Verboticism: Trashcombobulation

'You can't put paper towels in the paper recycling!!'

DEFINITION: n. Anxiety created by an inability to understand or follow the regulations for recycling, composting and garbage collection. v. To feel confused and conflicted because you produce too much garbage and don't know how to get rid of it.

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Environdimentia

Created by: Tigger

Pronunciation: /en-vay-ern-di-MEN-shuh/

Sentence: On the point of crying, Lauren sat slumped between bins of plastic bottles and stacks of papers, in a state of environdimentia. She knew that the #1 and #2 plastics were supposed to go together, but there was also a bin for bottles with 'necks'... so then what did those numbers mean on the bottles with the necks? Then there were the plastic bags, and some were recyclable, but some weren't. There was also the newspapers, and she remembered something about not mixing in any shiny circulars and flyers, which were often stuck into the newspapers when they were sold. Why would they do that?! It all seemed so ecoillogical. Lauren's husband Gregg would be home soon, and he was an ecologist — he understood all the rules. But he couldn't seem to understand why Lauren didn't get it, and he'd be frustrated with her again. She really wanted to be a tree hugger, like he was, but with all these crazy rules she felt like more of a tree-shrugger.

Etymology: Environment - natural surroundings (from Old French, environ "in circle") + Dementia - madness or insanity (from Low Latin, démentāre "deprive of mind")

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COMMENTS:

I like the way you presented a different way of looking at this. Strong verboticism. - silveryaspen, 2008-03-25: 12:45:00

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Recyxiety

libertybelle

Created by: libertybelle

Pronunciation: re-sigh-et-tee

Sentence: It was sheer recyxiety that made Howard spend hours sorting and re-sorting his trash into different categories - recyclable, non-recyclable, semi-recyclable, green glass, clear glass, blue glass, blue-green glass, brown glass, brown-ish glass, type 1 plastic, type 2 plastic and so forth.

Etymology: recycle + anxiety

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COMMENTS:

The 'sigh' in your pronunciation is a nice extra little touch! When I said your word aloud, the size-ity, of it became apparent. There's so much to your verboticism! Really Great Creation! - silveryaspen, 2008-03-25: 13:24:00

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Ecodisorderaphobia

Created by: Nosila

Pronunciation: eko dis ord era fob eeya

Sentence: Eric was new to the whole recycling thing. He had thought recycling was when they made the Tour de France be run again. He & Kate spent hours trying to sort all their household waste into suitable categories. You could say they suffered from ecodisorderafobia, because they were always afraid they were sorting their trash improperly. Would the Garbage Police shut them down once and for all for failing to conform? For months they lived with this fear. Finally Eric got brave one morning and approached the garbageman (okay Waste Disposal Technician) as he came down their alley. Biting the bullet he bravely asked the civic employee how they were doing in their sorting efforts. The garbageman winked and chuckled and told him not to worry. When Eric pressed him why he should not worry, he was told that all the stuff was just going to be dumped into the landfill anyway! All these months they had been sorting their trash for the seagulls. It was then that Eric & Kate vowed to become ecowarriors and run for city council.

Etymology: ecology (the environment as it relates to living organisms) & disorder (a condition in which things are not in their expected places or disturb in mind or make uneasy or cause to be worried or alarmed) & phobia ( an anxiety disorder characterized by extre

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COMMENTS:

Your sentence and word do a great job of presenting this part of the issue. Excellent! - silveryaspen, 2008-03-25: 12:48:00

I agree. Your sentence hits on the topic of the economics of recycling, and how recycling programs are only successful when it's economically feasible to recycle (i.e. if it costs more to recycle something, then the program must either be subsidized or abandoned). Very thought provoking. - Tigger, 2008-03-25: 22:58:00

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Thaiquandgo

Created by: bookowl

Pronunciation: tie/kwand/go

Sentence: Thaiquandgo occurs when you have to decide where to recycle your Thai food leftovers.

Etymology: Thai (food) + quandary + go + Taekwando

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COMMENTS:

Clever and funny! - silveryaspen, 2008-03-25: 12:42:00

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Discomposture

Created by: Jabberwocky

Pronunciation: dis/com/post/yur

Sentence: I hurried down the street with my sunglasses on, listening to my ipod, so that none of the neighbours would notice my discomposture after I had hastily stashed a plastic muffin tray in the recycling bin. It did have a recyling symbol on it but I wasn't sure if the number was acceptable or not.

