“The trash man is the first one to know about a recession because we see it first,” said Richard S. Weber, manager of the Loudoun County landfill.

The article details how consumer behavior and buying patterns have changed to such a degree that trash volume has dropped significantly.

“It’s all part of the cycle of stuff that people in the trash business say they’ve seen in every economic downturn since the end of World War II. People don’t buy stuff, so there’s less packaging — which typically makes up one-third of all landfill trash — to toss. With a drop in demand, manufacturers make less, creating less waste. More vacant homes and fewer people in a community mean less trash. A stagnant housing market means less construction debris. On tight budgets, people eat out less, so restaurants order less, so there’s less to throw away. Landscapers are out of work, so there’s less yard debris.”

For a cool and sobering depiction of this process, take a look at The Story of Stuff.

What’s really powerful to me is how, when pressed by economic circumstances, people can and do change their behavior in ways that have a more positive planetary impact.

What’s encouraging about all of this is that businesses are rethinking how they produce, manufacture and transport things — changes that once implemented, will live on even after the economy rebounds. But what about our behavior as individuals and consumers?

• Are the changes that you’re making to adapt to this unstable economy, the ones that are also good for the environment, permanent?
• Will your new routines become life-long habits?
• Or, do you see old habits rebounding when the economy does?
• How is this all playing out in your circles?

One of the things the we can do to integrate these changes into our lives for the long haul is to involve the kids as much as possible. Let’s make eco-active living a given and a gift from the very start.

Read the full article.

Today, I found a new way to participate in measured dose. We attended a Freecycle event held by a local moms group.  I was thrilled to have a place to bring that box of wine glasses that were taking up space in our cabinets, those diaper genie refills from two generations ago and a bunch of old VHS movies and exercise videos, among other things.

I was geared up to pass along a load of goods and find a few things for the kids. I also wanted them to see first hand how things we no longer need can serve others and vice versa. And, while we didn’t have much luck in the kid’s corner, most likely due to our late arrival, I did snag a few goodies for myself. Most thrilling was a comment from another mom who said she was following me as I added our goods to the mix because she could use several of the things that we’d brought - including the diaper genie refills from two generations ago.

So, what can you do:

• Visit the Freecycle web site to learn this grassroots effort
• Join a local freecycle group (through the web site) and be a part of the exchange
• Attend a freecycle event (and if you can’t fnd one near you, host one yourself!)

Do you Freeycle? What’s been your best find?

It seems we’ve come full circle, having gone from practical, to eco-chic and trendy, to downright practical again, because of tough economic times. In our family, we’ve been driving less and consolidating errands during the week. And, we’ve been shopping less in general and are more conscious about what we purchase when we do (really need vs really want; long lasting vs short-term fix), to name a few.

Your turn:

• Has the failing economy had an impact on your earth-friendly practices?
• Which came first for you: saving money or helping the earth?
• What new things are you doing to save money that have the added benefit of helping the earth?
• Will you continue these practices once the economy rebounds? (And it will!!!)

To give ourselves some credit, we have trimmed our use of paper towels significantly. We used to buy the super-duper bundle at Costco and cut the sheets in half. But, tearing the sheets in half doesn’t always work well with the kiddies and the waste became unbearable. So, we switched to buying a three-pack of recycled paper towels from Trader Joe’s. Though thinner and smaller, we manage to stretch the pack out for two weeks or more. But, we are still buying them.

The place where we face the biggest challenge is in the kitchen with those super-sticky and greasy messes. We use cloth napkins and rags for most spills and for cleaning. But what to use to absorb the grease when microwaving bacon? I suppose one solution would to fry the bacon instead of microwaving it, or go the healthy route and not eat it at all!

So, here’s our commitment. Once the last role is gone, we won’t replace it. That’s it! We’ll stock up on rags, do a little more wash, and reduce our waste at the same time. Truthfully, I don’t think it’ll be that great of a challenge, but time will tell. Stay tuned for an update.

Have you abandoned paper napkins and paper towels? If so, how do you make it work? If you haven’t taken the plunge, what’s your greatest challenge?

So what can you do to be more eco-active:

1. Make a commitment to stop buying paper napkins immediately and use cloth instead. Stores like TJ Maxx, Marshalls, Ross and other discount retailers often have an assortment of cloth napkins in a variety of qualities and price points to fit almost any budget. I’ve also seen them at thrift and consigment stores, if you want to be super green about it.

2. Make limited us of paper napkins on the go, at restaurants and elsewhere. Fast-food and take-out restaurants routinely dispense napkins by the handful. Save the extras for your bag or car. In venues where you can grab you own, think twice before you grab a bunch; take only what you need and no more.

3. If you must use paper napkins, for special events or other occasions, go the recycled route. We now have options for buying recycled paper napkins at many retailers that sell napkins; Seventh Generation and Marcal are two brands that come to mind. Sure, many are not as soft or pretty, but when you consider it’s use and short life, soft and pretty are are small things to give up for a healthier planet.

Have you gone paperless? Tell us how you did it and what the impact was.

