From the new blog TrashCanDiaries which promises to share the story of one Ammani family's war on its own household trash. http://trashcandiaries.wordpress.com/ by Mudanddough
Declaring our war on trash or rethinking our life from the trash can back.
Did you ever seriously consider your household trash? Did you wonder why there is so much of it, where it goes and what it says about how you live and think?
Well I did, and I didn’t like what I found out one bit. Initially, I was overwhelmed by guilt for failing even what little environmental principles I nominally upheld. But I also didn’t appreciate what our trash said about how we lived, ate, washed, cleaned, shopped or spent money. In fact, I had this uneasy feeling that we were as much victims of our trash as the environment in which it was dumped. Nor did our trash flatter my sense of social responsibility ,as it betrayed consumption habits decidedly unfavorable to local and especially small producers.
At first, I talked myself into believing that this is inevitably the reality of ”modern” living in a global economy, but it was easy to be persuaded out. This was about choice not destiny. So I took the plunge. Last August, I declared war on our household trash, a war with the ambitious goal of exterminating our input to garbage landfills.
I planned the war meticulously with elaborate strategy and tactics befitting an enemy that is stubbornly entrenched in every corner of our life. And, off course, I had to enlist the support of all household members who were going to be affected by this, which support they granted not without legitimate resistance. Today, I am very mindful that winning this war requires combatting the enemy while managing combatant morale and unity of the internal front.
Almost four month into this war, there have been important victories, frustrating stalemates and occasional truces . Although, as expected final victory is still far from sight, combatant morale is still high and for a good reason. This is proving to be one war with positive collateral damage. In spite of the expected inconveniences, adjustments and sacrifices, the rewards have been great, whether measured in terms of improved quality of life, empowered consciousness, or yes indeed, substantial savings. And without any illusion about our impact , it still feels good to live in truth and walk the talk about green living. For all of the above reasons, retreating to the old order is looking less and less desirable, and what started as an experiment looks like it may become a way of life.
This blog shares our war story(ies), with all the attendant successes , frustrations, realizations and transformations. It also offers useful practical tips should you decide to join the battle in your own home. No originality is claimed, though, as there are many inspiring online stories of courageous green living crusades. The blog, however, tells a story specific to Jordan, its culture and environment. Indeed household, trash may be a global(ized) epidemic, yet the fight against it must be won in local battles, armed with local solutions, drawing on resourcefulness, traditions and innovations.
This is also not a blog simply preaching the reduce reuse and recycle mantra. Valuable as it may be, based on our experience, the formula underestimates the enemy, and needs to be extended to include other critical “re-s” , among which are reevaluate, restore, remember, reconnect, re invent and redesign. It seems that the war on trash requires no less than radically rethinking our life from the trash can back.
If you are interested in following this story , you know which buttons to press. Will be back soon, with live coverage from the battlefield.
