I have a household with only 2 adults. We have 2-4 13 gallon bags of trash a week. I too thought we were putting out too much trash until I realized that our neighbors were putting out 30 gallon bags. The amount of trash we take out depends on what types of activities go on during the previous week. Sometimes we have more trash when I clean out the refridgerator or freezer. Sometimes we will have more trash when we go through some of our junk (we recently moved so we have a pile of stuff in our basement that has been an ongoing sorting project. I recycle all that I can which definitely cuts back on the garbage that makes it to a bag.

i know somebody in the garbage business for the city that does not recycle.

i do but i use the apartments dumpster

We once lived in Minnesota where our taxes did NOT include garbage/recycling pick-up service. But, even 20 years ago, when homeowners there had to individually contract with one of the 4 available trash removal companies ($200-400/year), everyone paid according to the amount of trash that was picked up each week. Recycling was not picked up either and had to be delivered to designated receiving sites. While, in many ways we found Minnesota not quite as "Green" as they promoted themselves (i.e., newer, more energy efficient car license fees were HUNDREDS of dollars a year thus encouraging junker, gas guzzling cars on the highways) they did get it right with trying to contain the amount of trash generated.

Our family usually has between 1-3 bins of recyclables and less than 1 bag of trash per week. We compost our food scraps, and we diligently recycle/reuse everything we can. We save our aluminium and cash it in every few months. We live in Harmony Township, and they accept more types of plastic than the City of Janesville. They also don't require separation of recyclables; much easier than in the city. When we lived within the city limits, our amount of recyclables still far outweiged the regular trash. Our neighbors, no matter where we live, always have more regular trash and less recyclables than us. This, I feel, is a reflection of what people buy in the first place; the item desired comes in plastic, inside a box, wrapped in more plastic, and sent home in a plastic bag.
For me, recycling has always been a way of life and is not optional, but mandatory. I have taught this, and other eco-friendly habits, to my children with hopes of them passing on the 'green-gene' to their children.

I know some people who live in Janesville that do no recycling what so ever. in fact when the garbage people refused to take there trash because they could see that there was recycling in the bags, they went out and bought black trash bags.