Trash Question

The purpose of sharing the email exchange below is twofold:

1)  the right environmental action  isn’t always obvious, so it’s GOOD to ask around and see what other people are doing–one of the main reasons the Eco Women run this website.

2)  acting right by our environment is a learning curve.  We aren’t born granola crunching-hemp wearing-bicycle riding-fair trade coffee sipping-zero environmental impact people.  We evolve.  One step at a time.  One change at a time.  And those changes cycle through our lives making a greater and greater impact on our own behavior and on other people’s behavior.

Take hope, readers!  The little things we do matter!

Subject: Environmental Question

Dear Enviro Girl:

Hi, I have a quick question for you since I am not the most environmentally correct person but I am trying to become more aware. I have about 1 cup of paint thinner I poured in an old glass to try and soak a paint brush in to see if the dried paint would come off the brush. It didn’t work but my question is now how do I get rid of that little bit of paint thinner?? Seems too harsh to dump it down the sink…do I just dump it behind our fence or down the toilet?? Hate to pour it in the ground. But wow, I have no idea how to get rid of it. I have it in an old glass I was going to throw away after I used it so I can’t transport it anywhere or it will spill. Any ideas?

Thanks, Carolyn

Subject: RE: Environmental Question

Dear Carolyn:

I’m flattered that you would ask! And I totally had this SAME issue a couple months ago! I had the exact same thought process…so I threw it away, well wrapped in newspaper so it wouldn’t break, reasoning that the landfill would have enough layers of clay, trash, etc. to really prevent it from getting into the groundwater or anything else. I think drains are bad places to pour toxic substances because most water systems are closed, so that will get cycled through the system. Filtration systems can take out a lot of impurities, but there’s no point in introducing more than are absolutely necessary, right? And as for the ground, I wondered about that too, but opted for the controlled landfill environment.

Best, Melissa AKA Enviro Girl

Dear Melissa,

Thanks for the response.  I’m working lately on budgeting and it is funny how it snowballs into affecting other areas. By slashing my grocery budget means I buy less prepared/boxed food…so less packaging equals less trash and so forth.

Thanks, Carolyn