I live in a large condo community. Our city has an excellent recycling program, accepts all plastics (#s 1-7), and provides our community with a sufficient number of recyling bins...4 per street. 2 large blue bins for plastics and 2 large yellow bins for paper.
Unfortunately, some residents do not know how to recycle properly, or are just too lazy to do so (I give everyone the benefit of the doubt).
I see plastic in the paper bin and paper in the plastic bin. I see people put their newspapers for recycling into plastic grocery shopping bags and put it in paper bin or vice versa. Empty cans in the paper bin, etc. You get the idea.
I try to avoid confrontation, so I instead printed a Recycling Instructional page from our city's website and taped it to the dumpster door, which is where the recycling bins are located. Our community groundskeeper tore it off, saying NO ONE is permitted to post anything on our dumpster houses or the mailboxes.
I have gone so far as sorting through the bins and separating them to their proper bin. Unfortunately it has become such a clusterfuck that it would take me 30-45 mins a day to do this on a daily basis. I do not have that kind of free time. Plus, no one likes picking up after other peoples' crap.
How do you propose I resolve this issue without starting a 'beef' with any of my neighbors? How do i show them how easy it is to recycle properly and that it takes absolutely no time whatsoever to do so, it just becomes instinct after time.
Interests: Living life as an intiatic experience, uniting with like minds and hearts to build a better, cleaner, more peaceful world, listening to the wisdom of the inner voice, communing with the elemental forces of Nature, the arts, media and communications, personal growth and development, the natural healing arts, interesting cuisines, cinema, all that expands the consciousness, betters the Self, and links me with THAT from Which I come.
Inspiration: Whitman, Thoreau, the Tao, deep meditation, spiritually anointed words carried on the human voice and the Cosmic Winds, being with those of like mind and calling.
"It's never too late to begin anew."
I wonder if it would pay to hand out the one-page info sheet to residents directly, slip them under doors, etc.
I find kids understand these issues better than their parents. Perhaps if there are kids in your complex, they could be the ones to pass along the message. (And a kid would probably separate the trash for five bucks a week.)
Stay positive and do what you can...be glad that your complex even has it, most here in S. FL don't :(
Tara
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Our recycle program is so limited in my county, more goes in the trash then in the recycle bin. Sadly people just don't know how to recycle or just don't care to learn.
I'm a firm believer in positive affirmations, if you put it out there the universe will respond.
Thank you for caring enough to make a difference!