has anyone come up with any idea on how to dispose of all of the cans and other materials once you have used them if there isn't any trash service?

-- Bill (electricgoose@hotmail.com), July 31, 1999

Answers

Personally I wouldn't dispose of any paper or card as they have a myriad of uses (from insulation,toilet paper,writing & drawing materials,fire lighters) Plastic wrap,cellophane & glass bottles an also be reused.

Tin Cans..more of a problem unless you have a garden.Stilts for young children,storage containers,strung up to form an early warning system ?

-- Chris (griffen@globalnet.co.uk), July 31, 1999.

Have many boxes of plastic garbage bags. Use one (or 2, 3, 4 etc) for cans, one for plastic, one for paper, etc. Maybe garbage and recycling will resume. If not, that will be a job opportunity to start in your "local" area. Not as much throwing away after the supply lines break down. One man's trash is another's treasure. Especially all those who didn't stock up and have very few practical items at their 'disposal.'

-- h (h@h.h), July 31, 1999.

If we approach TEOTWAWKI, you won't be diposing garbage.

You'll be collecting garbage.

Guaranteed!

-- Not Again! (Seenit@ww2.com), July 31, 1999.

Cut both ends out of the cans and smash the remaining tubes flat. You can fit a lot of flattened cans like this in a very small space.

-- herrick Kimball (herrickkimball@sprintmail.com), July 31, 1999.

Paper products can be composted with your garden trash. Cans and plastics however pose a different problem. I think the idea of cleaning the cans and plastic containers and placing them in plastic trash bags for awhile is not a bad idea as trash service might well resume. On the otherhand, of course, it might not, in which case the only thing I can think of at that time would be to dig a pit and bury them.

-- Brenda McSwigan (brendaand jim@sprintmail.com), July 31, 1999.

I once saw a shed that was shingled with flattened cans. Looked kinda wierd but I guess it kept the rain out.

-- biker (y2kbiker@worldnet.att.net), July 31, 1999.

Good idea regarding roofing from tin cans. Better get to WalMart and get some new tin snips. LOL Actually, my husband and I are making a run to WalMart this afternoon. I am getting "antsy" and feel I need to get a few things that I have put off "till later". Husband has decided to order another 500 gallon tank for diesel. I think its going to build now. The news coming out, no longer speculation, is going to set at least the doubters/procrastinators into movement. If they are DGIs, they aren't going to get it until its too late and I think "too late" is now just around the corner. Can hardly wait to see the DOW tomorrow.

-- Hannah (Hannah@Colonial America.com), August 01, 1999.

As kids we collected the the foil from cigarette and gum packages to sell it to a scrap dealer. We pulled old nails out of old boards, straightened them, and reused them.

-- Not Again! (Seenit@ww2.com), August 01, 1999.

Cut off ends of any container and use over seedlings to protect them from hungry bugs. Plastic bags may become rare, so wash and resuse.

-- LuLou (luana@walkon.net), August 02, 1999.