If you’re part of the average American family, you threw away about 1,600 pounds of trash this year. However, if you’re Dave Chameides’ family, you threw away 32 - yes 32 - pounds of trash this year.

AFP (via Yahoo! news) reports that Chameides eliminated almost all waste he could, and didn’t throw away that which he couldn’t.

Instead the 39-year-old Chameides — nicknamed “Sustainable Dave” — recycles his garbage or else stores it in his basement. He says he wants to show that it is possible to dramatically reduce his family’s consumption habits.

And he certainly has. He buys food in bulk and then metes it out (such as rice and beans) into reusable containers. His car runs on cooking oil. He composts his food. And, like we’ve said on this site before, going green has actually improved his family’s life.

‘I’m eating fresher food, I’m saving money, helping the local economy, supporting farmers instead of corporations. For me that’s worth it. It’s just thinking about doing the right thing,’ he says. ‘It’s just little steps. I’m not living in a cave. People think that the US quality of life should be living in a house with lights on all the time. We live a pretty decent life, by many people’s standards we live a phenomenal life.’

Pretty impressive. Though the year’s almost over, you can http://365daysoftrash.blogspot.com/ and visit the blog  Chameides started and catch up on how he’s done over the year. Maybe you’ll even find a tip or two you can use for yourself.