Waste Management 101

Today, you may want to call me the Trash Can Police. The city where I live has decided to join many other local cities in the D/FW area and go with the 95-gallon and 65-gallon trash and recycle bins that can be picked up by the trash trucks without a person having to get out/off the truck and do real work. I'm told that soon the trucks will be operated by remote-control. I'm kidding but it wouldn't surprise me. I guess the city thinks that this uniformity of trash bins will kick them up a notch in the suburban rankings. Actually, the only increase is probably the one in my waste management bill.

Anyway, we are obviously novices at the art of waste management with these new bins. As I'm happily jogging along in my neighborhood I noticed various definitions of "place bins 2 feet from the street with the lid facing the street". I think most people got the proper lid-facing direction (considering there are arrows on the lids) but 2 feet from the street was all over the place (primarily in the street). And one neighbor had 20 feet between the trash and recycle bins. What, are they allergic to each other, can't be trusted to not fight while waiting, or might have sex during the wait? OMG!

So back to the "2 feet" issue. Hubby and I actually had a pointed discussion about the definition of "street" last night when he placed our brand-spanking new bin at the street. Later, I secretly moved it back "2 feet from the white line" which is my definition of the street. You have to realize that we don't have curbs out here in the "country" so the street kind of starts well.... wherever. And we can only hope that we got the correct waste in the correct bin. NO. I DIDN'T CHECK THAT AS I RAN BY!

I was very pleased too see these cute bins all lined up and ready for the wrecking trucks.....oops, I mean waste management vehicles. I can only imagine what they will look like after the trucks finish with them. I think the requirement should be that the bins are replaced, undamaged, in the same footprint after emptying, lids closed. I know. That's anal and it's way too much to ask.

Later: You are not going to believe this but 2 weeks in a row, my bins have been replaced in the exact footprint. Bloody Amazing!