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Used to think people who separated recycling were wasting time. Now I'm the one pulling cans out of the trash at work.
Last month our office got a notice from Waste Management saying they'd stop picking up if we kept contaminating the bin. I ignored it until the janitor showed me the photo of our dumpster with a giant red sticker on it. Embarrassing. Now I stand there sorting stuff because I don't want to be the reason the whole floor gets fined. Has anyone else had their building get strict about this?
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ray3561mo ago
You ever notice how once you start seeing a problem you can't stop seeing it? I'm the same way now with plastic bags. They're everywhere. In trees. In gutters. Floating down the street like tumbleweeds. I used to just chuck everything in one bin. Now I'm that guy pulling a soda can out of a garbage can at a gas station. It's like a curse. You cross some invisible line and suddenly you're part of the cleanup crew.
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the_jana1mo ago
Huh, do you think most people just don't know what's recyclable, or do they know and just not care enough to do it right?
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piperbailey1mo ago
That "whole floor getting fined" thing is real. My building started sending out emails showing photos of the trash with the contaminated stuff circled in red. It got so bad they posted a sign over the bin that just says "IF IT'S NOT A CAN, IT'S TRASH." People still throw coffee cups in there though. I've started doing what you do, picking things out when I see them. The weird thing is now I notice how much of our office waste is actually recyclable. Like 90% of what people toss is cardboard and plastic bottles if you just rinse them out. I wonder if your janitor has any pull with management to make it easier?
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