Recycle

Some years ago we were stockholders in a trash hauling company.  The two main owners were amazingly dedicated to the job, and actually sorted through the trash at a small facility that they owned.  This was recycling in the early years.

It was quite a while later that my husband and I both seemed to get interested in recycling at the same time.  He bought several large blue plastic tubs with easy-to-carry handles; one is for plastics, one for glass and metal, and the third is for paper.  There are two locations to drop off recyclables in our township -- one behind Heritage Square Shopping Center, and the other is off of Orrville Road at the former state outpost. 

Once we got used to participating, it became easier.  Each time we open cans, the rinsed cans are put on a small countertop by the door to the garage.  Same with newspapers, other paper, cans, bottles and plastics.  Whoever happens to go out to the garage grabs the items and sorts them into the bins.  Because we clean out the cans and bottles, and rinse out the milk cartons, we've never had a problem with odor or animals in the garage.  We never leave garbage in the garage either; living in the woods means sharing the land with a LOT of animals.

Our trash hauling service is supposed to recycle.  Many of them say that, but how do you really know?  And it only takes a few moments to do the work.  In Canton, they give out blue bins (more than one if you need it), and the bins are set out with the garbage cans, making recycling in Canton very easy.  Canton is also great at taking used appliances and almost anything that's put out at the curb.  If we have extras, our garbage service expects that we will call and then they send a small truck to do this extra work that we are charged for.  But at least we can do the responsible thing and dispose of the appliance.  Better than the hulking hot water tank that used to be at the bottom of our gully.  A couple of years ago we recycled a TV at an approved place for that purpose.  WE paid for the recycling costs.

Participating in recycling came as a natural result of my husband manning one of the recycling centers for the Canal Fulton Lions.  One member works there from nine to 12 each Saturday, and the members help people get their recyclables out of their vehicles.  The State of Ohio has a program for this and they pay the township to participate, and so the Lions are able to do something good for the community and also put a little bit of cash in their coffers.  A win-win.

Sometimes I hear about how pollution has resulted in horrible problems.  The one that really got to me was the huge mass of plastic refuse that has gathered in the oceans.  The trash follows the ocean currents going around and around.  Apparently, the experts believe that the problem cannot be solved.  There is no way to gather up this trash and properly dispose of it.  Honestly, I wish I'd never heard about this.  And then a part of me thinks -- what do you mean we can't do anything about it?  We built the Empire State Building in a year!

God expects us to care for the earth that He made.  For us to keep our property cleaned up, to take care of fallen trees, to recycle, is nothing special.  We are not special because we choose to do this.  For us it is just the right thing to do.