But, the article did contain some useful resources, in particular, a link to Eat the View, a campaign to ‘urge the Obamas to replant a large organic Victory Garden on the First Lawn with the produce going to the White House kitchen and to local food pantries.’ The site suggests some specific actions that individuals can take take, including signing a petition to support the effort and voting for the cause on the On Day One web site, to name a couple.

Getting even a little involved in this effort has me thinking a little more seriously about giving an edible garden another shot this spring.

So, what can you do?

1. Visit Eat the View and learn more about the effort and what you can do to support it.
2. Consider how you can participate in the movement. If you don’t have the space for a garden, consider a plot in a community garden. Check with your city or county parks and recreation office to see what your options are. Consider buying goods through a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program, at farmer’s markets, or from a green grocer.
3. Talk it up in your communities and spread the word!

I think the goal is a wonderful one, though I can appreciate the costs and security challenges that might be involved. But my, what a powerful example it could be! I’m looking forward to the follow up article in tomorrow’s home section about what it might take to make this happen.

We tried our hand at gardening last year using a rented plot at our oldest daughter’s school. A steep learning curve and lack of time for watering and weeding, however, meant our pickings were non-existent; though we did get a pretty flower or two. But, we did learned a few things in the process and were able to harvest lost of worms for our compost pile, which we hope to put to use when we attempt a garden again this spring.

So, how about you … Do you garden (in season) and eat what you grow? Do you buy locally grown foods? Participate in a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program?

As I began to collect them for disposal, I remembered seeing a sign recently at my children’s preschool with warnings against flushing unwanted medications and tips for properly disposing of them. Since school is closed the next few days, I decided to go online to determine exactly what I should do with this stash.

The general consensus seems to be that we should only flush medications when specifically indicated in the packaging, as with some narcotic pain medications (to prevent abuse). Because of concerns about improperly discarded medicines having a negative impact on our environment and waterways, flushing is otherwise not recommended. There seems to be agreement, though, that some portion of medications make their way into the waterways because our bodies pass along what they don’t absorb as waste and our treatment facilities don’t eliminate all traces. But, even though traces may still end up in our waterways, it seems wise to avoid unnecessarily adding more.

So, what can you do?

1. Remove medications from original containers, especially if prescription (privacy protection), put in a bag or other container and put with coffee grounds, cat litter, or other highly undesirable trash less likely to be riffled through.
2. Search for location that accepts unwanted and/or unneeded medications. Earth911 as a search tool where one can enter a zip code to find a center within a maximum of 100 miles where medications can be taken.  At the top of the homepage, just enter “unused or unwanted medications” in the “what” box and your zip in the “where box.
3. Consider medication purchases on the front end. I’m not opposed to the use of prescription medications, I take them when I need them. But, I will definitely give more thought to over-the-counter medications, purchase smaller quantities that are more likely to be fully consumed before they expire, and explore alternative treatments.
4. Learn more about recycling and reclamation programs. According to Earth911, 37 states have created programs for recycling and reclaiming drugs. Find out what resources are available where you live and/or work.

So, what can you do?

Take 20-minutes to listen to the program to get some useful tips and ideas on what you can do to ensure that your old electronics are properly taken care of once they leave your home.

So, when I put the call out to Jo Jo to help with recycling and her response was flat, I was only momentarily disappointed because The Boy came to the rescue! A mere two years old, he came dashing across the room to the entry, ‘I want re-cy-cle. I want re-cy-cle!’ and off we went. He helped to separate into one bin the bottles, containers, foil, plastic bags and wrappings and helped get the paper goods into the other. A little bit of back-and-forth here and there, but eventually, he nailed it.

A short while later, when Dad grabbed a bin to take to the curb and suggested that Pee-bah and I grab the other, The Boy didn’t miss a beat. Again, he was across the room before we had our hands on the bin. He quickly assumed his position at one end of the bin and proceeded to push the bin, along with his sister, right out the door.

Recycling is a particularly fun adventure these days because it gets dark so early. And, because the kids had an early bath today, there was the extra charge from being outside in their pajamas with rain boots on!

What can you do to get your kids involved in recycling?

1. Make eco-active living part of your everyday life. Talk about the Earth, nature and daily changes in our weather, temperature and seasons. Talk about the impact that our daily activities and the choices we make have on the earth — everything from how much water we use to wash our hands to the decision to purchase goods made from renewable resources. Raising their awareness of their natural surroundings helps to answer the ‘why’ questions about eco-active efforts.
2. When it comes time to toss, have them consider the decision. Can said item be reused or recycled? You’d be amazed at how many new uses kids can find for a thing that might have ended up on the curb without a second thought. Kids are incredibly resourceful and creative human beings. We can learn much about the numerous possible uses for an empty butter tubs, among other things.
3. Create a routine around prep for recycling the day before pick-up. Our kids know that it’s one of the things we regularly do on Sundays. Sometimes it’s more fun than others, but we all know it’s one of the important things we do every week to help mother Earth. Keeping them connected to why we do it often reduces to resistance to doing it on those days when they are just not feeling it!

Your Turn:

How do you involve your kids your efforts to reduce, reuse, and recycle?