I try to cut down on what becomes my garbage. I have certain cheap plastic containers I buy at one of our local grocery stores, and I decided to keep only those and I bagged all the rest to clean up my 'Tupperware' cabinet some. I'm bringing everything else to the recycle bin. I regularly stop by the recycle bin to dispose of at least half of my 'garbage.'
Of course, living in a flood zone, I save all glass bottles for myself and bury them in low spots, which really help me.
Junk mail and cardboard assists the kindling I pick up in the yard for me to get a good fire going on cold days. I could recycle paper as well, but anything with personal info, goes through a shredder, and is then put in the nesting boxes for the chickens to lay their eggs......and eat. Yeah, they love eating paper. Go figure. And its time I give them some too.
I stopped buying paper towels about a month ago and I'm using flour sack fabric, which I wash with my whites, thanks to one of my SS friends ideas on how they save money......wish I remembered whose idea that was, to give them proper credit.
Not sure if we can stop buying our meat in plastic though.
To tell the truth, I'm tempted to buy one of those machines that turns plastics back into petroleum fuels, but they cost too much and not sure how much plastic to how much fuel it would cost and give.