I don't get it

I have occasionally seen people who can pull off posts complaining about stuff that other people do that they just don't understand. Despite the fact that I'm pretty opinionated I generally tend to avoid those kinds of posts since I just can't figure out how to do it without offending. I'm just not a clever/snarky blogger. Today I've decided to blog about something I really don't understand: people who don't recycle. My family has recycled for my whole life, even before it was cool or became a political issue. I have years of memories of packing up newspapers, cans, and bottles to haul down to the recycling center. I still can't put a newspaper in the trash; it just feels wrong.

Today the kids were in the backyard playing, and when I went outside to check on them I discovered that they had two large, rusty metal stakes they'd discovered in the dirt. I confiscated the stakes and went out to the front to put them in our garbage can that was waiting at the curb. When I opened it, there was a giant cardboard box sitting inside. Besides the strangeness of having someone else's garbage in our can, I was bothered by the fact that they had ignored the recycling can sitting right next to it. How long does it really take to break down the box and toss it in? I hate it when I see people put out their trash cans that are overflowing with cardboard that could easily be recycled.

Now you know what really bothers me; just don't use this information against me by leaving cardboard boxes on my doorstep (or, worse, in my garbage can).

Comments

Kristi said…
Yeah, I don't understand not recycling either. When we got married I signed us up for recycling and the husband thought I was nuts and wasting money. But now he freely admits that he feels good about filling up the recycling bin instead of just trashing everything. I liked the way the Germans and Austrians had recycling bins for EVERYTHING, and wish that Orem did more.
Cheryl said…
I agree! It drives me nuts that there are only 3 or 4 blue bins on our ENTIRE street. (it's a long street)

In fact, it bothers me so much that this month I'm going to start paying for a second recycling bin --I hate that it comes only 2 weeks out of the month! I recycle way more than I throw away, and so it piles up quickly (thus the need for another bin).
Julie said…
I'm with you; I just don't get it. In our condo in CA, the HOA wouldn't pay for separate recycling services. I tried to bundle up ours and take it to a place on my own, but we usually end up with more recycling than trash, and the place was so far away. It didn't last for long. Oh, excuses, excuses. Here our recycling can is the same size as the garbage can, but they only pick up recycling every other week. It kills me since we usually have more recycling than trash and the recycling can is so overflowing sometimes I trash recycling just to make room. (again with the excuses)
Desmama said…
I hear you. What I hate (yes, I used that word) is when people don't do it just to make a political statement. ARGH!
Becca said…
I agree! I don't understand why it is such a political issue? I was telling a friend how annoyed I was by the lack of recycling here and she started laughing at me like I'm an idiot (she is very conservative). I was pretty offended, not just by the laughing, but by the ignorance.
Anonymous said…
Apparently, what God meant to say to Adam and Eve in the Garden was rape and pillage this planet. It's yours to treat irresponsibly.

Or something.

The wife and I were considering a second garbage can, because ours was overflowing, and when we saw that Provo was only charging $5/mo for a recycle bin and $15 for another garbage can, we jumped at it. We've filled our can up full by the end of two weeks, and only a third of a can of garbage every week.

What's nice is that we've seen more recycle cans appearing up and down our street since we got one!
Earth Sign Mama said…
It is sad that some people see it as a "political" issue. I consider myself quite conservative and yet I was taught all of my life to reuse and recyle and not waste. I passed this on to my children. I grew up in an exquisitely beautiful environment which we worked to keep clean and scenic. But even in a crowded, ugly city (or maybe especially because it is crowded and ugly)it just makes sense to recycle instead of adding to the trash stream. Sigh---it's about our home (Earth) not politics.
Th. said…
.

Let's form a posse.

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