief: I'm shocked. It's pretty ironic.

[Darcy]

We're on the same page. Sometimes he checks with me to see if things can be recycled. My mom grew up on a farm where they didn't have garbage pickup (they burned what was considered waste to heat the house more or less). So growing up, we made use of a lot of things. My parents live in the city now, and they have a pretty large compost pile. I don't think I'm quite ready for one of those at our place yet.

I'd love to look into getting something for our rainwater. Thanks for mentioning it, Karri. :)

[Karri]

Does anyone know why most places only recycle #1 and #2 plastics? I've wondered why our city only recycles these :dunno:

We had some pissed off people in our area. Our recycling plant had a fire and is shut down. The city didn't tell us not to put our recycling out at the curb, so they were still picking it up, but they were just tossing it in the trash! :complain: One of our neighbors called the city and found out and they told us that there were 2 drop-off locations set up. It would have been nice to have been notified. Bastards. I think we managed to notify everyone via neighborhood association email groups and whatnot. It is a PITA to have to drive my recycling somewhere, but I'll do it.

[Clare]

I can't even imagine throwing a can or bottle in the trash now. I'll carry cans or bottles home with me to put them in the recycling if there isn't one handy when I'm out.

This is me too which is why it drives me absolutely insane to see recycling in the rubbish bin :complain:

Alyson - I haven't watched the movie yet but I'm hoping he will sit down with me on the weekend to watch it.

[Girlo]

Karri - our place takes up through #5! :) If you're gonna take 1's and 2's....I don't see how much of a step-up it's gotta be to take 3's, 4's, and 5's. :dunno:

[gulp!]

Wow, I just looked it up, and ours takes #1 - #7! Good thing, b/c I never knew there were all these different categories of plastic types. :giggle: And even better, we were already recycling all of that stuff. :)

[Alyssa]

We're on the same page. Our town does not recycle any plastic though. :sad: I could probably be more diligent in finding where we can recycle that. :blush: We do collect our plastic bags and we bring them back to the store every few weeks.

I never thought of the rainwater thing. We don't have gutters though. We water our lawn w/ a well. (But we drink/use town water.) I am embarrassed to admit I don't know if that is better or not.

I'd be interested in learning more about the composter y'all are talking about...

[Girlo]

We'll be building a compost pile on our property this spring/summer. :aok:

[Darcy]

I just checked ours, and we recycle numbers 1-6. One thing I do wish they'd take are the plastic bags for newspapers or grocery stores. There are only a few stores around here that take them, but we don't go to those stores often enough.

[gulp!]

get a dog, Darcy. :lol: (poop bags)

[Kimmy0712]

We are both on the same page. We both recycle plastic, cans and cardboard.

[Girlo]

You know, I've tied up my plastic bags before and put them in with the other plastics, and they guys have taken them. I don't know if they're included with one of the other categories of plastics.....or if they're just too lazy to take them out :lol:. Usually I take them to the store where my bank is.

So......we watched An Inconvenient Truth last night. :) Wow. It makes me want to trade in my car for a bike and walk around the house with a headlamp on and all the other lights off. :heee: Okay....not that extreme, but we will definitely be more aware of what we're doing from now on. We're already doing pretty well (according to that list that was posted in another thread), but I know there are ways we could improve. :nod: It's a fantastic film and I think everyone should see it! :aok:

[Karri]

One thing I do wish they'd take are the plastic bags for newspapers or grocery stores.

We use ours to encase poop dipes or for the bathroom trash.

[Michele]

We use ours to encase poop dipes or for the bathroom trash.

That's what we do, Scott also uses them when he takes his lunch to work.

We're pretty much on the same page. I think Scott is more motivated economically than environmentally to do things like reuse, turn down the heat, turn off the lights.

We watched An Inconvenient Truth last weekend, and I expected him to discount it (mostly b/c he can be pretty conservative and is not an Al Gore fan). He actually really liked the movie, and agreeed with much more of it than I had thought he would.

I told him I was getting a hyrid once our lease is up on our current car...he kind of scoffed at that, but after we discussed the tax break, he was more on board with it. I'm still working on it.

