Drowning in a sea of aluminum

In between our occasional snowstorms, it's beginning to feel like spring in Colorado. And over the winter, my back porch has become the repository for all kinds of things I didn't want to find a place for while it was cold. Or I was just too lazy.

And before I know it, I'll want to spend time in the back yard, on the back porch. So it's time to stop ignoring the mess outside.

In realizing I'll be an indoor/outdoor person soon, I've also realized that I and my kids drink way too much Diet Coke.

Okay. Logan and me. Connor doesn't drink carbonated beverages.

In any case, our consumption has become conspicuous. I have bags and bags of aluminum cans.

I can't seem to give them away. I offered them to my friend Greg, who's way into recycling. I offered them to my friend Pammy, who knows some folks who are going through a difficult time and can use the money from the cans. I offered them to my dad, who volunteers at a homeless shelter. No one has come for the cans.

I don't want to post a listing on craigslist. I don't have a vehicle large enough to transport this huge bunch of cans to a recycling center, unless I make multiple trips. So for the time being, I'm stuck with a crap-ton of aluminum cans.

Divesting myself of the remnants of our excessive Diet Coke consumption is becoming more of a priority.

And recycling the cans is such a good idea, on so many levels. Here are some facts:

     *Recycling just one aluminum can saves enough energy to power a T.V. for 3 hours.
    
     *North America is currently recycling 2/3 of its aluminum cans.
    
     *Aluminum cans uses 95% less energy over refining from raw aluminum.
    
     *The energy saved in one year from recycling aluminum cans in the USA would light the entire city of Denver for more than 10 years.

     *The energy saved in one year from recycled cans is equivalent to 20 million barrels of oil or 12 billion kilowatt hours of electricity.


     *America alone uses over 80,000,000,000 aluminum pop cans every year (many of which are in my back yard).


     *Making cans from recycled aluminum cuts related air pollution by 95%.


Compelling information, huh?


So the only down side, so it would seem, is transporting this sea of cans to a recycling center. 


I won't get rich from the money I'll make, but I'll have more than I had before, and I'll have part of my back porch back.


And I'm definitely cutting back on the Diet Coke, so this craziness doesn't sneak up on me again.


No time to be lazy. Spring is in the air.