To the editor: After reading the article regarding the Habersham landfill filling up years before planned, I felt compelled to tell your readers about how my 81-year-old parents recycle, taking only one bag of trash to the landfill a month.
They don’t use a sanitation company to pick up their trash, they do all the sorting, loading, and unloading at the recycle center in Clarkesville themselves. In the kitchen, there are two plastic tubs for kitchen waste (yes, they do have a disposal) when full they bury the waste in the back of the property.
Burying the kitchen waste means no smelly trash and creates compost for gardening. In the garage, they set up a very easy to use system – used boxes line a wall dedicating each box for a certain recyclable item; glass, plastic, tin, and paper and one trash can for trash.
It’s easy to recycle; as tin cans are used, they are rinsed out, the label removed and placed in one of two small trash cans under the kitchen sink.
When kitchen trash cans are full they are sorted into the boxes in the garage.
The important key to no smells, gnats, or bugs is to rinse out all recyclables.
About once-a-month, they load up the boxes and head to the Clarkesville recycling center. Yes, they are open just three days a week, which gives all county residents two weekdays and one weekend day to recycle. Most families head to the grocery store or run errands weekly, why not take your recycling with you?
As far as used clothes, used household items, kids clothes or toys, these are donated to a thrift store, church, or a homeless shelter.
No need to fill the landfill with items that others could use. There are many families struggling these days, help save the landfill from overflowing and help people in need at the same time.
Karie Stevens
Clarkesville