San Francisco diverts 80% of its trash from landfills. Its goal is to become a zero waste city by 2020, meaning that no household garbage goes back into the waste stream, but instead will be entirely recycled or composted (industrial and commercial garbage are a much greater challenge yet).

If you live in a single family home take a look at your own garbage and recycling cans. What size are they? Which one is bigger? If your garbage can is the same size or bigger than your recycling can there is room for improvement. If you live in an apartment and bring your garbage and recycling to the communal building cans you may have less of a gauge of the quantities of waste you produce, and the ratio between recycling/composting and garbage. Still, become aware of which you empty more often, your recycling or your garbage, and where you may be able to improve.

I must confess that I currently don't compost, although that will change come spring. My composting can is waiting out there, deeply buried in the snow. Other than that, we recycle everything we possibly can. Besides the obvious, such as newspapers and glass jars, it includes toilet paper and paper towel rolls, yogurt cups, aluminum foil, all recyclable plastic bagging or packaging, gift wrap, paper tags and what not. In an average week (meaning no parties) our family of four produces about one big 13 gallon (biodegradable) garbage bag full of waste. That includes what ought to go onto the compost pile (tea leaves, produce scraps, egg shells, coffee grounds, tissues and paper towels). Once we compost again our waste output should be about half a big trash bag full per week.

Please return to previous posts on the environmental trash mess, recycling more, buying less and producing less waste. Then become inspired to waste less.