KSC - Dealing with Problematic Stuff
Problem area Solution(s)
Packaging
Buy in bulk; or in large packages; or with little packaging; or in
recycled/recyclable packaging.
Washing
Use phosphate-free dish and laundry detergent. If you use grey water
in the landscape, use Oasis Biocompatible Laundry Detergent (or
equivalent), available online from www.bio-pac.com.
Conserving water Install low-flow shower heads; install flow reducers for faucets.
Rechargeable
batteries
Take to Radio Shack at 3049 So. 6th.; or to tool stores such as
Diamond Home Improvement, Home Depot, or Western Tool on S.
6th. (Sorry, NO-ONE, at present, is recycling alkaline flashlight-type
batteries. Write your congressman!)
Books
Trade with friends. Take to: Klamath County Library; Goodwill;
Treasures Thrift Store at 1229 E. Main. If beyond redemption, tear the
pages out, run them through a shredder, and use for mulch in your
garden. Failing that, if wood burning is permitted in your area, burn
for heat. (But don't let Ray Bradbury catch you!)
Magazines
Trade with friends. Take to "free" table at entrance to Library. It's
probably not a good idea to either burn or compost them, due to
likelihood of heavy metals in colored dyes.
Electronics
Take to Tingley Lane transfer station.
Fiber (worn out
Take to Goodwill at 3401 Washburn Way; they recycle more
but clean clothes,
consumer fiber than anyone else in the U.S.
rags, etc.)
Kitchen scraps
Compost them -- except for fats and meats, which the blue-jays and
chickadees will thank you for. Then grow xeric landscape plants!
Yard and woody
materials
Compost them. Or take to KF compost facility on Spring St. Or take
to county landfill -- they are sent to Biowaste in White City and
burned to make electricity (AND CO2, ugh).
Motor Oil
Take to Industrial Oil at 1291 Laverne Avenue (near Tingley Lane
transfer station); or to any county transfer station.
Use to insulate the N wall of your solar greenhouse! Else take to any
shipping store such as Pak Mail (3255 Washburn Way), UPS/FedEx
Packing Materials
stores, etc. They take foam peanuts, bubble pack, and sheet packing
foam.
Plastic Bags
Reuse them as long as possible (saves buying new bags). Then return
them to your grocery store. Best, bring your own cloth bags and
eliminate plastics; meanwhile urging your state representatives to ban
plastic bags throughout the state.