Etymology: discomposure + compost + dis (as in disrespect)

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COMMENTS:

Oh, how I love compost! Wish there was a song about it. Good word! - purpleartichokes, 2008-03-25: 12:45:00

With originality you have captured the meaning and feeling in the definition again ... with wit and humor thrown in! Outstanding! - silveryaspen, 2008-03-25: 13:28:00

After reading your sentence, I had to google "recycling number" to understand what you are talking about here. Maybe it's because I'm an American, or maybe it's because I live in the middle of the United States (and not on a coast) but I admit I had no earthly idea that there were numbers on recyclables. Alas, we have no curb-side recyclables on my street. - doseydotes, 2008-03-25: 14:19:00

Okay, stache just privately pointed out that there IS, in fact, curbside recycling on my street, and he expressed surprise that I did not know about recycling numbers. I, apparently, am a recylidiot. Or an ecolodork. Or . . . you fill it in. - doseydotes, 2008-03-25: 15:26:00

wow - I think James might have (quite litter/ally)saved a little part of the planet today by choosing such a green definition. No more recylaments doseydotes. - Jabberwocky, 2008-03-25: 15:44:00

I'll be calling the City first thing tomorrow morning to ask for a bin. I'm . . . so . . . ashamed. - doseydotes, 2008-03-25: 17:54:00

Ashaamed, nay! I once thought that the triangular-shaped chasing arrows meant Danger! Crushing this plastic container may cause serious arrow-like injury. - purpleartichokes, 2008-03-25: 19:08:00

Great word - OZZIEBOB, 2008-03-25: 20:07:00

Clever creations — love it! - Tigger, 2008-03-25: 23:30:00

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Strashed

Created by: readerwriter

Pronunciation: st-rah-sh-t

Sentence: One Tuesday morning, after hauling her final recycling bin to the curb, Camilla felt so strashed by the process of sorting through what was to go where, she fell in front of the large garbage truck as it barrelled towards the curb. Her dying thoughts were wondering what bin they would put her in.

Etymology: A verb. A combination of STRESSED and TRASHED

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COMMENTS:

Perfect word! - silveryaspen, 2009-01-15: 12:30:00

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Recyclophobic

Created by: Mustang

Pronunciation: re-cyc-lah-FOE-bick

Sentence: Edgemont was absolutely recyclophobic when it came time to separate recyclables for collection each Thursday, as he could not grasp the concept of separating those materials from ordinary refuse and he always wound up leaving the job to his wife, Myrtle.

Etymology: blend of 'recycle' (to treat or process (used or waste materials) so as to make suitable for reuse) and 'phobic' (a person suffering from a phobia)

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Allitteration

Created by: Nosila

Pronunciation: all lit ter ay shun

Sentence: Al & Alice allegedly allowed allitteration anxiety at all angles affect an attitude attack at acquiring any absolute atonement.

Etymology: Alliteration (use of the same consonant at the beginning of each stressed syllable in a line of verse) & All Litter (all garbage) & Shun (avoid and stay away from deliberately; stay clear of)

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Biobefuddlement

Created by: toadstool57

Pronunciation: bIO-bE-fud-dull-ment

Sentence: Jill is scared to approach the recycle and compost bins, experiencing bouts of biobefuddlement, shaking and sweating as she tries to pick the bin to toss her trash.

Etymology: biodegradable/befuddlement,as in confused

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COMMENTS:

Two big B's blended, so I buzzed by to say nice etymology. Meaning full verboticism. Good word! - silveryaspen, 2008-03-25: 13:41:00

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Ecoguilt

picabomama

Created by: picabomama

Pronunciation: ee/co/guilt

Sentence: Despite using cloth diapers and cloth napkins and cedar cat litter, Kelly's ecoguilt could not be soothed. When she began making art out of toilet paper tubes, her husband decided it was time for an intervention.

Etymology: eco- shorthand for ecology + guilt- the terrible feeling that you are somehow failing

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COMMENTS:

Great sentence. Right on the definition! Outstanding! - silveryaspen, 2008-03-25: 11:08:00

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