How much trash do you
throw away every day? Go
They've started growing a
on, be honest! If you're
lot of their own fruits and
with my friends. It's a good
idea because we all have fun
like most people, then you
vegetables. They've learned
and we spend less! For Ryan
probably don't recycle that
new skills, too - Natalie
the hardest thing was not
much. But could you imagine toothpaste and cheese.
now makes her own soap.
eating fast food. 'My friends
not producing any trash at
go to burger joints a lot,
all? Impossible? The Reid
Michael and Amanda have
but fast food has so much
family - Michael and his wife about repurposing things,
just taken a course to learn
packaging!' Both the kids
Amanda and their daughter
think it's possible to live a
Natalie (14) and son Ryan
or making new things from
greener life and still have
old items. Michael's already
(10) - decided to prove it was made a lamp from pieces
fun. 'With a bit of planning
possible.
you can do it,' they say.
of old metal and Amanda
Like most people, the Reids
The Reids are optimistic
is making a chair for her
didn't use to recycle much.
about the future. Since they
bedroom from a bike. They've started on January 6th,
Then, last January they also started mending their
they've reduced their trash
decided to go trash-free for
old clothes instead of buying dramatically. They only have
a year. Since then, they've
new ones.
one small box of garbage.
reduced their waste to a 'Getting new things is
'I think we're going to
minimum and Natalie is
complicated explains Ryan. continue even after the
posting pictures and videos 'All my friends buy new
year finishes,' says Michael.
on Instagram to share their cell phones, and electronic
'We're making a difference
experience.
gadgets, but they all have and that's a fabulous feeling.
They've recycled as much
a lot of packaging. Both Freecycle - an online organization
as possible for the past few Natalie and Ryan now
where people offer things they
don't use anymore to other
months. The town's garbage download all their music and members
service collects paper, cans movies from the internet
and plastic bottles and the and they're members of
Reids take glass, aluminum Freecycle.* 'I got my cell
and cartons to a drop-off phone from there, says
Amanda in the Reids' vegetable garden.
location. They compost Natalie. 'It's really cool. I
The Reids have started growing their
own fruits and vegetables.
yegetable waste, too.
also swap computer games
*
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