Lots of plastic, styrofoam and metals, and one very cliché tire
Here is today's haul. I gathered this up while out walking the dogs. I could reach all of this while still standing on the road. On the short path that winds around the area near our house there are still days, if not weeks, of garbage left for me to pick up, without ever having to venture of the pavement (I can see so much more just through the trees, but tackling the amount of trash dumped in the forests will take a bit more planning and preparation). I could not carry anymore, and actually had to go back for the tire! I think I will list the most prevalent items and then comment on some of them afterwards. (The green tarp is mine, and makes sorting and cleaning up easier...)
Household wiring
Rusted out curtain rods with only plastic coating remaining
Plastic PET water bottles
Glass sake bottles
Old pull tab beer cans
New beer can
Dozens and dozens of food and sweets wrappers
Blue plastic fertilizer bag
Cardboard
Newspaper
Styrofoam
I first sorted the bottles and cans and will recycle them through the island's monthly pick-up schedule. The newspaper and cardboard, while not necessarily bad for the environment are an eyesore and in sufficient quantities can still cause problems. I put these in our compost bin and this extra dose of carbon will go nicely with a pile of nitrogen-rich kitchen scraps. The styrofoam all came from larger styrofoam boxes that are used to ship the fish caught by the island's fishermen to the mainland, and to ship (hopefully, different) fish and other supplies from the mainland back to the island. Finally, the beer cans point to several issues, one being the much beloved island pastime of drunk-driving-then-tossing-empties-out-the-window, and the fact that the pull tab cans may be older than I am. This means that people have been littering all over the island for decades and that it is a habit ingrained into each and every successive generation.
Breaking this habit won't be easy, but hopefully we can initiate a dialogue about how we manage our waste on the island.
One sweet old lady stopped me on the way home and asked me why I was carrying so much garbage. I told her what I was doing and she got a sparkle in her eye and shot out a beaming smile. I would call that a success, and reward enough to bring a smile to a little old lady's face!
Household wiring
Rusted out curtain rods with only plastic coating remaining
Plastic PET water bottles
Glass sake bottles
Old pull tab beer cans
New beer can
Dozens and dozens of food and sweets wrappers
Blue plastic fertilizer bag
Cardboard
Newspaper
Styrofoam
I first sorted the bottles and cans and will recycle them through the island's monthly pick-up schedule. The newspaper and cardboard, while not necessarily bad for the environment are an eyesore and in sufficient quantities can still cause problems. I put these in our compost bin and this extra dose of carbon will go nicely with a pile of nitrogen-rich kitchen scraps. The styrofoam all came from larger styrofoam boxes that are used to ship the fish caught by the island's fishermen to the mainland, and to ship (hopefully, different) fish and other supplies from the mainland back to the island. Finally, the beer cans point to several issues, one being the much beloved island pastime of drunk-driving-then-tossing-empties-out-the-window, and the fact that the pull tab cans may be older than I am. This means that people have been littering all over the island for decades and that it is a habit ingrained into each and every successive generation.
Breaking this habit won't be easy, but hopefully we can initiate a dialogue about how we manage our waste on the island.
One sweet old lady stopped me on the way home and asked me why I was carrying so much garbage. I told her what I was doing and she got a sparkle in her eye and shot out a beaming smile. I would call that a success, and reward enough to bring a smile to a little old lady's face!
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