A challenge, not a chore

Nothing is appealing about garbage. Not talking about it or writing about it. But as of late it is at hot topic in our community. As you probably already know, regional council has approved some changes to our collection recently. Here’s basically what you need to know (courtesy of halifax.ca):

— A maximum of six regulation plastic bags (clear bags) including one privacy bag in the six bag limit per residential single unit collection. A privacy bag can be a standard solid colour bag (black/green/opaque). One single garbage container can contain small solid colour bags and not require a bag as a liner.

— A maximum of four regulation plastic bags (clear bags) including one privacy bag in the four bag limit per unit (up to six-unit multi-residential property eligible for curbside collection) (max 24 clear bags for a six unit building).

— Boxboard to be placed with the paper or cardboard in addition to being permitted for use in the green cart (as a kitchen scrap catcher).

— Using Kraft paper bags for excess leaf and yard waste instead of plastic bags while still permitting leaf and yard waste placed in the green cart.

— Banning grass clippings from curbside collection in favour of grasscycling and/or backyard composting.

— No grass clippings will be collected curbside.

Honestly, I’m not the most diligent recycler. I always put beverage containers in our blue bag and paper in its proper place, but I’m guilty (I know I’m not the only one!) of lobing items into the garbage occasionally when I know full well that they belong elsewhere.

The way I see it, these new rules have been working well in other communities in our own province, so it makes perfect sense that we follow suit. And trust me, in a household of four with one member who’s still in diapers, we make our fair share of waste. I don’t look at this as an additional chore though; I see it as a challenge. I haven’t thought hard about our garbage before, but now that it’ll be clearly on display, it has encouraged me to rethink our strategy.

What do you think? Are you happy about this change or dreading it? Email me at [email protected] or tweet us at @HRMcommunities with your two cents.

A simple guide to what goes where can be found here: www.halifax.ca/recycle/documents/WhatGoesWhere12.pdf.