One Trash Can a Year

Oct. 20, 2009 - Louise Pape, Vice Chair of the Sustainable Santa Fe Commission, led a workshop for the Northern New Mexico Group titled “One Trash Can per Year.”

Starting with some basic facts about how massive a problem over-consumption and its resultant trash really is, including one EPA estimate that 46% of US greenhouse gas emissions are from the management of materials, the focus of the session was on building familiarity with a model for reducing consumption, and the disposal options for what's left, with the trash can always being the last resort. The concept of “Earth Dollars” asked for rethinking the normal “I'll buy this because I can afford it” and switching to “Can the Earth afford this?” Several participatory activities lead the participants through the new model to spur thinking about the steps to reach this ambitious goal, key to reducing our carbon footprint. A good time was had by all the participants, and many useful tips were proffered. David Van Winkle ended the program with a testimonial, indicating that he had reduced waste to about 1 trash can per month and had stopped his trash pick up service. Thus, he is saving more than $400/year