Day 2: Post about Compost

"Who individually wraps pretzels?" asks Bret

Today's Trash: plastic wrapper
Today's Winner: Sapna!!!
2012 trash:  oh yes. pictures at week's end
Compost: mostly dog hair
Queries: What is admissible down the drain?

I made no trash today!  The only "stuff" I used were a paper napkin and chopsticks.  The wrapper the chopsticks came in was paper and, therefore, recyclable.  The chopsticks and napkin will compost.

Bringing us to the issue of compost.  We have been composting food items, kleenex, lint, etc.   Bret read up on how to safely compost dog poop.  The verdict on dog poop is that it can be composted as long as it is in a hole in the ground (to prevent runoff before it has broken down) and as long as the end result is not used on food plants.  I read up on reusable tampons (still wigged out about this) and they mentioned the toxins associated with the bleaching process. I was never going to compost tampons, but this made us think that maybe our (2012 purchased) kleenex might not be food-safe either.  So now we must have 2 compost piles.  I furminated the rottweiler yesterday and got a full bucket of hair--that is going to go in this new compost pile because I am pretty sure dog hair does not make for nutritious soil.  But here is the problem--between Bret's allergies and the dogs' pooping and shedding--this non-edible compost (you know what I mean) pile will be HUGE and might not break down to soil as quickly as I would like.  We are going to have a hairy, snotty, poopy pile in the backyard.  This marks the end of our backyard cookouts.

Bret made today's only trash.  He fell victim to a treat basket in the break room at work.  He unwrapped and consumed a chocolate covered pretzel before he realized what he was doing.  Frankly, I am glad.  His self-righteousness over my mess-up yesterday was getting unbearable. This stopped his "more-environmental-than-thou" attitude.

The question of the day is, however, what can go down the drain?   I started this whole endeavor with the caveat that bathroom trash would remain status quo---but could there be another way?? I am already wavering on my tampon resolution-- now I am starting to feel guilty about flushing toilet paper. The internet offers alternatives--but this increases laundry and is just not pretty.