Talking Trash

One thing I find it particularly thrilling to do these days is check the bin in my office before I leave work to see what’s in there. Yesterday’s inventory: six pieces of gum and a used post-it note. Today’s: six pieces of gum, one square of kitchen roll (that’s paper towel to you Americans) and the empty wrapper of a bar of Green and Black’s 70% dark chocolate. Both made me extremely proud.

So what does this tell you about me – besides that I have a pretty serious gum habit (which I am sure is really bad for the planet, let alone my teeth/insides) and that I should get out more?

Well, when you compare it to my bin the same time last year, which would probably have contained a coffee cup and paper sleeve, muffin bag and paper towel from breakfast, a plastic salad box, possibly plastic cutlery and napkins from lunch, several old powerpoint decks (our building doesn’t recycle paper), possibly a newspaper or trade mag or three and some junk mail, it says that I’m actually doing pretty well on the not contributing to landfill thing. Nowadays I bring my lunch in my natty Sigg lunch box, take my paper home to recycle (I’ve cancelled my newspaper subscriptions) and am a complete no-printing Nazi as far as possible (this has the added bonus of meaning my desk is no longer evidence of my atrocious filing skills; you can even see a bit of desk through the few pages I have grudgingly printed or other people have printed for me).

Of course what doesn’t show up here are the paper towels I use in the bathroom. I do usually, in very ladylike fashion, dry my hands by wiping them down my jeans but now and then I lapse. So I keep meaning to bring a cloth with me for general hand-drying, napkin usage etc. which can then be washed and reused. Must pack one for tomorrow.

The gum and chocolate habits will be harder to break. After all, even a green girl has to have some vices.

By the way, am watching Robert Redford's new green segment on the Sundance Channel. Pretty interesting. Am all excited at the idea of changing our car to run on biodiesel. Now just have to find out if we can get our hands on some here. We couldn't last time I checked. Will let you know.