Creating less garbage

I don't like to have bills of any kind and this is how I got rid of my garbage bill.

I started analyzing what was in my garbage and made definite changes that worked:

I saw a cereal box crumpled up. The change: When I go to the grocery store I leave behind the packaging like with cereal boxes. I can tell what it is. If enough people did it they might switch (to look politically correct green) simple biodegradable packaging with just a label on the outside. The disadvantage to them is that we could see how much or little we are really getting without the box to hide it in!

Even better change: I bought a wonderful oat roller/flaker. I run raw oats through it, making my own oatmeal, enough for a fresh bowl of oatmeal in the morning. I put the oats in hot water, add some raisins, cloves and cinnamon and cover for 10 minutes. It's wonderful!

Stop buying cans. I can make homemade pea soup and many others in only a few minutes prep time. I started making my own marinara sauce and putting it into jars with reusable canning lids.

Stop using plastic wrap. We started using real Tupperware that seals great, is made from safe plastic and has a lifetime warranty. If it breaks you get a new one.

Stop using paper towels. Use reusable heavy duty absorbent towels that can be washed. Tupperware has these too. Oops, I sound like a commercial for them.

Fruit and veggie peels, coffee grounds, scraps. These are wonderful to put in a worm bin that is in or by your kitchen. You can create the best potting soil for free.

Newspapers: in your garden put them on the ground spread out next to your plants then cover thickly with grass clippings. This way no weeds all season and no watering needed. Each year your soil will be even richer.

Yogurt cups. Handy for making homemade yogurt for 1/4 the price. They also make good little pots. We don’t buy or drink commercial pasteurized milk as they found it is not good for you and causes illnesses. We get raw milk from Daisy, a cow we know personally and exchange glass bottles.

Shopping bags. We have been collecting and bringing our own cloth shopping bags we keep in our car. You get many positive comments on your effort at the farmers market.

By the way when the city found out I stopped my garbage service they issued a warrant that I could be fined and arrested for "illegal dumping of my garbage." I told them I didn’t have any garbage and could use more garbage for my projects. They came to inspect me. I explained my system. They thought it was revolutionary in reducing community waste but said they wouldn’t go to the trouble of doing it themselves and would still come check and "get me" if I tried anything sneaky.