Portland: recycling is up, garbage is down!

I totally geek out when I see the Portland Curbsider in my mailbox. Oooh! What's the latest news on garbage? I pour myself a cuppa tea and settle in for a good read. The latest edition: residential recycling and yard debris composting increased by 14% in the past year (thanks to the new rollcart system) while residential garbage decreased by 9% (thanks to the economy). And Portlanders are recycling and composting 67% of their waste, which is on track to meet the 75% goal by 2015. Yea for us!

Another nugget: if you like to voice your opinion about our fair city, then you should take the survey to help shape the Portland Plan, the city's roadmap for livability. I took it online and it really forces you to think about what's really important to you. It's hard though, because everything seems important! Good schools, transportation infrastructure, jobs, sustainability, 20 minute neighborhoods, etc.! It's nice to think we might get it all one day (hopefully in our lifetime).

On a personal note, my family is still easily putting out our 32 gallon garbage can only once a month, and there is always room to spare! Buying things with less packaging and recycling and composting everything we can has really served us well in this department. Do you feel you've made strides reducing your household waste this past year?