I never thought Recycling could be so Gratifying

Since joining One Small Change in December our family has been chatting a lot more about our carbon footprint. We are generally looking for ideas we can use in the future to continue on in our goals to make less of an impact. While exploring ideas in conversation, reading what other participants are doing as their changes, and scouring the Internet for new ideas we were reminded of many things that we have been doing for so long they have become habit. When things become habit in our family we tend no longer focus on all of goodness they bring, they are just part of the norm.

One of these such things is recycling.

For awhile my oldest daughter was selling jewelry every weekend at a local craft fair. She had a pretty steady income throughout that time. My son grew eager to get in on the money making train as well. He gave the craft fair a go trying to sell his homemade drawings for 25 cents a piece but after 5 minutes in he felt totally defeated.

This was a few years ago, around this same time my husband and I were beginning to dabble in figuring out how to encourage our kids to help out around the house more often than not. We were not feeling like chores were something we were/ are comfortable paying our children for. One night we encouraged the kids to let us know what they felt like they could do daily to help out in our home.

Nishan felt that he could reasonably take out the recycling on a daily basis and asked if he did if he might be able to keep the money. We were on board right away as when Coral was his age this was one of the things she did to contribute. It was time for her to learn some new skills and time for Nishan to start.

He takes his job pretty seriously and I can say honestly he never complains or gripes about doing it. I am sure it has to do with the monetary value attached.

We was so stoked to find out about this recycling yard from our neighbor because they pay you for milk cartons. In my perfect world we would have no plastic, but my world is not perfect yet ;) We drink a lot of milk and thus he reaps his rewards. By the way the milk cartons are DISGUSTING and make our car smell rotten for the drive to the yard. Thank goodness it is a mere 4 blocks.

Each recycling day, Nishan reminds me that we need to begin drinking soda and buying canned beer for dad because aluminum pays better than anything else. I think we had a total of 20 cans in 3 months.

This kind employee stepped in to help Nishan sort his plastics. I am wondering if her felt bad for Nishan as I was snapping the camera away and the girls were so not going give him a hand.

I think he said, "Screw it i am just going to get this done and get these crazy people out of here!".

Recycling has become habit and a wonderful habit it is. Not only are we reducing our carbon footprint, but my son earns a bit of money for himself. As I shot these pictures today, I was reminded of all the lessons that recycling has brought to Coral and Nishan and soon enough will lead to Lillitha and Zari.

We are not the greenest people in America, but we are doing a little here and there and we are doing our best to include our children so they grow up with these as habits.