OK, my neighbor won't recycle. What to do?

[CTyankee]

They've not recycled since they moved in over a year ago. Now we have simpler, "single stream" recycling, easier than ever, and they still don't. We even got new containers from the city with clear instructions. There's a city ordinance that requires recycling but they don't comply.

What to do? Everybody on our street recycles. Our entire neighborhood is rated the best in New Haven for recycling. Yet they do not.

We are all at wits end with them. We can't understand. They are perfectly nice to talk to. No problem there. But we don't know how to handle this problem.

Maybe we are being unreasonable, but we like the fact that we all do our duty and recycle stuff. We are happy with the new program because we don't have to separate the stuff the way we used to. It all goes into one bin. AND our garbage is reduced!

Any suggestions?

[proud2BlibKansan]

1. The trash company won't give us a recycling bin

I've called and called. But they have never brought one by.

I certainly hope my neighbors aren't complaining that we don't recycle.

[dionysus]

4. in the office, we have recycling bins. when i'm there late enough for the cleaning people to

come in and empty the trash, i notice they just dump the recycling bin in with the garbage. bastards.

[proud2BlibKansan]

8. One of my neighbors told me they take the recycling to the same landfill

and just dump it in with the trash.

Sure wouldn't surprise me.

[Maru Kitteh]

139. One of your neighbors was probably handing you a lazy excuse based on a rumor.

I took a tour of our recycling facility and watched how everything was handled first-hand. Most centers are happy to do this. It was really quite fascinating.

[Tunkamerica]

100. Same here.

She's a nice lady, but doesn't speak any English and I don't speak Spanish. I've told several people at work and they all just shrug.

[MrsBrady]

366. talk to the building management...or the office manager to talk to building maintenance

[HubertHeaver]

114. They are told to do that. I was one of those cleaning people.

We were verbally instructed to put everything in the same dumpster. The foremen said the word came from the superintendent. The superintendent said the union refused to cooperate. Of course, they would put none of this in writing.

[ThomThom]

191. take them home and recycle there

find a solution don't just complain. Maybe people in the office can take turns.

[CTyankee]

5. We are supplied the bins. No problem there. Not only bins but flyers and

information packets attached to the bins!

there are lots of things wrong with the city of New Haven but this is not one of them! No excuses!

[Xenotime]

205. FINE THEM! Somebody should inspect their trash to see just how much they are destroying.

Then fine them on that amount That will change their tune.

[CTyankee]

248. not in my hands, but the city's. They can and will reject unsuitably

disposed of garbage and/or recyclables.

[Phil The Cat]

363. Are you volunteering for the job of sifting people's garbage?

No one should ask of others that which they are unwilling to do themselves!

I see SOOOOOOOOOOO much "SOMEBODY should! THEY should!" and "THEY don't!"

Where are the "WE shoulds?"

Like John F Kennedy said so well in his Inaugural Address in 1961:

"And so my fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VB6hLg3PRbY

:yourock: <= JFK

[beac]

63. There was a long wait for bins where I used to live, but if you put your

recycling out in any old plastic tub at the curbside, they would take it. After we got our official bin, we still used it occasionally to supplement our official bin after parties (lots of glass) or when we'd been shredding (lots of paper).

Maybe your recycling contractor would accept stuff a DIY bin too? :shrug:

[CTyankee]

80. My guess is that they put everything in the garbage bags...that would probably be

the easiest...even my husband used to do this until I put my foot down and said not to do it any more. So we're no better than anybody else...but the city's program makes sense and it makes it easier for everything. Plus, they had an aggressive community educational campaign...what does it take?

[proud2BlibKansan]

115. Been there done that

Thanks for the suggestion though.

[dionysus]

2. hmm, i'd ask him, tell them you're curious why they don't. see what he says.

[CTyankee]

9. It's uncomfortable, that's why we don't.

I've thought about asking our alderman to drop by and in the course of his visit he could mention the recycling...

They also have a car parked in front of their house with a flat tire...been there for two months. We just can't understand why that wasn't taken care of. But it is not any of our business so...

Maybe a different ethos...I don't know. They don't have loud parties or kids who act up, like the people who were there before them. So we're grateful for that.

Do you think the alderman route is the best way to go?

[tammywammy]

12. Do they know the alderman?

If it's just a friendly "stopping by" of the alderman, that might be best.

[CTyankee]

25. Yes, we know our alderman very well. He is very visible on our block.

We could do that and I have thought long and hard about it. I thought he might approach it by asking how they thought the new recycling program worked for them and seeing what they had to say.

It's probably the best idea...the alderman lives a few blocks away so he wouldn't be in direct proximity to them...

[tammywammy]

36. That does sound like a good idea then.

If nothing changes, then well, nothing changes.

[taterguy]

14. Grow a pair

What's the worst that could happen if you talked to them?

Your alderman probably has better things to do.

From a Golden Rule perspective I'd much rather get that speech from a neighbor if I wasn't recycling.

[CTyankee]

26. I thought about going over and talking to them about how wonderful it was that we had

the new recycling program, how easy it was, etc. but it would be hard to get a "spontaneous" conversation going since I never see them outside of their house except to get in their cars and leave. Which is very different from other neighbors who are often outside doing stuff...

[zonkers]

295. There ya go. Straight out ask them. Do it for the planet.

[RamboLiberal]

211. Car with the flat - usually you can report those to the city

And if tags are out of date they can be towed. They might also tag that car if it looks like it is not being driven.

As to the recycling - if your city doesn't enforce it I would not get my shorts in a twist over it.

[noamnety]

237. She could do that, sure.

But the car isn't hurting her in any way.

Normally when people have cars like that in their yard, it's a clue they have money problems. Why create major extra expenses for someone who might already be struggling to stay afloat?

[CTyankee]

249. Well, it's an eyesore for one thing. And these folks have more than one car,

even tho this is an old one. My guess is that it belongs to someone else...and he or she can't get to it just yet...but I really don't know...

[noamnety]

254. Sounds like a class issue.

People in some communities are used to having a broken down car here or there.

People in some other types of communities feel that they're entitled, because of where they live, not to have to cast their eyes upon reminders of anything below upper/middle class - clotheslines, homeless people, campers, a flat tire, an expired registration sticker.

Personally I don't find it an eyesore to see an expired registration sticker on a car. Maybe last year's sticker was a color that clashed with the car, though ... I don't know.

[CTyankee]

258. what is this class issue with you? Are you the spokesperson for the downtrodden?

Ilove the way some people are getting all saintly on me. We happen to be a middle class neighborhood, nothing fancy here. I drive an 11 year old car. It's not fancy but hey, it's paid for and I'm gonna keep driving it till it doesn't pay to drive it anymore. My husband routinely took the bus to work and still goes downtown that way. He was a city worker, union (AFSME) member.

Why do you judge us? You've never seen our street, our houses, our people. You do us an injustice.

[noamnety]

260. "why do you judge us?"

Yes, it's very upsetting when people stand around judging others. It sucks, doesn't it?

At least I'm just a random username on the internet. It would suck worse if it were your friends and neighbors doing it.

