Talkin' Trash

Since moving to Europe, we have begun to consider ourselves much improved in our recylcing skills.  We were first introduced to the rules of recycling by the landlady in our temporary apartment.  She was a little intense at times and seemed very anxious about us messing up the sorting process.  We did the best we could and she had me fairly convinced that I would be arrested or deported or something even worse should I put something in the "bin" that shouldn't be there.  I put almost everything into the regular trash unless I was absolutely positive it could be recycled.
Fast forward to life in the house we began renting a little less than 3 years ago and we became more and more comfortable with recycling.  Almost everything from the store has a recycle symbol on it and therefore we began to put anything with that symbol into the blue recycling bags.  These bags are sold at the store and significantly less expensive than the regular trash bags.  We have to buy trash bags specific to our city and they are about 1 Euro/bag.  The cardboard and paper are collected once a month and there are no bags to collect those so we just keep them in our garage.  It has been a huge eye-opener for us as to how much packaging goes into the garbage in the US when there is no recycling available.  The plastic can be quite a lot as well (the 1 liter milk cartons and orange juice cartons make up the bulk of those bags for us).
Yesterday was recycling day.  After the day we had around here (lots and lots of fighting, crying and yelling), I was pretty proud of myself for even remembering to put the bags out.  I didn't go outside all day yesterday and this morning when I went out to get the milk, I was a little annoyed to find they were still there.  I had seen our neighbors bags through the upstairs window, but thought maybe they had put them out late.  I was wrong.  Turns out we've been doing this all together wrong for almost 3 years.  We were a lot closer when we were scared of the recycling bags in the beginning.  Oh well, Belgium, I thought we were doing you a favor.  We thought we were so amazing finding all of these great items marked with the special recycle symbol that may or may not have been listed on the handy dandy recycle guide we got in 2008 (that we probably looked at in 2008, but not much since).  Not sure why we did not get one in 2009 or 2010.  (The trash guys did come around one afternoon delivering what I thought was the trash pick up guide for 2010 in January, but instead it was a list of who is in charge or working each day of the year.  How that is helpful, I'm not sure, but they were basically collecting "donations" in case they missed us during Christmas bonus time.  We have missed them the last three years so I think we were pretty generous.  I was not involved in the interaction at all).

This is actually my neighbors bag...I took mine inside in a huff this morning.  I wasn't exactly in the mood to grab my camera and document the moment until I noticed that almost everyone else was met with the same rejection.  There are 4 bags of regular trash sitting out now for pick up tomorrow.  I certainly hope this new rejection thing doesn't apply to those bags.  Digging through the recycling wasn't too gross, but there is no way I'm digging through the regular trash.  We do not have a garbage disposal if that gives you any indication of what that might be like.  Daddy, that is all you when you get home. ;0)

Anyway, my bags were not only left there, but marked with the red stop sign label we've seen countless times since moving here, but have never had left on our bags.  I was more annoyed.  I dragged them back inside and peeled off the stop signs.  Grumbling about how annoying it was and how was I supposed to know what is in the bags that shouldn't be...then I went and pulled out my 2008 handy dandy recycling guide.  Yeah, we've been doing it wrong.  It isn't rocket science as you can see by the clearly marked picture book style that my children can probably figure out.  So does that mean the recycling symbol placed on practically every single item in the store is meaningless?  Is it just a reminder that recycling is nice?  A suggestion that these items should be or could be recycled in some other country?  Not sure, but no longer will we refer to that symbol.  Also not sure why after almost 3 years of doing it wrong, they are finally paying attention.  New guy started today?  Current guys in a bad mood?

As I drove through our neighborhood today, I discovered that we were not the only ones who were red flagged.  Apparently even the locals are confused.  I felt just a little bit better.
It also helped that by the time we went out for lunch, the sun was shining on all of the left behind recycling bags with their red tags.  Today has been about a million times better than yesterday.  Yesterday was rainy and we were trapped inside all day.  Today the kids have been outside two or three times.  They are outside now on the trampoline and it is still just a little bit light out.  They are playing together instead of fighting and crying and screaming.  I am having a much needed moment to myself to talk some trash.

In other news...our son is on the fast track to get rich quick on the tooth fairy plan.  He lost his second tooth this morning.  He didn't so much lose it and his mom pulled it out.  It was so loose that he was uncomfortable and refusing to eat breakfast so I took a tissue and gave it a little twist.  It came out pretty easily, but he was not pleased.  He said that he was sure the other tooth would come in much more quickly than the one I "took" from him because "the other one was ready to come out".  Well, this boy has two sisters rapidly gaining on him (literally) in size and weight.  We can't have him refusing meals.  He has since recovered nicely and had a huge lunch.  Dinner...well, that is what his mom needs to be doing now.  So here I go...

I know these pictures are terrible, but these are for the memories people.  One of the top teeth is "loose" now...about as loose as the first one was 8 months ago.  Hopefully he'll get some replacements before he loses anymore.  I don't want to have to start pureeing meals around here.  I've got enough to do with sorting the garbage! ;0)