Recycling, Don't People Read?

Here in Shiloh, recycling is on the "honor system." It's not like what my parents had to deal with in Great Neck, where people had a multitude of color-coded trash cans. Each can was for a different type of trash, and each can had a different day to be put in an easily accessible place. They also had to tie down the lids, or animals would enter and spread the garbage all over the place. They could also be fined for filling the cans incorrectly. And if they missed the day, they'd be stuck with the trash.

I like it much better here. People are responsible for putting their recycling trash in the correct containers. Some people just use the giant garbage and don't recycle.  But many of us make an effort to recycle our trash.

There are large garbage containers all over the neighborhood and smaller orange ones for Some, like this one for papers and light cartons, such as cereal boxes, have easy to read labels. Other containers are much older, and the labels have long worn off.

Of course, there are people who don't pay attention and fill all the receptacles with whatever, instead of carefully following instructions. Today I saw a milk carton sticking out of the paper bin. So I carefully read the instructions. After listing all the permitted things, paper, letters, cereal/food/cometic/medicine boxes... very clearly it says:

Don't throw in milk and juice cartons!