Out with the Old and Fruit Fly Don't Bother Me!

Now, I know that this confession sounds EXACTLY like Nichole's confession last week, but I am a food waster and and a bug killer!

There is a cabinet at work filled with junk. I hate that cabinet! You open the doors and fruit snacks, chips, and sugary cereals come falling out. In the 4 years I have worked here it has been like that. Well, I have a goal of greening things up in this house! Last night I asked the parents if I can throw things away. They told me that they would do it themselves, but they don't know what to keep or toss. Well, I took care of it. Except I feel both invigorated and disgusted! The amount of food (money) that I threw away is embarrassing, and it isn't even my fault. A very large kitchen garbage bag didn't even hold the contents of past date, unappealing food. And the oldest thing in the cabinet...... a bag of dried pineapple, expiration date..... December 26, 2006!!!! Ugh!!!

I did, however, empty past due fruit cups to recycle the plastic. I recycled all the cardboard packaging, and anything else i could sort out.

Even though I felt horrible tossing so much out, it needed to be done! Now that I have a lot more control over the grocery shopping, I'm so excited about healthier choices being in the now half empty cabinets.

Now for the bugs. I have been in an on and off battle with fruit flies.Here, at work, we have our own tomatoes and compost pile. My theory on how the flies infested the house is.... compost-pile "natives" left little eggs on the tomatoes and while the tomatoes sat on the counter, they hatched out and took root here in the house. ALWAYS wash your vegetables as soon as you bring them in!

I can not keep up with them! They find their way into the trash, into the garbage disposal, and into the guinea pig cage (poor Lady Jane). I can even see them perched on the window sill. So I made little "humane" traps.... i would take a bowl, put mashed banana inside and cover it with plastic wrap, making a very small opening. When the bowl was full I would cover it and release them outside. That didn't work. They are laying eggs somewhere! So this week I changed the guinea pig cage numerous times, tried not to throw anything they consider yummy in the trash, and made a death trap! I used an old salsa jar, put some apple cider vinegar in it, and the poison....... dish detergent! They went in for the snack but the sticky soap caught them and they drowned! I also sprinkled borax in the trash cans and down the garbage disposal. Today.... is a better day!! Hopefully this method will work. I have looked up other ways.... like plants they don't like... so, I am going to try that next week if they are still here Monday!

Just so you know... I actually do feel bad killing bugs! But I feel no remorse about killing the fruit flies.