[CTyankee]

264. horse just getting higher...

[RamboLiberal]

272. A broken down car that no one is fixing is JUNK

How much junk do you want to collect in your neighborhood? Do you want your neighbors cluttering up the yard with junk and trash? Breeding vermin? Do you want to let them have their house in such disrepair it becomes a fire hazard?

At some point in an urban environment the junk needs to get thrown out. Sorry but there is no excuse for being too damn lazy to get someone to come out and pay you to tow away that car you will never ever fix or use. And if someone is too lazy to do that or unmotivated for whatever reason then the city has to intervene.

How about a house next to you that is abandoned? Broken in to and used by vagrants? Or is an attraction for arsonists?

And I've seen some rural settings where they need to clean up the junk as well.

[noamnety]

273. It's been there two months.

A lot of people just flat out need that amount of time to save up the money to get a car running again.

I didn't read anything about "vermin" or their house being a fire hazard. I didn't read any reason given for why they haven't had it fixed yet, though you seem to have decided it's from laziness.

Most of your post has nothing to do with the thread.

[RamboLiberal]

282. I said in another post I wouldn't report a car with a flat

that's been there 2 months. But a lot of times the cars sit there for over a year. At some point you have to determine when to report an abandoned vehicle to authorities.

I have neighbors who abandon vehicles in my alley then end up blocking my driveway when their friends visit on "party night".

I had to go wake them up last year on a Sunday morning just so I could get my car out and other nights I had to beep my horn to get their friends to move. And there is available street parking, they'd just have to walk a few extra feet to get to the back yard party.

This year so far they've been behaving and not blocking my driveway, but if they start up again I'm damn sure going to report their 2 year+ out of date vehicles to the police. Our police chief and mayor is encouraging people to do so to clean up our neighborhoods.

Between 2 houses there are 4 abandoned vehicles - one actually looks like a decent car but they never move it.

[noamnety]

284. Blocking my driveway would be a problem!

It's not that I'd never call police. I did after complaining to their neighbors about their loose German Shepherd, and they ignored my complaints. Then one day it went after my daughter, shredding her clothing and I shredded her skin dragging her by the arm across our driveway into our garage to safety.

My line is: Is it causing me danger or destroying my property? Then I take action as needed to resolve it.

If it's just a pure "class" issue (sagging jeans, clotheslines, whatever), then it's not really hurting me. I don't sweat it. My neighbors had a camper illegally parked in their driveway for a year or two, but it wasn't an issue in my life.

[CTyankee]

323. Well, this couple went on a bus tour and their friends who were also going on the tour

parked on our little street and boarded this tour bus which stopped there. We could barely get out of our driveways because their cars were parked on both sides of the street. It was that way for a week in July.

I don't understand. Common sense would tell you that a little street is not a public parking lot!

[noamnety]

337. Were you able to get out of your driveways?

or did someone actually get trapped and have to call a tow truck, or sideswipe a car trying to get out?

[RamboLiberal]

240. Said car was parked on street

In some urban areas that takes up valuable parking space and is an eyesore not to mention could leak fluids.

At some point you need to report it - 2 months I would ignore but what if it's parked there 1+ years? At some point it becomes trash. Sell the junker, fix the junker, or get it towed by city & pay fine.

[noamnety]

275. It doesn't sound like parking spaces are a problem there.

From what she wrote, an entire tour bus load of extra cars was able to find spots on her street, and even then the problem she complained about wasn't that residents couldn't find a place to park, she said it was that it was tight getting out of their driveways.

I didn't see where she said it was leaking fluids. But I do know that even cars that are running can leak. Maybe she and her friends can set up a date to go checking people's cars for leaks though when they're done fretting over people's trash.

[CTyankee]

324. OK, let's have a bunch of cars park on both sides of your street for a week all of a sudden

and see how you like it...this ain't a parkway. It's a little street. We have a street cleaning service by the city that can't do their job when people park their cars there for an entire week. Even residents aren't allowed to do this. Is that being considerate of neighbors?

Really, what do you think?

[noamnety]

345. We've had to deal with construction

where we weren't allowed to drive to our house on our street at all - we had to park in a subdivision that was a ways away, and haul our groceries in from there. It was inconvenient, but not life changing.

[crazyjoe]

360. you can't leave a car with a flat tire on the street, it's against the law.

just call the cops and have it towed away. they dont' have to know who called.

[RandomThoughts]

3. Recycling is part of system lingo also.

[CTyankee]

6. Can you say more about this? I'm interested...

[RandomThoughts]

87. Recycling is taking someone that does not meet your

standards for what you think is best, then running programs at them to change them, carrots and sticks to make them system compatible.

Things like shaving, are actually part of it, also the basics, cleanliness, promptness, work ethic, not questioning, following orders.

Stuff like that.

A fun story.

(Gulliver Travels metaphor, thinking about a story on it)

Most people that groups think need to get recycled get tricked into institutions, then broken down till they conform to some standard. I investigated one of those centers, ran a few layers to check it out, saw some interesting things. Although mostly it confirmed how much of 'that system' were metaphoric agents. Interesting stuff. Even had one lady that had green eyes, that flamed and rotated, always wondered if it was contacts or a great projection trick, never learned that one. Although she tried basic Command Word on me, and I reversed it on her, she told me to get a pencil, I pointed to the pencils, and said they are over there, you can bring me one, and she did. That was a good one, she backed off after that.

Really interesting stuff, learned a bit there, was a guy named Ball, an asshole, Lady named Grace, she warned me about the long robes, A football player, although he wanted to know how I knew plays, a guy from a secret group, he tried to spin on me, sent him off for a 3 day weekend giving me his HQ location 'max faction'.

They called in a man in black on that (j/k) could not engage guard, his comment was he could handle typewriters but not computers, So then had that man in black show up, LOL, or so he was dressed, tried to avoided him although he got somethings into outer layers LOL, lets see what else... Oh a bad doctor, he pissed me off ran a mental slow down on me, broke that and trounced him, when he came back in. A few other things. Learned about the turky farm there, Some of the factions, they were trying to see if I had a faction for some of it, so got alot of info on different factions, learned a bit about the river.

Most of the time kept up Colombo layer when being spoken to, so slipped by most of them, and learned also, while I had layers and armor up, although still had to spend some time to unwrap after that. about 18 months to pull all that crap out of macros.

Although I am telling that story with some metaphors for story telling it is true.


Good post on MJ, picture, I would guess most of MJ's issues came after his hospital stay after accident on stage, my guess is they loaded his macros with the stuff that did him in. Just a guess though.


Although it doesn't take a location, best guess is some programmers are at many institutions, and many people get there macros loaded, but it really is more spiritual then anything else, it models some craft techniques, but is taking free will and control side. Most macro programming is more subtle in media, but some is direct also.

[cleanhippie]

137. I don't get it.

I read your post in THREE different states of mind and I gotta tell you, I have no idea what you wrote. My mind is totally blown right now.

[KittyWampus]

189. Agreed. It's like a Monday Morning Teaser- just to get some brain cells firing.

Or a Zen Riddle.

