Big Garbage Day--A Backyard Observation

Big garbage day comes on the first Thursday of the month in my neighborhood. Regardless of my own history of incredible finds in other people's cast offs, I have become more and more mystified by the paradox of some what is being thrown out. I first started thinking about this a few months ago when all three houses in the dead end across from my front garden put pink plastic playhouses out for pick-up.

Eager to give their children a safe and fun backyard experience many well meaning parents purchase plastic toys and play equipment which are inexpensive and plentiful in the marketplace. Even if these toys are made with recycled plastic, they are ultimately not recycled. Parents who normally recycle, are environmentally aware and have switched to refillable water bottles don't even consider the impact of these toys on the environment their children will inherit once the toys are outgrown and tossed out.

The oh so common and (bleck!) cute turtle sandbox (photo via Little Tykes) below, along with easels, lawn mowers and plastic basketball hoops, racing car beds, and yes, another playhouse were on the curb this morning. Every single one was in good enough shape to be passed on to some other child instead of ending up in the landfill.

Why not Wisteria?

As beautiful and romantic as it is...


Here's why I never recommend it, plain and simple.

Wisteria escaped from a garden climbing a very large Picea abies on my block

There are wisteria vines choking out, shading foliage and pulling down garden structures in more places in New Jersey than I care to relate.

More than Me

Ok. Let me start off by saying that what I'm about to say is going to really going to make some people angry. I suspect it will be those with a holier than thou sensibility. I also suspect that it will be those with really loud bullying voices. If not then...good...maybe I'm not battling windmills.

Even with my activist background as a young adult, several years ago I became more 'enlightened'. I read Cradle to Cradle, visited and wrote about my reaction to sustainable gardens in Southern California and of course I saw An Inconvenient Truth. I have always turned out lights when I leave the room, have recycled and reused (including a long history dumpster diving) and I plant trees and other oxygenating plants as part of how I make my living. So far so good, right?

The trouble, for me, became when I started to be involved with social media. All this talk and posturing about being green, being sustainable, helping the planet. Don't get me wrong, that's a good thing--at least the conversation is happening. What get's me though is that it often all seems so selfish. I'm green, hire me! I can help you save the planet, hire me! I'm an expert in sustainability, hire me! I write a blog about sustainability, hire me! What!!! You still buy XXX's product--shame on you, I don't, I'm green, hire me! ME, ME, ME.

What about helping each other just because we all share the same planet? Does it always have to be about me and how I can profit by this or 'make good by doing good'...why not just because it's the right thing to do?