“Something as simple as this — plastic bags — is actually put way down on the list, when it should be a priority,” Compton said. “So, we have all these grants and all these people doing research, but we’re not down to the basic — let’s take away the harm we do to the environment.”

As far as plastic bag ordinances go, this is a majorly moderate one — nothing is being taxed or banned outright yet, all that has been asked for is a simple act of conservation.

Compton’s proposal doesn’t include soiled plastic bags, and wouldn’t stop stores from handing them out to customers.

“If you have (a bag in) a wastebasket and you have poured in fingernail polish remover and makeup and that’s your bathroom trash can, it’s dirty, throw it away,” Compton said.

She also said she would like to see a ban on using all plastic bags, but in researching the proposal found that’s not fiscally feasible for grocers to comply. For example, it would force grocery stores to find specialty bags for customers to wrap small items like their fresh vegetables.

So far Madison’s citizens seem cautiously receptive to the idea, though some question the enforceability of the law — and, indeed, it does seem to encompass a heavy gray area. How would one know when a bag is dirty enough to throw away? And how could evidence be collected, for once a bag is in the trash can or a landfill, it will be unusable enough regardless of where the dirt originated. Nevertheless, it’s an effort. The first offense would cost offenders $100, with fines rising up to $400 for multiple infractions. A steep fee, but perhaps a small price to pay for keeping the environment a little more plastic-free.

We’re all about reduction and re-usage over here, but let’s face it — with all the product already floating around out there in the world, recycling is not just encouraged, but vital and crucial and necessary. Most people know to separate out their aluminum foil and plastic bottles from the rest of their trash, but at the Janesville Gazette in Wisconsin, reporter Kayla Bunge sounds off on five items that not everyone knows are recyclable and what steps you can take to make them so.

Computer printer cartridges

Alarming fact: Each year, more than 1 billion ink and toner cartridges are sold worldwide, and more than 500 million cartridges are used in the United States alone, according to the EPA. Only 5 percent of ink and toner cartridges are recycled; the rest end up in landfills, polluting the environment with plastic, metal and chemicals.

Where to recycle it: Some national retailers accept empty ink and toner cartridges, including:

– Staples, 2900 Deerfield Drive, Janesville. HP, Dell and Lexmark cartridges are accepted in exchange for $3 in Staples Rewards.

– Best Buy, 2850 Deerfield Drive, Janesville.

A number of Web sites pay cash for empty printer cartridges—an increasingly popular fundraising scheme—and recycle them. Check out Planet Green (www.planetgreenrecycle.com), which accepts both printer cartridges and cell phones and offers a fundraising program for both items.

Among the others mentioned are cell phones and, of course, the ubiquitous disposable plastic bag. (That one, dear reader, you should already know by now is recyclable! …To a degree, anyway.) Interested in doing your part beyond the blue bin? Check it out! You’ll never look at your house junk the same way again.

Photo via Flickr!