Or something.

[cleanhippie]

194. I just read it again, and am even more confused.

I think that to understand it, one needs to be on the same wavelength as the writer, which probably requires some type of pharmaceutical assistance. I'm ok with that, I just need the same assistance to understand, I guess.

[The Straight Story]

7. I am guessing if you say something to them they will say "our garbage, our choice" or Mind your own

business ;)

[CTyankee]

13. Nobody wants to say anything for fear of insulting them.

We tend to be a quiet, New England type group on our street. We are very diverse, but we all seem to have a group ethic...funny because we ARE so different in so many ways...but this family seems to diverge from us on this issue. I think they just don't know what to do about recycling so I think it is an issue of kind of "educating" people...but that sounds so paternalistic...

[The Straight Story]

17. Let me make this simple

You can simply walk over and ask them about it, or mind your own business an accept that they may be different than you. I live in a hood with 86 other houses, no one recycles, and if we all did and one neighbor didn't I wouldn't make it my business.

[CTyankee]

32. That has been my conclusion. However, since we pride ourselves in our

section of New Haven as being the neighborhood that recycles the most, we are very conscious of the issue. Even the neighborhood with all the Yalies doesn't compare to us, so it's not a matter of elitism!

We are so diverse here, black and white, gay and straight, young and old, it's hard for us to accept. We vote hugely liberal Democratic in every election.

So this gets to us...

[REP]

58. Add one more diversity: recyclers and non-recyclers

It IS about elitism: you like being the neighborhood that recycles more than "the Yalies" which I'm sure means something where you live. You can't stand it that someone is NOT CONFORMING. You have two choices: ask them about it or get a new hobby.

[CTyankee]

69. Oh, god. We all have plenty of hobbies...c'mon, you know what I'm saying...

You know what? I think we have just put a finger on one of our problems here at DU! Progressives are big conformist freaks! Wow, it's pretty elitist of us to "conform" to the progressive idea of recycling...I never thought I'd see the day when this was so twisted around on DU, but I guess i was wrong...

[REP]

73. Yes, worrying about your neighbor's nonconformity is super progressive

Lacking the spine to just ask about the recycling is a portrait in courage.

[CTyankee]

77. Really, well mr. profile in courage, what do YOU do up against this kind of thing?

It ain't easy...and you know it...don't even try to be cute.

[REP]

86. Me? If it really bothered me that much, I'd just TALK TO THEM. It's really that easy.

And I'm a chick. Have been my whole life.

[Mimosa]

164. You should mind your own business

For all you know that family may have personal problems including financial stresses or depression and anxity.

If this kind of thing bothers you, and you have so little to worry about, you are a very fortunate person.

[CTyankee]

320. Yes, as you know because you know me so well, I have nothing else to worry about.

You DO know I have nothing to worry about, don't you? I mean, you sound like you do, from your post...funny how you know these things and we haven't even met...

[Mimosa]

347. Didn't mean to be insulting, CTYankee

Not at all. Sorry. I was pointing out that people who have problems others don't know about (or should) aren't likely to be caring about sorting refuse. In the big scheme of things it nice if you can do it, if you wish to...but the neighbours may have things which concern them far more.

[The2ndWheel]

105. Diversity is messy

[uncommon]

201. Amen.

:)

[tblue37]

112. Perhaps an anonymous mailing, if people are just afraid of direct confrontation. nt

[Dorian Gray]

147. Yeah

I wouldn't go with an anonymous mailing.

True story: I live in an apartment building complex in Brooklyn. About two months ago, I came home to an anonymous note posted on my door telling me that we had to recycle and I wasn't doing my job. Um.... I do. I separate everything: Paper, plastic, metal, and glass and bring it to the basement every other day and put it into the proper bins that are there for those items. I'm careful to do it correctly.

The letter pissed me off.

I brought it to our super (who takes care of the issue) and asked him if he had complaints about us, and he said no. He didn't understand why some anonymous tenant would write that letter, and he said our entire floor was one of the best floors with recycling. So my husband and I posted it on our elevator with another note asking the person to please come back down to our apartment to discuss the issue with us. They didn't.

I'll tell you, it really pissed me off. I don't know why people didn't think we were recycling because we do. And really? In a 40+ apartment complex, who is really paying attention to other people's trash???? I certainly don't. So, overall, I think a face to face discussion is less cowardly than an anonymous note where the person feels completely accused and has NO opportunity to defend themselves or respond.

[noamnety]

218. Ugh, sorry you had to deal with that.

The person who left the note gets to feel self-righteous about it, while the person who received it has the joy of feeling paranoid around everyone in the building with no resolution. What a nasty way to fuck with someone and leave them uncomfortable in ALL their relationships with their neighbors.

[Dorian Gray]

255. That's what bothered me for the week following it

Every time I saw anyone in our building, I thought to myself: "Did they leave that on our door?"

Which is why I would rather go the direct conversational route in this situation, if the OP is going to address it at all.

It's possible she's completely mistaken, too.

[CTyankee]

230. I hate anonymous letters. I wrote two LTTE over the past few years and got

anonymous hate mail in response...from a RWinger of course...it wasn't about recycling, thos

[sandnsea]

10. Maybe they watched Penn & Teller

They did a programon recycling that showed it wasn't effective and actually costs more. You can poke holes all through it of course, but if someone doesn't know that, they might believe it.

I started recycling more when I got an easy system to do it. Fold and flatten dry food boxes in one container, rinse plastics and glass containers, papers in another container. It saves space that way. Maybe they just don't have a system?

[CTyankee]

18. We just switched to "single stream." No excuses. Everything goes in a big bin,

supplied by the city. No flattening boxes or separating items. Everything...newspapers, bottles, jars, cans, cardboard...all get tossed into the big bin and you can just roll it down to the curb...no separate bins to lift. The garbage is now in a smaller bin, also a roll-down. We have less garbage because MORE can go in the big recycling bin...

I'm so grateful for the new system. I just don't get why they don't get it...

[sandnsea]

29. Ours is too

But to make it go into the bin, nice and neat like, I have a system. Flattened boxes, paper, plastics and bottles on top. Otherwise it won't all fit. Sometimes it just takes getting into the habit to get it done. It can seem a bit daunting at first, even if all the recycling goes in one container.

And again, I'm serious about the Penn & Teller episode. My daughter is an avid recycler and she questioned whether she was doing the right thing after watching it.

