Garbage Stretch Goals

In the past few years, we have been composting, recycling, and generally reducing our waste.  We fill up the large recycle bin every two weeks, but never the big trash can.  So Jill decided it was time to crystallize our commitment, and save some money to boot.

The City of Austin lets you downsize your trash can, and gives a financial incentive to do so.  We had the largest can (96 gallons), and Jill moved us to the smallest one (32 gallons).  A bit of a stretch goal, but we are saving $1.09 every four months!

She thinks that it has been a smooth transition, and that we have been able to live with a tiny fraction of our previous waste capacity.  What she doesn't see is twice a week, I sneak a full garbage bag in my car and take it to work.  When this is not enough, I creep under cover of darkness and put a bag in the Joh's trashcan, and when they are full, into the other neighbor's cans.  My neighbors marvel at how we can get all of our trash into a can the size of a small wastepaper basket, and openly lament their inability to downsize their waste like we do.  I sympathize, and agree with them that they really should be doing more.  We can't continue to carry the load for them!