Opinion: I wish we could have a SF design contest for ideas for dealing with the new garbage rules

Mission Mistaken drops us this note about trashcans:

Lemons into lemon peels and all that.  I could only find two cans that I think are sufficiently groovy, and neither is easily ordered online.  But they are cool.

But I just think it would be good to put the word out there that for all the hoopla about the new rules, no one is offering stylish ways to conform.  I think it would be fun if you guys challenged your community of readers to be as inventive with this subject as they are with everything else.  Cause bottom line, saving food scraps in a special place is just nasty.  It sets you back 1000 years and smells and attracts pests and pets.

I’m not sure about a design contest, because I come from a land that burns our garbage, taunts it, and occasionally shoots at it, so I don’t really understand this liberal Gomorrah’s ritual around trash.  That said, if you know of some sufficiently groovy solutions to our government-mandated compost crisis, we’d sure be appreciative.

modern egg recycling trash bins and trash cans

modern trash cans for recycling and dividing trash

15 Responses to “Opinion: I wish we could have a SF design contest for ideas for dealing with the new garbage rules”

  1. Erik says:

    How can putting food scraps in a separate container smell any worse than putting them in the same container as the other trash? And if putting food scraps wherever you put them now doesn’t attract pests then putting them in a different container won’t either.

    • Mission Mistaken says:

      That would be true if we could bag them in plastic as we toss them, Erik, which I previously did, but now that they must maintain them in free air for composting, its just gross.

  2. Mission Mistaken says:

    Apologies for the lapse with respect to who makes these:

    The Egg: Ovetto Recycling Bin — so far I can only find it for sale in the UK

    The Other one: Tri3 trash can — so far I can only find it on design sites like Gizmodo

  3. Drew says:

    I agree, it’s a major pain in the @ss. I’m going to try using the plastic-like composting bags. Sunset Scavenger has posted a listing of stores that sell compostable bags:
    http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=117635754316180297945.00046bf16167d3c542ad2&ll=37.724906,-122.448884&spn=0.162021,0.108771&source=embed

  4. Erik says:

    The compostable kind of “plastic” bags work just fine.

    • Binky says:

      Yes, those corn-based “plastic” compost bags work great. The texture of the bag is kinda creepy though and they break semi-easily, reminiscent of a broken condom, No!!!! Whew, it’s just compost.

  5. clonapin says:

    bitch bitch bitch

    according to recent reports the program has 75% participation on the 1st week of it being required. it is not much trouble to separate the food waste from the other waste, and when you consider that in the past 30 years the population of the planet has doubled its not a really surprise that we all have to be more efficient about what goes into a landfill.

    time to evolve.

  6. Tbear says:

    We use the freezer. Always have with leftover cooking scraps, etc. that would stink up our regular can. Load up your freezer with compostables in a container or bag and dump it in the green bin on trash night.

    Ant season is almost here at our apartment…there are no other alternatives.

  7. Jocelyne says:

    Those compost bags are quick to compost, by the time I fill the damn things they are already starting to compost in the bottom which makes for a messy trip to the larger bin down stairs. I was really excited about composting until the little flies showed up, not to mention the mess. Oh well, at least we are making a difference.

  8. Jim says:

    Just get one of those little metal bins with a step-activated lid. <$10 at Kamei. The lid keeps the smell & bugs out, and the inner bucket comes out for an easy trip to the big bin. Rinse it out afterwards and you're fine. Not that difficult.

  9. Erik says:

    I use a small plastic bucket thingy with ventilation slots in the sides, lid, and bottom with the green bags and I have to keep it unemptied for at least 4-5 days before the smellier kinds of stuff in there get smelly. It usually gets emptied more often than that because it fills up. I’ve never had compost bugs.

  10. johnny0 says:

    Same here. No issues. I empty it about every 2 or 3 days.

    Cole Hardware has good containers. I also have with holes in the side, so no problems with saggy bag syndrome. Believe it’s made in Norway.