It’s A Wrap

How do you wrap your trash?  Why do you wrap your trash?

Do you think it is strange that we are promoting the use of reusable shopping bags, some cities are even banning plastic shopping bags, but the discussion of swaddling our garbage in virgin plastic is never on the chopping block?

Okay, this isn’t the first time I’ve had this rant. A few weeks ago it came up on a friends Facebook discussion, well actually her rant was perfumed garbage bags (Who thought that one up? Probably, the same person who dreamed up perfumed toilet paper.)

My thoughts, why do we need plastic garbage bags? Not long ago I bought a stainless steel garbage can, when I got it home I realized it was designed to be used with a plastic bag; it didn’t have a bottom and there was a plastic loop on the top to hold a garbage sack. So, I took it back and searched for a stainless steel can that has a removable plastic liner with a handle that makes it easy to carry. It is simple to clean- it can be hosed out, scrubbed with a long handled brush and the water dumped on the compost pile.

I am getting old and  forgetful, I can’t remember when plastic garbage bags became common. My Mom used a paper grocery sack. I do remember my first restaurant job, no plastic garbage bags in that restaurant. Part of my daily routine was lining the cans with newspaper. I guess they had to stop doing that when they started recycling paper? The following year I worked at another cafe, we were very modern with our plastic garbage bags. So cool!

So, how do you wrap your trash? Would you consider giving up wrapping your garbage in plastic?