[pitohui]

124. in other words you don't recycle either you just pay to recycle

single stream, my ass, that all goes to a landfill, do you really think there's a recycle fairy who bothers to sort yr 2cent a ton plastic from yr 4 ct a ton plastic-- the recycled metals market crashed in oct 2008 and the plastics are not worth anything, THEY LOSE MONEY

in our area they are more advanced than you yalies, they charge us for recycling but haven't picked up a recycling bin from before katrina (5 years ago now!) which does more to save than earth than charging you for recycling, wasting your time, and then having to throw your stuff in a landfill whilst nobody's looking and no cameras are rolling instead of just uninhibitedly throwing all into the same landfill

you are naive

your neighbor may be "clueless" or he may be more advanced than you, i can't tell from here, but you are spending too much energy on doing something that helps no one except the guy who collects a recycling fee from you...if you assume your glass and plastic doesn't get recycled you are closer to reality than the guy who assumes it does

[CTyankee]

188. We pay for it in our taxes...

[Kolesar]

44. A writer at Sierra Magazine referred to a "misinformation campaign" that plastics don't get recycled

Now I have a name to associate with the "misinformation campaign". Two names

That's the Sierra Club,btw

[Electric Monk]

120. I saw him eat a cigarette then pull it out his ear, too. Pretty cool, that. nt

[Historic NY]

11. Is there a local law? If so he is in violation..

[CTyankee]

19. Yep. And he is...but who wants to be the squealer? nt

[Lochloosa]

30. Easy answer

[mzteris]

207. How would they know?

For all they would know, it could be the company who picks up the recycling.

[virgogal]

15. I doubt if there's anything you can do.

[Egalitariat]

16. Maybe you could offer changing one aspect of your lifestyle in order to meet with their approval...

in order to have them do the same thing for you. Then y'all could get together regularly to hold each other accountable.

[CTyankee]

21. Happy to. What kind of thing do you suggest?

We don't have much of a problem with anything else...

[Egalitariat]

24. Let your neighbor do the suggesting. Then you'd have a fair swap.

[Dr.Phool]

126. I have a family next door that doesn't mow their lawn.

Some of the other neighbors were bitching.

I can't talk to them, because they're Vietnamese immigrants, and don't speak English. But, we do smile and wave at one another.

It takes me all of five extra minutes to push my mower across their front lawn, as I'm mowing mine.

It looks better, and everyone is happy. Last week, she was sweeping her sidewalk, and then she did mine too.

[scarletwoman]

20. Dress up in biodegradeable trash bags and burn a recycling symbol on his lawn.

[CTyankee]

22. OMG! We're not THAT crazy!!!

Hey, we're good CT progressives. We try to do our duty. Are we THAT bad for wanting to have neighbors who obey the laws on recycling? When did that get to be a terrible thing?

[Phentex]

31. I know you mean well but

the only thing you can do is mind your own business.

IF and only IF you happen to get to know this neighbor better and you feel comfortable asking, you could ask. But you can't demand or suggest or call someone else to talk to them. THAT starts being the kind of nosy neighbor nobody wants.

[scarletwoman]

34. If it's a law, then report them to whatever governmental body is in charge of enforcing that law,

and let that body issue a citation.

Otherwise, stop stressing over someone else's behavior. The world isn't going to go to hell any faster just because one household isn't recycling.

Wanting to control others' behavior is not a progressive value.

[Demeter]

47. +1000 Wanting to control others' behavior is not a progressive value.

Just listen to yourself for a minute, Connecticut.

Why don't you buy your neighbor out, and get someone more acceptable to move in? If conformity is that important to you, no cost, no ugliness, no unkindness is too great.

Fretting over the neighbor's "unneighborliness" of not following the community ethos is in itself not neighborly.

[CTyankee]

60. Excuse me, we have a VERY diverse community, neighborhood and block.

We have black and white, young and old, Orthodox Jewish/Roman Catholic, Protestant/Atheist, gay and straight. But we all seem to agree on recycling...surprise!

Good Lord, I'm not suggesting we burn a cross on their lawn, for chrissake! We have local ordinances that, guess what, make SENSE! I am NOT demanding conformity. I'm asking for suggestions to help them get with the recyling program.

Sheesh, you'd think I was a member of the KKK....what is everybody drinking or smoking tonight?

[Demeter]

64. But You ARE Demanding Conformity

Think about it.

[notadmblnd]

71. Don't you think that if it is a law-

that the entity that picks up the trash can see just as easily as you that your neighbors aren't following the recycling rules and if it was a problem- that- that pick up entity would let them know they were in violation?


In our neighborhood, the collection company charges more if you want to recycle.

[CTyankee]

74. The city picks up the garbage. It must not matter to them...and perhaps they don't see it as

their job...and that's fine. It's nobody's job but the neighbor's and that's the problem as I see it. I realize it is a privacy issue which is why it is vexing to me. I want to be respectful of their privacy...

[notadmblnd]

81. Well if the only problem that you can see is your neighbor's garbage

Then you spend entirely too much time on your hands. There's an old lady across the street from me. An old German woman who I've dubbed the neighborhood Nazi. She has given me a hard time Since I moved in. She stares out her window constantly and can tell you who comes and goes, what time and how long they stayed. I feel sad for her, she must be very lonely. However, I am sick and tired of her making me so uncomfortable that I don't even spend time outside in my yard. The last straw was when she came over threatening to call the police on my son because someone was egging her house. I called the police for her. Turned out it was her long time neighbor's grandson who was spending the summer with them. Do you think she came and apologized? NO. she was just worried now because the police had her name.

[CTyankee]

89. Oh, boy, now I'm an old and sad lady, a neighborhood nazi.

God, the crew tonight has some real stereotypes going...

Well, good night and best wishes to all. thanks for participating. I'm going to bed (after I turn on my infrared cameras to record what my neighbors are doing in their bedrooms!)

Hah!

[notadmblnd]

96. No, I was telling you about the woman across the street from me

However, If it were me obsessing about my neighbor's garbage, I would reconsider being so OCD on the issue lest my neighbors begin to think of me like that.

[BakedAtAMileHigh]

213. F'n hilarious!

Thanks for making the French Roast shoot out my nose. Good think it had a little NDC to kill the burn! :)

[liberalmuse]

23. Just do what you feel is right, and don't worry about them.

It's good for people to watch out for each other, but there comes a time where you need to draw the line if you are overly concerned with what someone else is doing or not doing, unless someone's life is in danger, that is.

[CTyankee]

37. Funny you should say that. My husband was taking out the trash one Sunday night a few months ago

when this neighbor ran out of her house frantic and asked him to call her husband and tell him to come quick, their son had been cut in a bad accident in the house. He did so and pretty soon everyone was there, including the EMTs. She was so grateful. Her son was fine but had a close call...she came over later to thank him again personally. It was nice...

[tularetom]

27. Around here recycling is a joke

Scavengers come by before the recycling can is collected and root out all the aluminum and glass. Then they leave a big mess around the recyclables can. I used to take the cans out the night before but I'd just wake up to a bunch of paper and cardboard dumped from my can by the roadside. So I started taking it out early in the morning, which is kind of a pain in the ass because the driveway is like 500 feet long. By the time I got back to the house a truck would pull up and the scavenger would start going through the can. I've chased them away when I was close enough but I don't intend to sit there all morning waiting for these clowns to show up. I've complained to the garbage company (scavenging is theft of their property) but they don't appear to care. There is a county ordinance prohibiting it but the enforcement officer was laid off in a budget balancing move. Nobody really seems to give a shit so maybe I'll just quit recycling and dump all my paper, plastic and cardboard into my garbage can and leave the recyclable can at the house.

