Gilboa is a town in Schoharie County, New York, United States. The population was 1,215 at the 2000 census. The Town of Gilboa is in the south part of the county and is southwest of Albany.
ccording to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 59.3 square miles (154 km2), of which, 57.8 square miles (150 km2) of it is land and 1.6 square miles (4.1 km2) of it (2.63%) is water.
The south town line forms a border with Delaware County and Greene County. The Schoharie Creek flows northward through the town. New York State Route 30 is a north-south highway in Gilboa. New York State Route 23 cuts through the southwest corner of the town. New York State Route 990V is a highway running eastward from NY-30 in the southeast part of Gilboa.
Recycling is a bit of an national obsession and a joke these days. More people recycle in America then vote, it’s looked down upon people who don’t use the proper recycling bins. It’s even gotten to the point where people toss so much crap into recycling bins, that waste disposal and sorting costs at recycling plants has become a major drag on the facilities. People want to do the right thing and feel virtuous.
Now I certainly do recycle my cans and glass in part because I pay $2 a bag to dispose of unrecycled material at the transfer station, and it’s a trip down there that I try to avoid making. Plus I don’t like looking at landfills or thinking about all my crushed debris piled up there indefinably. But I generally don’t have a lot of waste, because I buy in bulk, avoid purchasing material things preferring savings over spending, and don’t eat out — a big source of garbage in a country where people spend more money eating out then eating at home. In the summer months, a lot of my burnable stuff, is used for starting campfires.
But having looked at the actual recycling numbers, very little day-to-day household waste actually gets recycled. Of waste commonly disposed in curbside or transfer station in garbage bags and dumpsters, only 2-3% of it actually is separated out into recyclable materials that have a chance of being sold as scrap and reprocessed into something new. Calling scrapping cars, old washing machines, refrigerators, or composting leaves and wood debris recycling distorts what people actually consider recycling — the stuff put in the blue box or recycling dumpster.
Much common waste, maybe not day to day trash is either landfilled, incinerated or burned, from old computers to mattresses to brick and concrete to broken appliances and headphones. Most of it is mixed in with the ordinary household trash, the banana peals and rotting chicken bones then buried or burned, leaching it’s toxic residue into the air and water. Look around your room — how much of the stuff that you had ten years ago is still around you, and how much of it is now landfill or smoke?
Recycling certainly saves materials and landfill space, although common curbside recycling is kind of a joke. It would do better to reduce material consumption and focus on important recyclables like metals, which have to be mined and can be reprocessed with a large part of the material recycled — although not all as some is always lost as a dross. But I think it’s emphasized too much, and focuses on the wrong kind of things — not the toxic wastes like electronics or the bulk wastes like old appliances and furniture.
I am no fan of eating out, because I don’t like all the packing that go-food produces, to say nothing of all the unhealthy nature of it. 🗑 It’s easy enough to pack a good meal will lots of fiber and protein with beans or tofu, mixed with frozen or fresh vegetables such as broccoli, corn, peppers, and onions and have a good lunch in a microwavable container to pop in the microwave when it’s lunch time. 🍱 Sure beats so much of the fat and sugar laden crap that commercial lunch places sell. Not only does it reduce waste, it also saves money. 💰 The reusable container gets washed out, and by purchasing the tofu and vegetables in bulk, the only waste that is produced is a few thin plastic bag that burns up to nothing.
It brings me immense joy and satisfaction to witness the increasing number of roadside parking areas that are now equipped with convenient porta-potties. In the past, such amenities were often scarce, leaving travelers like myself yearning for a suitable spot to answer nature’s call. However, as I have embraced a healthier eating regimen, I have noticed that the need to stop and use the restroom has become more frequent. That’s where the presence of these portable toilet facilities becomes absolutely essential.
Public toilets serve a fundamental human need by providing a clean and accessible space for individuals to relieve themselves comfortably. Although gas stations and fast food establishments have traditionally offered such facilities, expanding these conveniences to include more roadside parking areas truly enhances the travel experience. No longer do we have to hastily search for secluded spots or rely on the mercy of trees along the way for impromptu pit stops. Instead, we can now embark on our journeys with the peace of mind that adequate restroom facilities will be conveniently available.
The significance of these porta-potties cannot be overstated. They not only alleviate the discomfort and inconvenience associated with holding it in but also contribute to the overall delightfulness of traveling. By offering more opportunities for travelers to take a break and attend to nature’s call, these facilities promote safe driving practices and ensure that our physical well-being is upheld during our adventures.
So, next time you hit the road, keep an eye out for these indispensable rest stops. Embrace the gratefulness that washes over you as you no longer have to resort to searching for remote sections of road or rely on the sporadic availability of gas stations and fast food places. The inclusion of porta-potties in roadside parking areas not only facilitates your healthier eating habits but also enhances your overall journey, making it a more pleasant and memorable experience. Happy travels!
As a private citizen, I am not particularly wed to one political party or another 🐴 🐘
I think pragmatism makes a lot of sense when it comes to politics these days, but it sure seems like most people are clearly in one camp or another, certain how they are going to vote long before Election Day. But I like to learn the facts, learn about the individual candidates and issues, and make my decision myself. I don’t need a political party or ideological group to tell me how to think.
Few things annoy me more than the tacky poly vinyl chloride covered plywood McMansions located on Orchard Avenue as you drive out to Five Rivers Environmental Education Center on the outskirts of Delmar and Albany which are eating away at the farm land and woodlands on the outskirts of town.
Some of those houses are for the rich but many are just upper middle class. Many have 1kW of solar panels on their roof (even if they use 20 times their output in a day), pantries stocked with organic food and frying pans made out of certified recycled steel. Many of those people would be horrified to shop at Walmart, although their bit trash can is always full despite ever so carefully washing out their milk bottles and tin cans.
I am quite fine with these people paying more in taxes. They complain about the high cost of tuition at private schools, maintaining their SUVs, the cost of groceries and utilities. But they have a lot more than a lot of us, I think they should pay their fair share. I’m fine with them taking away their fancy house’s mortgage deductions and SALT deduction. If you can afford to live so high on the hog then you should pay more.
If there was an animal that I would consider as a pet, it wouldn’t be a dog or a cat. It would be a goat.
Why a goat? It’s not like you can bring a goat inside your house and sit it down by the woodstove and not expect to be shoveling manure, as like many farm animals they have no control over their rectumns. They manure everywhere, the pasture, the barnyard or your living room floor.
But goats are fantastic animals. For one, they produce milk and meat. But they’re also excellent pack animals for carrying gear while hiking, and are quite loyal but with an independent streak. They can go for miles without drinking, their forage consumption is moderate and less expensive then most other pets.
And best of all unlike dogs and cats that are carnivorous, goats are good eating when the time comes. No expensive burial or waste of a goat.
