If you pay for garbage service, getting that monthly bill can sting, especially with prices rising across the US in response to rising costs for handling fees and programs intended to encourage people to cut down on their waste production. The agony is even worse when you don’t just pay for it: you’re also the one who takes your trash to the dump. Even if you don’t pay for garbage service, reducing the amount of waste you generate ought to perk up your ears, because it makes a big difference to the environment.

Fortunately, those of us with years of rural living experience have some skills we can bequeath to you when it comes to the garbage reduction department, because there are few things we enjoy less than taking a load of trash to the dump. Not only is it majorly gross, it’s a sober reminder of exactly how much waste we generate on an annual basis (4.4 pounds per person per day in 2011!).

So, how can you get your trash habit under control?