Given the attitudes I've encountered I'm not sure there isn't some truth to the urban legend that it all winds up in the dump anyway.

[kiva]

195. We started separating our aluminum cans in a separate bag -

the people who come for the cans take the bag, and the rest of the stuff stays in the bin.

[Bunny]

28. Mind your own business.

Seriously. Not everyone is going to live like you, no matter how upsetting that may be.

[femmocrat]

33. +1

My opinion exactly.

[pscot]

55. +1

You're hyperventilating.

[Gormy Cuss]

38. I was just going to post that. MYOB.

To the OP: Maybe you'll have the opportunity someday to chat with them about it but their residence was issued a bin just like all the others. If they can't be bothered to use it, that's that.

Is recycling mandatory for the city or for individual residences, because I've never heard of the latter in a city over 50,000? Usually it's strongly encouraged with perhaps punitive measures for too much trash.

[CTyankee]

42. No, it's a city ordinance. Strong city hall backing here.

And I don't like city hall on anything else, but on this they do good.

[Gormy Cuss]

95. If it's mandatory for individual residences, code enforcement should be called.

As I wrote before, it's very unusual for a city over 50K resident to mandate it at that level for the simple reason that enforcement is cumbersome and costly. It's usually mandated only for commercial buildings (businesses and apartment buildings, for example.)

[proteus_lives]

41. +10

[JanMichael]

66. EDIT - MINUS 20. Shitty attitude and not very community minded or sustainable.

Maybe we should just let everyone keep fucking shit up like BP and fuck ourselves goodbye on this planet?

Fuck no.

Edit - MINUS 20.

[Bunny]

84. Here. Do sit down, dear.

[Phentex]

149. LOL!

:rofl:

[JanMichael]

338. Right back at yer sorry ass -

And:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qEETTedSz0

No fainting here punk.


Oh here are the lyrics if you don't click the link:


I’m sittin’ in a magic hat
With smoke and mirrors
And tire rubber fires
Watch me disappear
What made it slow you down
Sucking on a ball and chain
Another motherfucker goes down the drain
Hard headed fuck you all
Just add it up to the hot rod death toll


Sick in the head sick in the mouth
And I don’t hear a word you say
Not a bit, and I don’t give a shit
I got the glass, I got the steel
I got everything
All I need is your head on a stake
Hard headed fuck you all
Just add it on to the hot rod death toll

[Lil Missy]

199. Yup

[Raine]

342. EXACTLY

what I was going to say. Too many people minding other people's business is a pet peeve of mine. :mad:

[Book Lover]

35. Either let it go or contact code enforcement

But nobody wants neighbors who notice and nag, which is what you'd be doing.

[proteus_lives]

39. Nothing. You're not an authority.

[Kolesar]

49. I want to stay on good terms with my neighbors so I overlook their stupid antics

It's tough when they crank the Bob Segar albums all afternoon

[Dorian Gray]

148. But dude...

Rock and Roll Never Forgets!!!

(You must live next to my dad. He loves his Seger. I don't!)

[Kolesar]

209. Down on Main Street, actually

Down on Mayyyyne Streeeeet

[Dorian Gray]

256. Earworm! LOL!

[Brickbat]

40. Either report 'em or do nothing.

Or, you know, be a grown up and talk to them about it.

[CTyankee]

48. Look I'm a senior citizen. I'm not a child so please don't patronize me.

We happen to be an environmentally sensitive neighborhood. It's what we do. We're not stuffy and overbearing about it, it's just who we are. And it's the big reason that the city piloted the "single stream" program with us, not the Yale neighborhood (which gets all the credit for being so frikking "progressive").

At least, we try...

[Phentex]

51. But don't you find this sad?

That you are more concerned with your recycling program than you are about getting to know your neighbors well enough to talk to them about this? Have a block party. Get to know p.e.o.p.l.e.

Be known for that.

[Brickbat]

62. Honestly, it's like a parody of what others dislike about do-gooder liberals.

[CTyankee]

72. My husband helped them when their child was in a serious accident in their house.

he called the lady's husband to alert him and stayed by them until the EMT's came and her husband arrived. She came to our house later to thank him personally. We have been good neighbors to them...

[Phentex]

75. You can't have it both ways....

She's comfortable enough to ask for your help with something SERIOUS but you are not comfortable enough to talk to them about recycling?

Ok. Let's pause.

Why can't you just go over one day, knock on the door and have a chat with them about it?

:shrug:

[CTyankee]

83. I thought about doing that but my husband doesn't think they'd be too happy with it.

For one thing, we don't interact the way we do with our neighbors on the other side of our house and across the street. So they might wonder why I'm so chatty all of a sudden.

I keep hoping I will have an accidental "opportunity" to chat about it but that doesn't ever happen...

[REP]

90. Get yourself out of your tizzy and act neighborly. What are you afraid of?

[noamnety]

93. Okay. So your husband dialed a phone number for them once.

You've brought that up a couple times like it was the good Samaritan neighborly act of the year. It's just a phone call, not like a major personal sacrifice. Kind of the minimum anyone would do in that situation, no?

Did you think that gave you special rights to go through their trash now? Was that part of the deal if he made the phone call? Let go of it, it was a simple quick favor on your part that didn't entitle you to anything or obligate them to anything.

From your language, it sounds like you are too emotionally wrapped up in their trash. Others have said they may not personally feel it's cost effective. They may not have the time or energy to rinse jars and cans out. They may not have a space set aside to deal with it all - we do it, but it is kind of a pain in the ass - we have a giant box taking up half our counter, we hide it when company comes over, it's in the way when I cook.

One of my friends got a note from his homeowner's association a while back threatening to foreclose on him because he started a vegetable garden in his front yard. The Horror! He apparently just wasn't up to his "community standard" because of it. (Screw that, a zucchini in his lawn wasn't harming the neighbors in any way, and screw the local version of nationalism that caused people to freak out about it.)

The fact that you took time to mention that they have a vehicle with a flat tire tells me that for you this is about something more than recycling. Get at that and you'll understand why you are having more of an emotional reaction to this than you would to someone who lives in "yalie" town not recycling. You actually sound kind of proud/satisfied that your community recycles more than they do, although it seems to me you should be upset, not satisfied, that some of the people there don't recycle.

[CTyankee]

97. Wow, that was a long rant, wasn't it? Sounds like you are pretty wrapped around the axle yourself!

Sorry, gotta go. I've got to get my infrared cameras set up to record my neighbor's bedroom activity...that's important you know!

[noamnety]

102. Yes, I was pissed off about my friend's situation.

No denying that - it gave me a very bad taste for the homeowners association type attitude, and it gave me an understanding that more often than not it's not even about caring for the environment, it's about the nosy neighbor's own identity and social standing, and concerns about being brought down by association because they live next to one of those "lesser" people.

(We're the sort of people who don't grow our own food in our yards, we're the sort of people who don't hang clothes on clotheslines in public, we're the sort of people who have money to repair our cars as soon as they break down.)

