Man proud of personal garbage collection

BERKELEY, Calif., Dec. 31 (UPI) -- A California man who saved every piece of trash he generated in the last 12 months said he's proud of his bin-filled home, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.

Ari Defel, 35, said he decided on the experiment at the end of 2006 to see how much trash he created in a year and has amassed 96 cubic feet, the newspaper said.

Defel said he's proud that his project has inspired others to be more aware of their waste, and said he intended to showcase his trash on the Internet Youtube site to heighten environmental awareness.

He said he has saved every scrap, from cash register receipts to tissues, and he composts biodegradable items outside his home in Berkeley.

Defel said almost every day he has to wash the newest trash to prevent odors and insect infestations and the newspaper said he appears to have succeeded on both fronts.

"When we throw something away, what does 'away' mean?" Defel told the Chronicle. "There's no such thing as 'away.'"