Been kinda on a garbage kick lately.  Don’t get me wrong, my ability to have a messy place is normal, but having tons of trash around is another. Now I grew up in a family where when we went camping everything that went in the fire that didn’t expell huge amounts of toxic gases or need molten lava in order to reach its burning point we burned.  We were also that family that had huge burn piles in the back yard for cleared foliage.  However if it could be used until it absolutely couldn’t it was.  So if it was still in decent shape we gave it to someone who needed it or the Goodwill.  It was great being a camping family because all old dishes always had a second chance as camping goods.  There was also the possibility that it would be needed for a future project too.  We tried to think of every way within reason something could be utilized.  I guess you could consider us minimalists because we didn’t have much money we couldn’t and didn’t want to save much stuff.  Now the extent of sorting it got more tricky between family members.  Once recycling became a big thing there was a wonder, is it actually worth it?  Well maybe in the beginning it was expensive if I remember correctly so was the first boom box.   Now it has gotten so popular and efficient that cities have mandatory composting receptacles in restaurants and at the curbside of your home.  That is right composting is a thing.  What is so useful is it allows cities with less need to dig and bring in outside resources and instead become self-sustaining.  Imagine all the scenery you enjoy on your afternoon walk even the soil feeding the field came from your dinner scraps, flowers a plenty provided by your breakfast extras.  Yes, people it is possible and has been done. So when I look at my room and wonder why I have separate bins for trash I remember Mother Earth.  Just as relationships can’t survive take alone or give alone, the environment has to be a reciprocal relationship.

-Jennie Nawrocki