the NO TRASH challenge - October

[MommyHawk]

the NO TRASH challenge - October

Ok, you recycle. You compost. So what is there left to toss out for the trash truck to pick up?!?!

This is the challenge. To NOT put anything into the landfill for a whole month. To find alternatives for things that we DO throw out.

What do you end up putting in the landfill?
Can you find an alternative or not purchase the item all together?

For our family it seems the only thing that we do toss is the Styrofoam that meat comes in, along with that little packet of whatever that is in with the meat... can't recycle or compost either...an alternative would be to purchase meats locally or from a butcher that uses wax paper for packaging...it's just does it cost more? Other than that, it's just getting the WHOLE family to follow suit - compost everything that can be composted, recycle the same way, and not to forget the other trash cans in the house - bathrooms are often over looked...and what about bandages and used personal items?...hmmm...I'm thinking we toss more than we need to! even if we only put out once every 2-3 weeks for trash pickup...

[CluckyInAZ]

what do you do with bones and fat from making stock? I don't think a regular compost pile gets hot enough to process them and they would draw animals in there right? Any ideas?

[hibana]

I don't formally compost (we bury food waste in holes- trying to fill in huge holes in yard) but if you cover the bones with wood ash it keeps animals away.

[YeeHa]

I just posted a thread about garbage disposals...but thought I could ask here too...Do you know anything about what you can put down them- ie. chicken bones etc... is it better to compost?

[traycanadian]

Great thread. Not sure if I can do it or not. I'm pretty proud of the fact that we have very little trash but this will certainly get me thinking about how I can improve.

We use the Solar Cone at the moment. You can dispose of meat, bones, fish, dairy, fat, as well as regular compost stuff (except grass clippings, plants, etc). Instead of providing compost it simply breaks everything down and the liquid seeps into the earth. I'm planning on adding a worm composter to our household to handle most of the stuff and keeping the Solar Cone for non-compostable organic material.

http://solarcone.net/system/used.php

[SusannahM]

I thought this was a good link. Toward the end of it, she discusses adding meat to a regular compost pile:

http://www.compost-bin.com/food.shtml

[chinaKat]

What about soiled kitty litter?

[MommyHawk]

Originally Posted by traycanadian

Great thread. Not sure if I can do it or not. I'm pretty proud of the fact that we have very little trash but this will certainly get me thinking about how I can improve.

We use the Solar Cone at the moment. You can dispose of meat, bones, fish, dairy, fat, as well as regular compost stuff (except grass clippings, plants, etc). Instead of providing compost it simply breaks everything down and the liquid seeps into the earth. I'm planning on adding a worm composter to our household to handle most of the stuff and keeping the Solar Cone for non-compostable organic material.

http://solarcone.net/system/used.php

can you use this solar cone for doggie doo?

[MommyHawk]

so after you use your bones for stock, then you add it to the solar cone and it just breaks down back into the Earth?

what do others do with bones and whatnot? I have small dogs so they can't help out