I know you’ve heard that little maxim. And I’m sorry to tell you that yes, “throw it out” means into the Garbage — i.e., not the recycling. And I know that’s painful for you. You WANT everything to be recyclable — but it’s not. I used to suffer from the same illness — which by […]
Entries Tagged as 'throwing stuff out'
“When in doubt, Throw it out!”
March 5th, 2014 · No Comments · Garbage, Recycling, Trash Disposal
Tags:conveyor belt work·garbage problem·landfill·Materials Recovery Facility·MRF·non-recyclables·recycling·sorters·sorting·sorting garbage·sorting recyclables·throwing stuff out·waste disposal·working
Where to get rid of Styrofoam blocks in Portland
June 13th, 2013 · 4 Comments · Disposability, Packaging, Polystyrene, Recycling, Trash Disposal
I have to admit I’ve been feeling somewhat holy about going to the trouble of schlepping our huge Styrofoam blocks out to one of the only two places in Portland that will take them. I feel less holy after what I’ve just found out. …. which I’ll tell you about in a minute. But first […]
Tags:cheaply made goods·garbage problem·landfill·non-recyclables·packaging·polystyrene·recycling·Styrofoam·throwing stuff out·waste disposal·wasteful packaging
Why we don’t want to be inhaling or swallowing Styrofoam
June 10th, 2013 · No Comments · brain theory, Consumer Issues, Disposability, Trash Disposal
It’s not rocket surgery. All you have to do is watch the surface of any hot liquid in one of those Styrofoam cups to see it forming a slick on your drink. When every cell in my body goes “Ew!” I pay attention. I may not be a scientist, but my body knows a few […]
Tags:disposable·disposable food containers·food containers·garbage problem·landfill·non-recyclable food containers·non-recyclables·polystyrene·Styrofoam·Styrofoam food containers·take-out food containers·throwing stuff out
Aftermath of Tragedy: explosions, shootings, storms, & floods
April 24th, 2013 · No Comments · Decluttering, Philosophy
It seemed inappropriate to write about clutter with that whole bombing thing going on in Boston. I was watching and re-watching the videos just like everyone else. Maybe not just like everyone else — I’m not sure. After a point, I made myself stop. I think for a while we do it because we just […]
Tags:clutter reduction·decluttering·despair·throwing stuff out·too much stuff
Collectivitis combined with the ecological mindset
March 18th, 2013 · 1 Comment · Collecting, Consumer Issues, Disposability, Philosophy, The Packrat Mind, Trash Disposal
You might think it’s dumb that I write about things like pen caps and sock hangers — but that would mean you were missing my larger purpose. My assignment (call it a compulsion if you must) is to scrutinize each and every little item and ask the big questions — go all the way back […]
Tags:cheaply made goods·collecting·collectivitis·disposability·garbage problem·landfill·packrat mentality·throwing stuff out·too much stuff·waste·waste disposal
Sentenced to sort
February 9th, 2013 · 1 Comment · Decluttering, Passing it on, Recycling, Trash Disposal
A few days ago I took out all the pens I could find around the house and put them on the dining room table so I could sort them: “Pens to keep” and “Pens to get rid of.” But each of those categories has several subcategories, like Pens I love but need ink refills; Pens […]
Tags:clutter reduction·decluttering·despair·getting rid of stuff·pens·plastic·recycling·throwing stuff out·too much stuff·writing implements
Hoarder, Packrat, what’s the difference?
December 11th, 2012 · 1 Comment · Hoarding, Packratting
Have you ever watched the TV reality show called Hoarder? I haven’t, but I don’t really need to, because I’ve seen hoardiness in person. During the Broke Era of my life, i.e. my twenties and thirties, I lived for a year in a sort of …. rind of a boarding house … where I shared […]
Life’s Important Questions about Junk
December 6th, 2012 · No Comments · Consumer Issues, Decluttering, Excess of Possessions
Nowadays, every item I choose to purge brings up a whole list of complicated questions, such as: How did this item get into my house, why did I keep it, and what shall I do with it now? After a while, getting rid of stuff becomes a tiresome chore, and you begin to ask even more […]
Tags:clutter reduction·decluttering·getting rid of stuff·purging·throwing stuff out·too much stuff