I am known by many names. They consist of Mom (which I like the best), Emery’s mom (his fellow kindergarteners call me that), Mrs. So and so, (reminds me of my MIL), “G” (used by close friends – kinda funky), Green Team lady (yes, I am), and most affectionately,
The Trash Lady.
Yes, I am known to pick through trash! Let me explain. In the weeks to come your children will probably be talking a lot about Earth Day and being “green”. I try to teach my kids and the kids at their school that every day is Earth Day. So we started a partnership with TerraCycle, which gives us 2 cents for every drink pouch (like Capri Sun) we send to them. We talk endlessly about the three R’s. And so far it has been going great! We have diverted waste that would otherwise go to a landfill and we raise a few bucks for our school.
So…every Tuesday I go to the school and pick through the trash bin, take out sticky straws and week old sandwiches then box up the drink pouches. I toss those boxes right in the back of the gully of my minivan and send them to TerraCycle.
BUT… sometimes I wonder why I take these things on. I couldn’t have decided to be something a little more glamorous like a librarian. I love books. Or “copy mom”…I can make copies like nobody’s business! I mean really…picking through the trash is my claim to fame? Did you ever think about what you would be doing if you weren’t “Mom”?
But for now I am the “Trash Lady”, which is second only to “Mom”, a title I will hold near and dear to my tree hugging heart.
PS. If any of you are so inspired that you decide to go pick through trash at your kid’s school, note to self, don’t wear long scarves or loose fitting shirts!
confessions of a minivan mom 
