I really dislike throwing things out in Toronto. It is exceptionally complicated. We have four trash cans for curbside collection. We have three trash cans in our kitchen. We can only set them out according to a complicated schedule dictated by the "Waste Wizards" of Toronto. Regular garbage at our house is only collected every other week in a trash can the size of our kitchen garbage can in the U.S. It holds one full bag of garbage.
As an example, please let me share our exchange about my husband's take out meal, which came packaged in a styrofoam container, with plastic silverware, in a paper bag. With paper napkins, lest we forget.
J: Can you help me throw this away?
A: Do I have to?
J: Please?
A: Fine. First, scrape the extra food into the food trash. Then, rinse the styrofoam container, and recycle that and the paper bag. The napkins go into the food trash. Plasticware goes into the regular trash.
J: Are you kidding me?
This level of complication happens on every trash transaction. Baggie of goldfish? Fish in food trash, baggie in regular garbage. I wouldn't even know where to begin with a juice box. Milk bags* are just normal trash, in case you were wondering. I do find myself consulting the waste wizard on a regular basis, because I am a rule follower and a big dork.
I know, I know, I should be more accepting of being green. I cloth diapered both children for awhile, right? I'm down with recycling. I'm also down with composting. It's just a pain to have to think about your trash, when you want to just get rid of something. And I don't think Toronto has made it easier for people. They stopped sending their trash to Detroit this past December, though, so maybe that is progress?
*Everyone saw the reference to milk bags in 30 Rock, right?
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