June 11, 2009
Once again, San Francisco sets the bar for conscientious living.  The city just passed new recycling and composting rules.  According to a New York Times article, “The city already diverts 72 percent of [it’s residential waste] … away from landfills and into recycling and composting programs. The new ordinance will help the city toward its goal of sending zero waste to landfills by 2020.”  That is my kind of city!

Once again, San Francisco sets the bar for conscientious living.  The city just passed new recycling and composting rules.  According to a New York Times article, “The city already diverts 72 percent of [it’s residential waste] … away from landfills and into recycling and composting programs. The new ordinance will help the city toward its goal of sending zero waste to landfills by 2020.”  That is my kind of city!

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photo from jonathan020 on flickr.com I recently learned from a friend (who lives in Boston) that the post-market bulldozing that we saw was from an outdoor market - not a farmer’s market.  The difference is that the produce is not necessarily coming directly from farmers; it may be bulk, or surplus from food vendors. The prices are thus cheaper than most grocery stores (more info here).  So maybe that would explain the buying frenzy that resulted in so much garbage. Oops, maybe I let an outdoor market give farmers markets a bad name … but then I looked online and came across some pictures of “real” farmers market in Boston.  Smaller scale, but similar photos: a big pile of garbage. I wonder what happens to this pile. I can only guess that it does not get sorted and recycled and composted. I am definitely not trying to point the finger at Boston, and I’m not trying to criticize markets. If we looked in the dumpster of any grocery store, we’d see much more garbage than this. Many markets actively recycle and/or compost. This picture is just something to keep in mind as we decide which markets to support.
photo from jonathan020 on flickr.com

I recently learned from a friend (who lives in Boston) that the post-market bulldozing that we saw was from an outdoor market - not a farmer’s market.  The difference is that the produce is not necessarily coming directly from farmers; it may be bulk, or surplus from food vendors. The prices are thus cheaper than most grocery stores (more info here).  So maybe that would explain the buying frenzy that resulted in so much garbage.

Oops, maybe I let an outdoor market give farmers markets a bad name … but then I looked online and came across some pictures of “real” farmers market in Boston.  Smaller scale, but similar photos: a big pile of garbage. I wonder what happens to this pile. I can only guess that it does not get sorted and recycled and composted.

I am definitely not trying to point the finger at Boston, and I’m not trying to criticize markets. If we looked in the dumpster of any grocery store, we’d see much more garbage than this. Many markets actively recycle and/or compost. This picture is just something to keep in mind as we decide which markets to support.

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April 14, 2009
When I visited Boston a few weeks ago, we came across this bizarre scene one evening. Farmers markets are a good thing, right? Maybe not, if it takes a bulldozer to clean up the aftermath! Boxes and produce were scattered far and wide - all to be dozed right into the landfill. Have you ever stayed to see the cleanup of a farmers market? It would help us to make wise decisions about choosing which farmers markets to support.

When I visited Boston a few weeks ago, we came across this bizarre scene one evening. Farmers markets are a good thing, right? Maybe not, if it takes a bulldozer to clean up the aftermath! Boxes and produce were scattered far and wide - all to be dozed right into the landfill. Have you ever stayed to see the cleanup of a farmers market? It would help us to make wise decisions about choosing which farmers markets to support.

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February 17, 2009
California vacation… In early February, I spent a week in San Francisco and Big Sur.  San Francisco is a Zero Garage Challenge heaven! It was the first city to ban plastic shopping bags. (Meanwhile, by the way, Virginia recently rejected such a ban). San Fran food vendors are required to use compostable or recyclable to-go containers. There are public compost bins scattered about. They even compost waxed cardboard, paper plates and napkins! And the recycle bins and compost bins are as large as the garbage bins! I hardly had to think about the challenge while I was there. Now that’s my idea of a good vacation…

California vacation…

In early February, I spent a week in San Francisco and Big Sur.  San Francisco is a Zero Garage Challenge heaven! It was the first city to ban plastic shopping bags. (Meanwhile, by the way, Virginia recently rejected such a ban). San Fran food vendors are required to use compostable or recyclable to-go containers. There are public compost bins scattered about. They even compost waxed cardboard, paper plates and napkins! And the recycle bins and compost bins are as large as the garbage bins! I hardly had to think about the challenge while I was there. Now that’s my idea of a good vacation…

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Vacation non-garbage: All of my vacation non-garbage came from my air travel. Airports are almost the antithesis of zero garbage.  Almost.  But with enough planning and good luck, I could have made it through without the accrual.   I had it all planned out that I would not check my luggage (and thereby avoid the luggage stickers and the luggage tag).  But my best laid plans were tossed aside when I found out that I would have 20 minutes to make a connection in Salt Lake City.  Running through the airport was a certainty.  There was no way I would make it with a big bag dangling from my shoulder.  So I succumbed to the bag check.  The styrofoam happened when I ordered soup.  I misunderstood the cashier and ordered to-go, when I could have ordered to stay.  When I realized my error, it was too late.  This could have been avoided by packing more food before I left home.  It will make an interesting addition to the collage, anyway.

Vacation non-garbage:

All of my vacation non-garbage came from my air travel. Airports are almost the antithesis of zero garbage.  Almost.  But with enough planning and good luck, I could have made it through without the accrual.  

I had it all planned out that I would not check my luggage (and thereby avoid the luggage stickers and the luggage tag).  But my best laid plans were tossed aside when I found out that I would have 20 minutes to make a connection in Salt Lake City.  Running through the airport was a certainty.  There was no way I would make it with a big bag dangling from my shoulder.  So I succumbed to the bag check. 

The styrofoam happened when I ordered soup.  I misunderstood the cashier and ordered to-go, when I could have ordered to stay.  When I realized my error, it was too late.  This could have been avoided by packing more food before I left home.  It will make an interesting addition to the collage, anyway.

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