Got Quads?

It’s easy to blame families with higher order multiples (or even just lots of kids in general) for the waste generated in your community. After all, we use a lot of stuff. But that doesn’t mean we’re not doing our part to help the environment. Today is trash day and I took a good look at what’s sitting on the curb. I’m starting to think we’re one of the only families in the neighborhood who actually recycle.

When my daughters were born we lived in a community with curbside recycling. We recycled anything and (almost) everything. Our trash consisted mainly of dirty diapers and the stuff we cleaned out of the cat box. Yes, we could have used cloth diapers but with four babies you’ll need to cut me some slack.

When we moved to our current community we suddenly found ourselves without curbside recycling. So we spent about a year generating a lot of trash. We had some nearby recycling drop-off sites but most days I’m lucky to squeeze in a shower, so taking my recyclables somewhere wasn’t realistic. Then in December our trash collectors presented everyone in the neighborhood with a gift: recycling bins! We’ve had curbside recycling since January. Yet, not everyone in the neighborhood is on board with it.

Our recycling is picked up every other week. Today was not a recyling day. I saw numerous cardboard boxes sitting on the curb waiting to be picked up with the trash. Is it really that hard to wait an extra week to put out the recycling? Hubby and I fill no more than two 32 gallon trash cans now that we have curbside recycling. It’s mainly the diapers and cat box “gifts.” Our next door neighbors this morning had one of those industrial type trash cans filled to the brim, plus three bags sitting next to that. Their recycling bins sit unused next to their garage. One guy down the street uses his recycling bin as an oil pan for his leaky truck.

Ever since we received our bins I’ve tried really hard to get my daughters to understand the concept of recycling. Here’s a typical conversation:

Daughter (pick one): Mommy I need to throw this away.

Me: No, we need to put that in the recycling.

Daughter: ‘Cycling?

Me: Yes, you know those green bins out in the garage on top of the wagon? (Makes it easier for Hubby to roll the bins out on collection day)

Daughter: Oh… then it goes in the trash?

Me: No. When you recycle something it’s used to make something else.

Daughter: Make more mac and cheese?

Me: No you don’t make food with it, but that box might be used to make a new box for your mac and cheese.

We’re obviously still learning, but I figure if four 3-year-olds can start grasping the concept of recycling, then certainly my neighbors can join the effort, too!