When we moved to Garland almost 7 years ago, we were delighted to see the orange bin provided by the city for recycled items. They made it easy for us to separate our glass, plastic and paper items from the rest of the trash. Recycling has been a part of our mindset ever since. One part of our kitchen counter was reserved for cans, bottles, paper cups, etc.–to be carried to the garage where we kept the orange bin.

We have no such counter space in our new home in Anna. The city does not provide recycling services. I find myself astonished and a bit offended, though I realize they don’t mean it personally. Anna, in fact, contracts their trash service to an independent company, so I suppose they would have to do the same thing for recycling. Until that happens (ha!), I will have to do some sleuthing to find local recycling centers that will accept our stuff. AND, I suppose this means I’ll have to figure out a system in our home to separate the recyclables from the throw-away trash. A hassle, to say the least. And one I haven’t started yet. But I will, because I believe in the value of recycling.

(I will say this: in the past three weeks, as I’ve tossed our cans, plastic bottles, and paper into the trash can, I have cringed each time. A feeling of complete wrongness, a bit of guilt, a longing for the old orange bin. My conscience made itself heard loud and clear.)

Why does this matter so much to me? Because we humans were told by God to “have dominion” over the earth. We are its caretakers, and one way I can take care of my little corner is to recycle. I can help conserve energy and resources. Christians should aspire to be “green” (without all the political garbage attached to that term) because it reflects respect for God’s creation.

Instead of recycling (ha ha!) information, I’ll just point you to my friend Sandi’s latest blogs, in which she interviews a girl from Oregon about techniques we average people can employ to be more eco-friendly. Take a look–there are some easy, “Duh! I shoulda thought of that,” simpler-than-you-imagined, suggestions.

Now, I’ve got to go color a big old moving box in the garage orange.