Going Garbage FREE for a Year

I'm not sure who of you have heard of the couple from Oregon who plan to live garbage free for a year but I really want to share this news with you.  It will be very interesting to see how their next year goes!

~Curious Mommy

July 6, 2009 Press Release: 

Dallas, Oregon couple attempts to live garbage-free for one year
Dallas, Oregon – Amy and Adam Korst, both 25-year-old young professionals, have challenged themselves to live for one year without creating any garbage destined for the landfill.  From July 6, 2009 – July 6, 2010, the couple will take part in the ultimate Green Movement experiment. 
Dubbing their challenge the Green Garbage Project, the Korsts have taken a hard look at every aspect of their lives to determine whether it is truly possible to live for a year without producing any trash.  Using the three Rs – reduce, reuse, recycle – and several other strategies, they believe it is.
After learning that the average American produces 4.5 pounds of garbage a day, according to the EPA, the couple decided that one way to make a measurable difference to the planet would be to drastically reduce the amount of trash they generated each year.  The Korsts consider themselves a fairly average American couple who wanted to do more for the environment– Amy works as a high school English teacher in Willamina, and Adam works as the photo editor for the Polk County Itemizer Observer. 
Prior to the Green Garbage Project, the couple tried to be as “green” as possible by eating locally, buying organic, fair-trade and cruelty-free products, and taking a variety of other small steps to reduce their environmental impact.  Avid outdoor enthusiasts, the couple believes in the need to “tread lightly” and reduce one’s impact on the environment to preserve its beauty for future generations.   
Now, they take this environmental commitment one giant step further.  To make their trash-free goal a reality, they will consider how much garbage an item will generate before purchasing it.  If the product generates trash, the couple will find a trash-free alternative or do without.  Their market research suggests that, if they look hard enough, there is a trash-free option for practically everything.
The couple has discovered that many types of materials are recyclable beyond curbside collections and that recyclable options exist for many products that traditionally generated trash.  Beyond recycling, the couple plans to shop in bulk, try their hand at making items such as cheese and soap, start a compost pile, re-home possessions to thrift stores, and employ reusable containers and bags.
The Korsts will be blogging weekly about their project in addition to writing a book on the subject.  Their progress can be tracked on their Web site, www.greengarbageproject.com.  The Web site also explains in detail how and why the couple has created the Green Garbage Project and lists helpful tips and Internet links for those interested in learning more. 
The couple does acknowledge that they may be forced to generate a small amount of trash over the course of the year and will feel their project has been successful if they fill no more than a plastic grocery sack in 365 days.  Specific rules guiding their trickier trash challenges can also be found on the Web site.      
Please contact Amy for more information by e-mailing amy@greengarbageproject.com.  Amy and Adam are available for interviews, guest blogging, and freelance writing and photography assignments.