It hasn’t become quite second nature to all of us yet, but recycling is becoming more and more common. But has it become more user friendly? Most people would be perfectly happy to deal with their garbage only once, when they place it, using only two fingers if possible, in the trash can. Our hearts may be in the right place, because we all love our Mother Earth, but there are clear reasons why we could do without this chore.
It’s messy
Rinsing out jars and cans and taking them to the recycling bin risks dripping tomato sauce, jelly remnant and pickle juice all over the floor. The more exotic your diet, the messier the drippings.
It’s smelly
Even the most affluent and conscientious community probably does not send a recycling truck around more than twice a week. That leaves sometimes rather interesting smelling items sitting in a bin for at least three or four days at a time. God forbid recycling day falls on a holiday. Better yet, when it falls on the 4th of July holiday, when you have good old Mother Earth herself helping along the putrification factor with a nice dose of summer heat.
It takes time
Even the dry, non odorous garbage is a pain, since it simply takes so long to prep for recycling. Boxes have to be broken down, folded and stamped flat. Newspapers have to be tied and bundled. If you lack space, cans have to be crushed to take up less room.
It can cost money
Depending on your municipality, you either have to pay separately to have your recycling picked up, or you will have a surcharge on your local or county real estate taxes. Claiming that you don’t recycle won’t get you an exemption, so don’t even try.
It’s difficult
Not many people want to keep the recycled items right in the kitchen with them, so it involves trips outside, or at least to the garage. The box flattening and can crushing steps are a nuisance and not easy for everyone. Definitely not a job you can assign to your littler helpers.
It takes up space
A big question, is “Where do I put all this junk?” Homeowners usually have a designated spot outside (but then you have to be careful about critters redistributing your recycles throughout the neighborhood), or in the garage. Apartment dwellers have a real challenge that involves lack of space and therefore even more drips, smells, time and inconvenience.
It may be unsanitary
Unless you practically sanitize your cans and jars, wipe out frozen food packages and put milk and juice containers in the dish washer, unsanitary food remnants will still be in your recycling bins. Keep them in a cool place, protected from animals, and wear gloves when dealing with them.
Yes, recycling is a real nuisance. But do it anyway! Mother Earth is counting on you.
You might want to hire a maid to do all this dirty work for you, however, if you decide to go that route, be sure to do a bit of checking in terms of her background, potential criminal records and so on.
Seven Obstacles That May Stop You From Recycling
