Clean 'n Green: What Does It Mean?

Our household crossed a threshold of sorts recently when I went out to take down the garbage can for its weekly pickup.

There was nothing in it.

The city of Seattle recently added a third receptacle to its home-waste regimen. In addition to 1) garbage can and 2) glass, can and paper recycling, it's now possible to 3) add food-stained plastic and paper as well as compostable garbage to a big honking wheeled green yard-waste bin.

All of which means that if you're only passingly careful about what you bring into your home, you can recycle just about everything. Not batteries or paint or toxics, of course. But most common day-to-day items qualify.

To come up empty that week several things had to happen. One member of our household was traveling in New York. Two others had spent time visiting relatives. And my wife and I had hit a week where everything we tossed out was "green."

But it does speak to the efficiency of Seattle's and King County's recycling programs that such a thing is possible at all.

Coming up clean 'n green made me wonder something: If our household did away with garbage on an ongoing basis, could we save the $8 a week ($32.70 a month) we pay for collection service? I called the city to inquire and was told there is no way to opt out of the basic service.

This seems fair (in order to make a public utility work everyone has to subscribe) but I thought it was worth a try.

Still, there ought to be some sort of incentives to get people to go "100 percent green." I plan to write the utilities chairman of the City Council and see if some incentive programs for "garbage-free" homes could be provided. Money might not have to be involved, but it seems some recognition of above-and-beyond "greening" could be instituted. After all, residents are punished with $50 fines if they violate recycling ordinances. Why not give them a button or sticker or something when they're extra good?

I'll keep Green For Good readers posted. As always, feel free to post comments or blog me with any ideas, suggestions and so on. Has anyone else had this happen (I'm thinking some Daily Green readers may have been 100 percent clean for years!).

— Paul Andrews, Green For Good