In our garage are three big bins — one for glass, one for aluminum cans, one for recyclable plastics.  Nearby is an area where we stash flattened cardboard.  I think of it as our “Recycle Center” and faithfully add to the appropriate stash every day.  When one of the bins gets full, usually the plastics, I make a run to the Recycle Center at the end of Bay Avenue and Sandridge with all three bins and the cardboard.

It’s definitely not my favorite activity.  Unlike that woman who used to appear on TV wearing huge rubber gloves and scrubbing each contribution until it shone, I don’t recycle because I love the activity.  I recycle because it’s the right thing to do.  And, in case anyone wonders. doing the right thing doesn’t make me hate the process any less.

No matter.  Today was the day.  I found the Recycle Center clean and tidy — slots looking empty and no excess bags of “stuff” piled up near overflowing bins.  And, it was busy.  My neighbor Mark was there and we exchanged pleasantries — actually, unpleasantries in a way.  The puppy-guard for their new family member inadvertently “bit” Sandra and so we talked about blood and clots and scabs and other nasty subjects.

Shortly thereafter, a woman marched (yes, marched) up to where I was working and said, “I just want to see where she thinks she’s putting those plastic bottles.  You can’t recycle plastics here.”  I have no idea who she was talking about or even if she was talking to me, but I responded, “Yes you can, if they have this symbol,” and pointed out the PETE (Polyethylene Terephthalate) bin.

Ready for More Recyclables

“Oh.  Well that’s new!” she said.  “No.  It’s not,” I told her.  “Well, it wasn’t here a year ago,” she said.  “Yes, it was.  Probably even five years ago,” I said.  And then wondered why I was arguing with this stranger who seemed to have designated herself the Recycle Nazi of the Day.

Without further incident I finished up and  returned home feeling “very much accomplished” as my Aunt Medora would have said.  But I still don’t like the recycling job…  Another one of life’s necessities.  And who cares what I think, anyway?