Monday, April 10, 2006

self portrait tuesday

Miguel, the guy that works in our warehouse asked me in Spanish and with much concern in his voice, "There's a bag of trash in your car?" My friend Kim also asked, "Why is there a big bag of trash in your car?" When The Lotto Club went out to lunch last week I said, "Can one of you drive because I have too much shit in my car."

A couple months ago, my apartment complex inexplicably got rid of the one recycle bin that they had stashed at the farthest end of the property. They all but camouflaged the bin with leaves and brush. It was the best kept secret in the complex, sending the message, "Sshh, we care." Before the bin disappeared, it was a big trek to the bin and when your home is just over 900 square feet, I understand the urge to just toss stuff in the trash. But recycling is probably the most basic of environmental responsibleness, so I wouldn't let my family trash my bags.

Then the one recycle bin disappeared, and it still hasn’t returned. I go to the management office every other week to ask about it and they either pass the buck or they say, "We're looking into that" which pretty much means, "Fuck off, Renter." I know they think I'll give up asking, but my strategy is to needle them to embarrassment and ultimately make them submit to a smidgen of environmental consciousness. Or at least do what I say just to get rid of me.

Until then, I carry my bags of recycling around in my car for sometimes days until I take the girls to the library where there is a recycle bin. Or when I drive by a particular complex where I know there's a bin. This is such a pain in the ass because my schedule is so tight, but I just can't bring myself to throw the stuff in the trash. The sight of me driving around with a big bag o' trash must look pretty silly though.

SPT's theme for April is Documenting Silly. Check out more aqui.

14 comments:

kristen said...

Cool photo and like you Madness, I drive around with plastic recycling bottles because our town won't pick up the fucking plastic anymore. For what reason I have no clue and for what we pay in property taxes, these trash collectors should be hand-picking the plastics out of our garbage. Meanwhile, everyone I know throws plastic in the can rather than drive to the town recycling center. Not me though ~ it's bad enough that we have this much plastic in our lives to begin with, so I do my part and drive around like a crazy old bag lady until I can unload my dump stuff.
My word verfication was roqzit. I hope I don't get a rock-sized zit now. (=

angela said...

wow, you are a dedicated recycler - i love it!

i've been know to drive around with my recyles also, they sure don't make it easy to be green

Heather said...

Way to go!! Our neighborhood is so good about recycling, we all have huge recycle bins, not to brag or anything :).

Anonymous said...

Good thing it's not compost.

I found out recently that our university doesn't recycle, even though there's a paper-recycling bin next to every trashcan. I'm glad I have been painstakingly removing staples from paper for the past two years.

Also, Starbucks doesn't recycle. Last time I checked, neither did Whole Foods.

Anonymous said...

My car can turn into a complete shitmobile for this same reason. Fortunately the recycling gets picked up weekly, but there are certain things that they won't recycle, and those things are in the back of my station wagon. Man I love having a station wagon.

Anonymous said...

Both my husband and I both drive around with recyclables in our cars. I wish everyone were as careful about it. When I got out to lunch with co-workers I just tell them we feel too guilty to throw these things in the trash. I wish everyone were as dedicated to the environment!

Vanessa/NessieNoodle said...

ohno~
that is crazy and I love it. great photo.
kinda reminds me of Shel Silverstein,
...Silva Stout, would not take the garbage out....

I can't remember the whole thing, but I love that poem.

Michelle said...

Great SPT because it isn't all silly, just silly looking. I have a closet full of recycling for the same reason.

Green Whale said...

Kudos to you for recycling! And about the station wagon -- I love station wagons and I hope to have one one day. I'm just waiting until they make a hybrid one...

Kathleen said...

you.
are.
awesome.

so great that you do what you do.
your dedication is admirable!
mother earth told me to tell you "thanks"
and that she will take care of you in return.

: )

Marigoldie said...

I usually have a box of recyclables (spilling out) in my trunk, along with a Goodwill bag. But that Goodwill pile-up is handy. The other night at an outdoor bar I was getting chilly, so I ran out to the parking lot, dug through my Goodwill bag and pulled out a sweater. I brought back gifts for the people at my table: garlic press, VH1 tshirt, Halloween doo-dad.

andrea said...

totally digging this take on april fools SPT... and before we moved to our current neighborhood, I had to cart the recyclables in the back of the car as well. can't understand why recycling isn't just standard practice everywhere. it's, like, the easiest thing to do. but whatever. I'm preaching to the choir, right?

Diz Rivera said...

I'm kinda bummed so many people relate. I mean, why should trying to recycle be so hard?

Anonymous said...

what the hell is wrong with people? at the firehouse, where we do have recycling, i am constantly picking cans and bottles out of the garbage can and stopping the macho dicks from depositing more of same into it. i'm like, "hello, we have recycling bins. where have you been? this is the bay area and the year '06 stupid motherf.....er."
i hate people...