Recycling

We try to do our part and recycle what we can here. It's not that convenient, but I try to be good. I am looking forward to returning to my blue bin that I can fill up with recyclable stuff and just put out on my curb once a week... In order to recycle we usually load the stroller up with paper and glass and head to the mall. That's the nearest drop-off place for us. As far as I know our neighborhood doesn't have one, but many do. The Dutch are big on glass containers. Anything you would buy in the U.S. in a plastic jar is usually in a glass jar here. So, we usually have our fair share of glass to recycle and of course we always have plenty of paper goods. There are bins that one can drop off glass, paper, and textiles right by the mall, so that's where we recycle.

One of the few items that come in plastic containers here are soda bottles. We aren't big soda drinkers, but we purchased some this past weekend. Well, the Dutch pretty much force you to recycle your plastic. Not a bad idea, because I'm sure it works. When you purchase soda here you get charged 25 cents in addition to the cost of the soda. After consuming the soda you can bring the bottle back to the store, put it in their little recycle machine, and then you get a voucher for 25 cents that you take to the check-out stand when you purchase your groceries.

Okay, so enough of my rambling. We haven't been to the mall for over 10 days now, so our recycling pile has become quite large. I can't even fit the paper goods in the basket underneath the stroller anymore. I guess it's time to head to the mall... Yesterday the weather was crummy and I had housework to do, so we stayed home all day. Well, the girls found all kinds of ways to entertain themselves yesterday and one of the ways they entertained themselves is pictured below:

Monkey see, monkey do, right??? I don't know who discovered the empty soda bottles in the stroller. Probably Audrey and then if I had to guess Rachel joined her... I believe Rachel was the one to teach Audrey the proper way to chug some soda. Good thing they were empty bottles! :)