[Sea Witch]

161. I am curious as to why you posted this thread

You asked people what they thought and they told you. Instead of listening you are to busy getting into fights with anyone who gave you an opinion that was something other then a pat on the back.

Suggestion: If you ask a question about a behavior and most of the people are telling you that you are over reacting and should butt out, then you should probably stop talking and examine your own behavior for a bit.

[CTyankee]

171. That seems to be a kind of consensus...but actually, some people had some

good ideas. I liked hearing about what people in other communities are doing with recycling programs. And I'm sorry it turned into a crusade on personal privacy, which surprised me...prolly because recycling is such a public act in so many ways...nobody is going thru anybody's garbage (at least I hope they're not!). Nobody is trying to persecute them...we just don't get why the message hasn't come thru since it's been talked about so much...do you get what I'm saying :shrug:

[Sea Witch]

179. I still suggesting asking yourself why someone else not doing what you want them to do

is so incredibly upsetting to you. This really isn't about the neighbors, this is about your emotional response to their behavior. They are not your children. They are adults and they deserve a modicum of privacy ESPECIALLY since you say they are good neighbors and have never caused any trouble. Your perusing this will cause drama and stress where there is none, except coming from you.

I'm going to leave it at that because I don't believe you will hear anything anyone says to you except what you want to hear. Everyone else is just mean and picking on you.

[CTyankee]

259. I'm sorry, my health insurance doesn't cover your psychiatric counseling.

So I can't pay your bill for diagnosing my psychological disorder.

Sorry to put you thru all that trouble for nothing...

[Sea Witch]

348. Ahhh yes, you are the victim.

:eyes:

[Brickbat]

56. Don't tell me.

Tell your neighbor.

[bbgrunt]

43. cut out the newsitem about

smart carts in Cleveland and stick it in his mailbox.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x8990004

[Ikonoklast]

45. Either mind your own business, rat them out, or do it for them.

These seem to be your choices.

Personally, as long as my neighbors aren't breaking any laws, I don't care what they do, as it's none of my damn business.

[Kerrytravelers]

46. I'd consult my local police department, especially if the dealth penalty is used in your state.

:rofl:


Just kidding. Could be they don't know what all the bins are for. If they're new, they might have other things on their mind. Next time you see them pull the garbage bin out, maybe say something like "the city will pick up your recycling today, too." :hi:

[CTyankee]

54. I thought about that but they're never out (except to go to and from their cars).

Most other folks are out at least some time...we have neighbors chatting all the time.

I doubt that they don't know what the bins are for. The city has been good with circulating several messages, both on the phone and in our mailboxes and doorsteps, about recycling. They give us free bins that are easy to manage. "Single stream" is extremely easy...everything in one big roll down bin, no separating.

It is exasperating to me, as a progressive in a progressive community, to see this happening. It just is...

[Synicus Maximus]

68. You don't want to talk to them about it, you don't want to report them

to the authorities but you want them to do as you do. If it bothers you so much why don't you go and separate their trash for them so it may be recycled.

[CTyankee]

88. I will probably contact our alderman. He's not on the street but still in the neighborhood

and could probably bring it up in one of his neighborhood visits that he makes regularly...it seems like a more "normal" interaction with a purpose...he could ask them how they like the new recycling program of the city and get feedback from them that way.

I'd be happy to go over and talk with them about how to do the recycling. But it would have to be in a regular interaction. Other wise it would seem like a huge "intervention" and that would be inappropriate...

[Kerrytravelers]

76. Have you seen the film "Serial Mom"?

Kathleen Turner has a very creative solution for her neighbor who won't recycle.

[CTyankee]

163. I just saw her on stage at Theatre Works in Hartford!

She was in a really heavy play about drug/alcohol addiction...she was good but, lordy, if her voice gets any lower she'll be singing basso...

[davidinalameda]

302. I was thinking the same thing

:rofl:

[Ender Wiggin]

210. Other options...

1. Perhaps you could kidnap their child(ren) and demand they recycle as ransom.

2. You could see if Yale is pioneering anything new in mind control psychology/technology, so you can simply bend them to your will. I know you despise those elitist Yalies, but you have to employ the resources available.

3. Start surreptitiously placing For Sale signs in their yard when they're not home. They'll get the hint eventually.

4. Put your extra recycling in their containers. Maybe they'll be outraged by the territorial intrusion and start putting their own recycling in there to block you.

5. Take out a full page ad in the NH Register with a photo of them, and the headline Recycling Blasphemers!, to shame them into compliance.

[CTyankee]

215. I like your option #2 best. #3 won't work, they're renters.

#5 has possibilities but ads are expensive...I guess the other neighbors could pitch in, tho.

Yup, mind control is the better way to go. I don't despise the Yalies...some of my best friends are, well, ya know...

Thanks for the comedic relief! You gave me a big laugh!

[Kerrytravelers]

236. Welcome to DU!

:hi:



And as for your first post... :rofl:

[Jamastiene]

352. I doubt their garbage walks out there by itself, so

they MUST be going out there sometime to put it out there. :P (We really need a Groucho Marx with cigar and funny glasses smiley)

I gave you advice down below. No snark, no flames, just advice. I hope it works out for you.

Maybe, you can practice teaching recycling on me. I would like to know the rules. We don't have to recycle where I live, because all trash is sent to a recycling center where it is sorted and recycled there. I would still like to know the rules so I can be ready for when they make it a city ordinance.

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

50. It scares me that you took notes on your neighbor's garbage

You sound one step away from forming one of those stupid homeowner's associations.

Maybe they save all their plastic containers for arts and crafts projects. Maybe they horde cereal boxes. Maybe they own a company who makes telephones out of two cans and a string.

If you've never even talked to them about it, you've formulated opinions without knowing what they do.

I live by myself, and often times I don't have anything that could go into the recycling bin in a given week. Or I just get lazy and let what I do have stack up for a couple weeks. Sometimes I don't even create enough garbage to throw out. We have a "no bin, no barrel" policy where you at least have to put the empty bins on the curb to show you are aware of the recycling program. Now they want to have a program where they start charging us for town issued bags to put garbabge in. I have a REAL problem with that.

The bottom line is, you seem way too concerned about what other people do, when you don't actually know what they do.

[CTyankee]

65. They've been here for a couple of years and we've just become aware that they don't recycle.

Everyone else on the block does. This came to light when the new "single stream" program went into effect here. We got plenty of notices, by flyers and by phone. Everyone was informed.

sorry, but we are a recyling conscious community. No one wants to come down hard on anyone. We are very diverse and like it that way. No one gets into anyone else's business. But this is glaring to us since we DO recyle here...I mean that strongly...it means something to us. Excuse us for being so awful...

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

103. You ignored the bulk of what I said

You don't know what they are doing with their recyclables.

If it meant that much to you, you'd say something to them. You won't, because deep down you know you'll sound like a busybody.

That's a good thing, by the way. There are a lot of people who don't have that filter, and they live in misery because everyone thinks they are an asshole. Like Dennis Rader, the BTK Killer.

[CTyankee]

154. Oh, I'm SO glad that you don't think I'm a serial killer! Thank you so much!

As someone once said "That's the kind of compliment you have to fight!"

