Apparently, even the AJC can’t believe the sheer, unbridled green-ness of our city.

In detailing the decrease in the cost of our trash pickup this year – thanks to an increase in recycling rates (first reported on the Decatur blogs) – the AJC’s April Hunt starts her article with three little words: “Only in Decatur.”

Damn straight!  And just wait ’til the city unveils its trash-powered Delorean police cars (thanks Doc Brown!)…then everyone will marvel in our unsustainable growth rate in sustainability initiatives!

But seriously, major props go out to everyone in decreasing the amount of trash we generate as a city by 40% since the implementation of the “Pay-As-You-Throw” program.  You are truly professional recyclers.  But, this is no time to get cocky and rest on our bins.

Due to the lack of demand for recyclable materials thanks to the global recession, the city warns that this fee decline could only be temporary.  Why?  Because our partner in recycling – Latham Home Sanitation – is having a harder time selling these materials on the back end.  So that means someone has to pick up the loss-of-revenue slack.  And the suppliers (us) are the only ones left.

Therefore I join the city’s efforts to reemphasize the first two actions of that age-old, overused adage “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle”.  So I ask you gentle readers, in what ways do you actively “reduce and reuse” to decrease the amount of garbage (be it trash or recycling) that goes on to the curb?

I’ll get the ball rolling and state the most obvious: reusable grocery bags.  Additionally, we’ve recently begun using washable dishcloths instead of disposable sponges.

What else should I be doing?