Sunday, February 03, 2008

recycling cd + dvd cases

Two thousand and eight is the year of trying to live more simply. No more buying DVDs; we have Netflix. No more buying of CDs; we use Pandora (and computer downloads).

Donate. As much of our "stuff" as we can. Push it out, all the clutter, the knickknacks, the clothing we haven't worn in ages, anything that is good but not a regular part of our lives.

I think about gift giving too--consumables. The gift of letterpress stationary, soup kits, recipes. Love letters, poems, a day well spent.

Thinking about the Story of Stuff.

Thinking about how Zephyr is doing his part. With those shoes, you know.

We have transferred all CDs and DVDs into binders, pretty leather ones, because I am also driven to a better aesthetic too, and we have boxes full of DVD and CD cases, plastic cases with the inserts intact. I would throw them all out, heave-ho, but with living simply, with changing aesthetic, we are also working on living in a more green manner.

So I found this website. Green Disk will take most computer supplies and find a way to recycle them. I know I won't eventually sell the CDs or DVDs; I'm more apt to throw them away (or recycle them) or give them away.

Any other good tips on reducing stuff & living more greenly? I'm enjoying these slow-but-sure changes.

5 comments:

Julia said...

molly- a good resource is also freecycle.org. it's an online list-serv or whatever where people offer and request things for free. i know that there's a local twin cities area group, but i think there may be one closer to you (not sure *exactly* where you are, but i know there's a lot around here). it's a great way to give away stuff, and a lot of people on there will take stuff (like empty cd jewel cases, packing materials, cardboard boxes, etc.) that a thrift store won't want.

Not Fainthearted said...

must be something in the air... I've already sent in my CSA share and trying to research rain barrels.

Good luck with your quest. We all need to do it.

Anonymous said...

i like http://idealbite.com/ - they have great tips!!

Anonymous said...

i love the way you describe the year of trying to live more simply. i identify with those efforts so keenly. but for me, it takes constant effort and attention. as though i'm swimming upstream. happily, but swimming upstream nonetheless.

Anonymous said...

I've just started trying this one, after seeing a story about it on my local tv station: turning plastic shopping bags into crocheted totes. We use canvas bags when we shop, but somehow the baggers always manage to slip a plastic bag or two (or three) into the mix (why we would need ice cream double-bagged in plastic when it's 5 degrees out is beyond me...). Once we've got them, I can't stand putting them in a landfill, but they're tough to recycle. Here's the URL that got me started: http://recycledplasticbags.blogspot.com/