Back in late 1999 and early 2000 the roommate I was living with was huge on recycling, I at the time did not give a shit about recycling and would only recycle things when she was around and I’d ask if everything was recyclable in a mocking way, even if I already knew because I found it all rather silly. How ignorant I can be.
I can’t remember now when I started to recycle but I do as much as I can and she has become jaded and doesn’t.
For me, recycling has become a bit of an obsession, mind you a good one. I like to keep the How to Set Out Your Recyclables page handy off of the City of Vancouver website. Yes, I am nerdalicious and I love it. I get extremely pissed off and rant about anything that does not have clear recycling instructions on it, there is no excuse for that in my opinion in today’s day and age. I also think that apartment recycling and recycling from your home should be the same so things we don’t have bins for I recycle anyway because I know the guy that lives across the street in a HOUSE gets to so why oh why can’t I?
Recently Adam and I have added new measures to being people who are good to the Earth. I used to be really bad about leaving the water on when I brushed my teeth. I turn the water off now. Adam used to only use cloth hankies at work, now he uses them at home as well. I still use a tissue I can’t blow my nose into something as many times as a hankie should be good for. I am much more conscious of how long I’m in the shower for. And then one day I was in the kitchen and glanced down at the extension cord that contained, the microwave, the coffee pot, the grill and the toaster oven. I unplugged everything and when Adam got home I told him we were going power friendly we would be unplugging the entire kitchen when not in use and we would also unplug the power bar connected to the computer when the computer was off. We still leave the fan on almost constantly and haven’t gotten into turning off the power bar that runs the t.v stuff yet but I am sure that is coming.
It has been an adjustment but one that makes me feel good about myself when I remember to do all of the new things we are doing. I find it rather fun. Since I started recycling I have found it fun, although I don’t know why I find it ‘fun’ to be exact. Since we have started implementing the changes I have found myself almost sickened at how much power we were draining just out of our tiny kitchen, I can’t believe how much there is to leave unplugged. I still have a bad habit of leaving the t.v with the mute button on when I’m home alone but not watching it, I find it to be comforting, I picked the habit up from my dad, why he leaves his on I don’t know. I’m working on not doing that as well. Some things are easier than others, the t.v is on mute right now and I am not watching it.
…. ok you talked me into it… I’ll go play Guitar Hero Encore Rocks the 80s edition right now then so at least I’m using it.
