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 was cheaper than taking things 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 free stuff 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. (IMPORTANT: Never burn pressure treated or painted wood! Burning it creates hazardous fumes.) Savings: unknown.
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, and 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 began homeschooling her three children in 1996. She is the administrator of a small, private ISP she established for her own family and several of her friends. She has been published in Practical Homeschooling and the Intuit ProConnection Newsletter. She operates a bookkeeping and tax service from her home. You may visit her business website at http://www.jenniferthieme.com. |
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