Honestly, with the name calling on this thread I'm not surprised it's come to this!

I will take your point of view into consideration...e.g.that they are doing something creative with their recyclables...you may be right at that!

[Gaedel]

185. Heat up the tar, get a sack of feathers ready.....

For the night you and the neighbors advance on their house with torchs and pitchforks.

[CTyankee]

229. too messy...but I could prolly find a torch..not sure about a pitchfork.

It's a thought...

[izquierdista]

52. Here's how to do it

I know this is alien to New Englanders, but just watch and see how to convince your neighbors you are looking out for them:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGomXP50fdc&feature=related

[CTyankee]

155. I don't watch my neighbors. It's pretty obvious when everybody puts out

their recylables on their front curbs on Sunday night. We're not exactly going out with flashlights (er, torches?) looking for "offenders."

[sendero]

53. It's really.....

....... none of your business. You must have something better to do.

[Ferret Annica]

57. They should recycle, but not be required to by law

People who don't recycle annoy me too. But requiring it by statute is an invasion into the right of people to make choices to or not. I would say, if they woun't recycle, mind your own fucking business.

[Luminous Animal]

70. One of the reasons why some municipalities are enforcing recycling by law is...

because they are running out of space to put the garbage. San Francisco's landfill is nearly at capacity and we are going to have to truck garbage 130 miles away.

[Ferret Annica]

135. I'm originally from Connecticut, I understand that

However, it's the corporations and government who should be made to squirm for the obscene problem you speak of. Let the consumer help. but don't penalize her or him for the myopia and greed of those primarily responsible for the creation of the problem.

[noamnety]

59. Learn what is in your sphere of control.

Mandating how your neighbors manage their trash is not in your sphere of control, this is not something you need help resolving because it's not your issue.

If you think about it, there's probably stuff you do that is equally harmful for the environment - maybe eating cheese or meat. Do you really want your neighbors fretting and consulting each other, the internet, and maybe trying to get town officials to pay you a visit to tell you you aren't eating right?

Do you want them to knock on your door because you drove to a market when you could have just walked but you were feeling lazy that day?

Being overly blunt here, especially since, as another person noted, you probably feel you have good intentions. But if my neighbors called a town official to pay a visit because my "behavior" didn't meet their community standards I'd be pissed and insulted, I sure the fuck wouldn't be more inclined to change my ways. And I would put that neighbor on the asshole list if I knew who did it.

(I'm saying this as someone who composts and recycles, and we don't even have pickup - we have to drop off the recyclables at the town center ourselves.)

[hlthe2b]

61. Recycle the neighbor?

:evilgrin:

I'm not sure there is much you can do unless they simply don't know the system and are amenable to your educating them...:shrug:

[Fire1]

67. Myob. n/t

[Touchdown]

78. Get them a used copy of "Serial Mom" With Kathleen Turner.

They'll find out EXACTLY what happens to people who don't recycle... or rewind the video tapes.

[Greybnk48]

82. LOL! That's the first thing I thought!!

"Hello, Is this the c**ks*cker residence?"

[NJCher]

79. turn them in

I think it's disturbing how many people think this is an issue of "minding your own business." This shows a lack of comprehension about what laws are about. Recycling is to protect the environment and therefore to protect all of us. It isn't optional. It isn't about pressing your values on someone else. It's the law.

Oh, I just murdered somebody but because murder doesn't violate your code of ethics, you won't turn me in? Try that on for size.

My neighbor didn't recycle and I didn't even think twice about calling the city and ratting him out. The recycling department paid a personal visit and then he recycled once. Then he quit, so I called again and the recycling department said they would open his trash bags to check on him.

You should take a series of pictures of the street with everyone else's recycling out and their house with no containers of recyclables out. Time and date stamp. Why should you do this? Because there is a term called "ongoing," and that means if they get taken to court over this, they can get fined for every date that you have a photograph showing no recycling put out.

Those of you who witness recycling being dumped in with the regular trash should contact the facilities director and tell them what you saw. Tell them what you want them to do and then continue to watch to be sure the person you contacted followed through. Take pics on your cell phone with a time and date stamp and send them via email to document that you complained.

Republicans like to yammer on about "personal responsibility" but this is what that term means to me. All of us can take a little action to protect Mother Earth.

Cher

[alphafemale]

101. Yeah. maybe we can send them to internment camps or something.

Sending authorities to sift through peoples trash.

Yeah.

That's...important.

Let's criminalize how people do trash.

[Nye Bevan]

104. YES. *Investigate* and *report* them.

And when you have turned them in for not recycling, check their car registration stickers to make sure they are not out of date. Inform the DMV if necessary. Then check their tire treads and report any violations. Peek in their garden to check for pot plants. And go through their trash to check for any evidence of and other illegal activity.

We *need* more Americans like you to inform on their neighbors, to make this country a better place.

And BTW, the "murder" analogy is excellent. Because not complying with recycling ordinances is *very* similar to murder.

[NJCher]

123. ignorance of the law

You and the preceding poster are again showing your ignorance of the law.

First of all, did you know that whatever you put out at the curb is legally accessible to anyone? Yes, I can come over and go through your trash if I want to and I can't get into any trouble with the law for doing so.

Research it yourself and you will find I know what I'm talking about.

So you act like this is some big infringement of privacy? Yeah, I'll just bet you're out there demonstrating against full-body scanners at the airport, too.

I chose the murder analogy on purpose to demonstrate how inconsistent your "logic" is. The principle is the same. You cannot approach the law on a continuum based on how "seriously" you judge the offense. What kind of justice system would that be?

The rest of your post is full of absurdities.

We have the world in upheaval with much of it due to climate change and yet you will sit here and defend some slob who doesn't care enough to recycle. You have a serious problem with your values, both of you.

Cher

[Violet_Crumble]

167. Urgh...

First of all, did you know that whatever you put out at the curb is legally accessible to anyone? Yes, I can come over and go through your trash if I want to and I can't get into any trouble with the law for doing so.

Research it yourself and you will find I know what I'm talking about.

So you act like this is some big infringement of privacy?

Nah, it's just damn creepy and reminds me of how stalkers like doing it. Glad I don't have recycling Nazis living anywhere near me...

[pitohui]

129. recycling doesn't protect the environment

it protects the bottom line of wma but that's it

they haven't picked up a recycling bin for over 8 years at my house

it is a scam

but don't let facts get in your way, recycling doesn't save the earth, if you want to save the earth, stop buying crap like coke in bottles that supposedly needs to be recycled

pretty simple really but most folk won't do it

i did it 20 yrs ago but you won't do it...EVER...because you'd rather cling to a fantasy that your pop bottle will somehow be recyled

a real environmentalist looks at reality and doesn't drink crap that comes in coke bottles, doesn't buy the daily news paper, etc...they have NOTHING to BE recycled...

[NJCher]

140. credibility

All you people who allege that recycling does nothing for the environment need to cite your sources because no one is going to believe you, especially when your posts are poorly written and lack any sign that you are an educated person.