[Darcy]

get a dog, Darcy. :lol: (poop bags)

:lol:
We use the grocery bags for garbage cans, too, but we have SO many, it's insane. We should ask for more paper bags when we go to the grocery store, but the plastic are just easier to carry. :blush:

[Lynn]

Our grocery stores around here will recycle bags (they have a big box at the entrance) that we take good advantage of. It's amazing how quickly those babies add up!

[sheila]

We agree on environmental issues, but not so much on Global Warming.

[Clare]

:lol:
We use the grocery bags for garbage cans, too, but we have SO many, it's insane. We should ask for more paper bags when we go to the grocery store, but the plastic are just easier to carry. :blush:

Why not use recyclable bags? All of the stores sell them here. I use them all the time :) The supermarkets sell them for 99c each, you can get plain ones or fun designs. We have Wiggles and Bratz as well as plain green ones.

http://www.nonwovenbagsdirect.com.au/images/6BottleBag.jpg

I don't think it will be long before plastic bags are phased out here. There was talk of the shops charging for plastic bags in attempt to encourage people not to use them. I know they do that in Ireland and their plastic bag use is almost zero now.

[TtownAnne]

Clare, at least in my area only one store sells recyclable bags, and they are nearly $5 a pop. :disbelief I wish people would find a way around the plastic bags, it so annoys me to see them caught in the bare tree branches and the like.

[Alyson]

We use the bags like Clare is talking about. Trader Joe's has them and so we use them alot. I even take them to 'other' grocery stores to use them.

[MrsPeacefrog]

Our supermaket sells the recyclable bags for 0.99c each too. We have them but it does frustrate me that so much can go into them they don't all fit in the trolley. But even if I do use the plastic bags they are recycled here. We also have big bins at our supermarket where you can drop them off into and they recycle them for you. I also send them to my daycare because they use them to put the kids clothes in if they get wet so it doesn't ruin everything else in the bag, so it does get recycled one way or another.

Tony and I are pretty much on the same page, he is always turning off lights that the kids turn on and he freaks out over any kind of oil drip put down the sink. We really have no choice but to recycle we have so much rubbish that if we didn't split it all up we wouldn't have any space by the end of the week in our otto bin! I don't know why we generate so much rubbish, it's frustrating! Everything comes in such unnecessary packaging!

tony also wants to get a water tank to catch the rainwater as Sydney is on strict water restrictions, our dams are at about 30% capacity and we are not allowed to wash our cars with a hose, it has to be with buckets and you have to do it on the lawn not a driveway, we have actual water patrols who drive around and fine people who are misusing water!

[Cami]

The grocery stores here have recycling bins for the plastic bags too, plus you get points on your frequent shopper card for however many you return.

If the store doesn't have a recycling bin, you could always carry your old bags to the checkout with you and reuse them.

We noticed grocery stores in France charged for each plastic bag too.

[Becca]

I live on a military base in Canada and we have curbside pickup for all of our waste. You're limited to 4 garbage bags of actual garbage on every pickup day (every other thurs/fri) and you have to pay (I believe its $2 per bag) for anything over that limit. We also have blue bins for paper products and a BIG yellow bin for all kinds of containers (pop bottles to formula tins, cans and everything else)...and that's not all. We have HUGE green carts for all of the compost and seperate scheduled pickup days for other things like leaf & yard waste, Christmas tree pickup, Spring/Fall pickup and Mobile Household Hazardous Waste pickup! As I said, once every two weeks they come for garbage and the yellow bin, and the opposite week is blue bin and compost. We've been living here since August and its very rare that we exceed the garbage bag limit-the only time we have is when we moved in and had a ton of extra garbage, or when diapers get out of control, lol! However, all that being said...this is the first place we've been that has all of these services. Some places, like our hometown in Saskatchewan, have recycling centers where you are able to get a portion of the recycling fee back! Most other cities/towns that we've lived in or visited mainly have the simple blue box, but most are working their way to having all of the services I've listed.
My husband and I both recycle everything that we can...the only thing that differs between us is that he leaves lights on all around the house and it drives me NUTS!! We both believe strongly in the whole reduce, reuse, recycle theory and wish the government would get on the same page!!