7 Ways to Get Rid of Your Trash
I found this great post on ezinearticles and I thought I re-publish to our blog because it offers some great tips on getting rid of trash!
7 Ways to Get Rid of Your Trash
Several years ago my husband and I remodeled our home. You would not believe the mountains of trash it generated! Because there was so much, I had to become creative to get rid of it. Here are seven methods I used for disposing of our trash:
1. Curb It. Prior to the remodel, we were on a “one can” plan with our trash company. I quickly realized that the “eight cans” plan would be better so that some of the remodeling trash could go out each week. Cost: about $7 more a month.
2. Haul It. Some things were too large to fit into trash cans; these were loaded into my husband’s truck and taken to the “Transfer Station.” This facility was operated by the trash company to serve people like me who had large items. Cost: about $25 per load.
3. Advertise It. Another way to get rid of anything that still had use was to advertise it in the classifieds. Some things I gave away; some things I sold. It depended on what I thought I could get for it. This was very effective and, for the free items, it was was cheaper than taking them to the dump. Plus, the idea of less stuff going to the landfill is always appealing. Earnings: about $250, plus unknown savings from not needing to haul the give-ways to the transfer station.
4. Recycle It. My favorite way of getting rid of metals was to take them to the recycling center. The one near our home took many types of materials, and even paid for some of it. I took all the scrap aluminum and copper there, which they paid for. I also took scrap steel to them. They don’t pay for it, but it was still better than taking it to the transfer station where I would have to pay to off-load it. Earnings on aluminum and copper: about $100. Savings from steel: about $45.
5. Reuse It. A small portion of the lumber torn out from the remodel was reusable. We first removed stray nails, then used it as framing or siding. Savings: unknown.
6. Burn It. Untreated or unpainted wood became fuel for our wood-burning stove. My husband had a chop saw, and he cut the burnable wood into small sized that fit into the stove. (IMPORTANT: Never burn pressure treated or painted wood! Burning it creates hazardous fumes.) Savings/earnings: unknown, but this actually saved us money on two fronts. We didn’t have to haul the wood to the dump, plus we didn’t have to run the furnace.
7. Compost It. You may be wondering, “How did they compost building materials?” Truthfully, we didn’t, but it’s still an alternative worth discussing. If you need to lower your expenses, consider going on a one can plan with your trash company if they offer it. Then, compost most food products. You can also recycle glass, paper, plastic, and cans. If you do this consistently and don’t have a large family, you should have no problem using only one can for regular household trash. Savings: $7 a month.
With a little ingenuity, you too can get rid of trash, earn or save some money, and not have it all go to our landfills.
Jennifer Thieme is the Director of Marketing for Instant Care.
Innovative companies such as Instant Care are always creating new independent living aid products to help seniors. If you looking for a dynamic 24 Hour Nurse Line and Emergency Response System to help provide your parents with an extra level of security and independence, visit http://www.myinstantcare.com today!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jennifer_Thieme
Tags: Blog, garbage, junk removal, recycling, rubbish, tips, trahs removal, trash