Garbage

Every thing taken to Holden Village must be taken out again in some manner. Each wrapper, wine bottle, pop can, battery or shoe must be taken back out again. Nothing can stay here in the mountains; we can not pollute.

So we have "Garbology", which is garbage sorting system that sends each scrap to it's proper place. Some things are recycled - like cans, glass and paper. Some items are burned - like brown paper and natural fabrics. All food items are composted and reused in future gardens. Landfill is the last choice because it means that it is packed up and shipped out to be dumped in a "real world" garbage dump.

Once or twice each month each of us has the privilege of doing "garbo" as we call it. We meet as a team to crush boxes, sort the village trash and to chop compost. This job is done all year round, snow or not. The hike up to the compost pile can be brutal with 5 feet of snow on the ground. Fortunately the path is well tromped and we are always in a hurry to finish with this task.

The cycle of garbage here changes you for ever. You never again look at a tin can or a plastic wrapper in the same manner. You now know what happens to it, whether it is by your own hands or someone elses.