It could be a trashy transition….

my daily salad containers and salmon can-I save them for recycling!

As many of you know, I have been an avid recycler for quite a few years now, and I have a system at my house that works for us. There’s a big basket in a corner of one room where the paper and boxes go….and a hamper at the top of the basement steps where I put cans and bottles and plastics. I don’t have to do that any more as the city went to single stream(meaning you don’t have to separate anything, it can all go out in one big hamper if you like). But because I have a system, and it works, I keep it like it is.

Now Baltimore City has announced the following as of JULY 14:

 1. reducing trash pickups to once a week,Tuesday -Friday. 

2. instead of picking up recycling every other week, you get a weekly pickup.

I sense a trashy transition coming. Unless the people of Baltimore really get behind recycling (some neighborhoods are and some could care less)….the trash could stack up in a big, bad, ugly way.  See….for someone like me…a recycler….I like this plan. I only put trash out once a week anyway usually…as I don’t have that much, because at least half to two-thirds is put into recycling. People would be shocked at how much their trash output is reduced if they recycle. And the plan will benefit me…because what stacks up at my house is recycling. And Lordie, if I miss  recycling pickup, or a holiday kills one…you end up with a month of recycling. Luckily I have a basement to put it, but still. Lots of people don’t.

But if people refuse to learn to recycle, and let’s face it, it ain’t brain surgery….they will either have loads of trash at their house…or even worse, loads of trash they just put on the street anyway. That will be a rat’s fondest dream…”Oooh, look at  that big pile of nice stinky trash all ripe-like in the summer heat…have I died and gone to heaven? Where’s my spoon? ” 

You get the idea. So I’m hoping Baltimore City will start explaining in a clear fashion(and we in the media need to do this too…that would be a big help) just how one recycles. What goes in? What doesn’t? What kind of container can you use? What can’t you use? All plastics? Just some of them? All paper? boxes? Styrofoam? This is very confusing to folks who have never tried to recycle( and I know a lot of people that would surprise you, that they don’t recycle)….and it needs to be made simple. Which it is really, you just need some guidance. And then it’s all about creating a couple of  new habits…you don’t just throw everything in the trash. The earth only has so many landfills. And lots of them are full. It’s time to recycle….once a week….every week. It ain’t that hard. For those of you who live in the city, you’ll be getting a postcard soon about which trash and recycling days are yours. Look for it!