Cher

[Ikonoklast]

176. We kneel before your enormous intellect

and abase ourselves before an even bigger ego.


Like the 'you people' thingy, especially.


OBTW, in MY communtiy, if you are caught going through the trash sitting on the curb, you will get cited. As soon as it hits the curb, it belongs to the city.

[NJCher]

274. keep the humility

See post 132. Keep your humility and self-abasement; I'm not interested.

It's real easy to be cavalier about observing laws when you have, as the cliche says, "no skin in the game." Once you've written ordinances, presented them to the town council, worked on the environmental committee, gone out campaigning for the ordinance, a deeper commitment evolves.

I have done these things and that is why I take this laziness on the part of the neighbor more seriously than some on this thread.

It comes down to this: what is more important? A clean environment or looking the other way so you can make things easier on yourself?

Cher

[Mimosa]

168. Same here: I've always been 'green' before it was cool

I usually cook from scratch, don't buy sodas. Buy high quality clothes which I can wear for many years...

[Common Sense Party]

136. How do you feel about your neighbor smoking a joint every now and then?

Do you call the cops?

[CTyankee]

156. Hell, the previous occupant of this house was a self employed sex worker

and nobody cared. What people do in the privacy of their own houses is their own business. Recycling is the law and I believe it is good public policy. Smoking joints or charging money for sex is private, AFAIC. Besides, our neighborhood is such that I wouldn't be a bit surprised if lots of folks on the block are smoking joints in their homes...couldn't care less.

[Common Sense Party]

200. Not smoking marijuana is the law, too

Whether in private or in public.

You're getting hung up about your neighbor not obeying one law, when it's his private decision. You happen to agree with this law, which is why you think everyone should obey it.

[CTyankee]

214. I see no good in prohibiting the smoking of marijuana in one's own home.

The drug laws need reforming and LOTS of people agree with that. I see a public good in recycling.

[Common Sense Party]

216. Whether or not YOU see the public good in pot prohibition isn't the point

Someone did--some legislators thought there was a public good in criminalizing pot. So, it's the law. Even when done in one's own home.

You can't just pick and choose which laws YOU like and which ones YOU feel are in the public good.

If you feel that your neighbor MUST obey this recycling "law," then you should also believe that your pot-smoking neighbor should obey the pot laws.

[and-justice-for-all]

85. You turn them in until they finally will comply with the ordinance..

They can and should be fined repeatedly for not complying with ordinance; my partner was an ordinace officer and it would be benefical if you got to know the ordiance officer.

[CTyankee]

92. thanks for the sane response.

I swear, something must be in the water with folks tonight on DU...as I said above:

I am now going to bed after I turn on my infrared cameras to film what my neighbors are doing in their bedrooms...

Oh and here's the :sarcasm: because people are downright weird here tonight...

[Nye Bevan]

108. Yeah. Really weird. People not wanting to turn in their neighbors to the Authorities,

What the hell's wrong with them?

[Ikonoklast]

177. I despise people that don't bow to Authority.

They are the nail that needs to be hammered down.

They must be assimilated.

[GliderGuider]

91. I'll tell you what I'd do ...

... if I was in your neighbour's situation and started getting pressure like this from my busybody "friends".

I'd put out my blue box faithfully every week with one scrap of paper in it. On the paper I'd write, "Ask me what else I do for the environment."

Seriously, with all the real problems out there in the world is one neighbour not following instructions really something to lose sleep over?

[CTyankee]

94. See above. Esp. the part about my infrared cameras!

good stuff!!

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

106. You've repeated that joke four times now

Makes me wonder if you don't wish you actually had one.

[CTyankee]

153. Good morning! Hope you are all refreshed this fine morning!

Actually, there was a time some of the people on our block would have "hoped" for one of those cameras. This was with the former resident of this house. Oh, what can I tell you about "Heather"? A very pretty blonde with a great figure who, when she moved in, told her next door neighbor (other side, not me) that she would be having a lot of her men friends visit. Sort of a fair warning, I guess, but it was her choice to say it in the first place.

Silly me, I just thought she had a lot of different boyfriends and why not? She was a single mom (5 yr old son) and who cares? Only later was I told that she was actually a self employed sex worker.

This was old news to most people on the block. At the time I was pretty wrapped up in transitioning my elderly mother into assisted living, helping my disable brother in a nursing home, and holding down a very stressful full time job. I guess I chalked it up to the diverse, tolerant nature of my neighborhood and I couldn't have cared less.

Hubby and I used to laugh about it...a white van often appeared around lunch time and a dark blue van in the evening. As I said, she "volunteered" the information about her life...and nobody persecuted her for it...just shrugged...

[NNN0LHI]

98. Just have one question

After they come by here and throw all these different bags into one humongous compacter truck, and after they get to wherever they are going with this stuff, is there a bunch of workers at that destination sorting the glass from the paper from the plastic, from the cans, etc?

Or does it all end up in the same place?

Does anyone know?

Don

[pitohui]

130. don, it's been looked at many times, of course this "single stream" stuff just goes in the landfill

you get charged a monthly fee for "recycling" so "recycling" is a service that must be offered

i was once bitter abt the way we do it down here in louisiana, charge the fee but never pick up the stuff in the recycling box...but you know what? it's more honest

this person apparently really thinks "single stream" stuff ends with some guy being paid $5 an hour to sort their shit...nobody's getting paid to do that...every "undercover" report i've seen the stuff just ends in the same landfill w. the rest of yr shit

if you care abt the environment "recycle" is not real important what is important is not buying crap like that in the first place...

[patrick t. cakes]

134. I've been to my city recycling center...

In Des Moines anyway the trash is seperated. Paper is the bulk of recycling, there was a giant warehouse of it. Glass is seperated by color and broken down, along conveyor belts, into very fine pieces. Plastic was seperated by number -some plastics can't be reused to package food, but can be reused in other products. Semi trucks full of cans and smashed tins.

It was a massive operation, lots of workers, smelled bad. I don't know how it works else where, but recycling is big business from what we were told. I believe the company was ran by a firm in Ireland too.

[CTyankee]

219. That's a very good question, actually...I should find out...

[Brickbat]

99. OK, just one last bit of snark for the Prisoner fans...

[Nye Bevan]

107. Readers of the UK satirical comic "Viz" would recognize you

as "Meddlesome Ratbag".

[JanusAscending]

109. If I were you.....?? I'd mind my business.

I don't mean this offensively...just a fact of life. Live and let live. I have enough of my own problems, to not meddle in anothers. (unless they ask for help or advice)

[petronius]

110. I would subtly harass them until they move away. If they don't recycle they

probably do all kinds of other undesirable things as well, and who wants to have those kinds of people in the neighborhood? :sarcasm:

Seriously, I would ask them about it politely, or do nothing. Reporting them would be a very sleazy thing in my opinion. And, although this is a Fristian diagnosis, I do think you're being unreasonable. You've mentioned several times how proud you are in your neighborhood's recycling prowess - better even than the Yalies! - and quite frankly I would find that to be an uncongenial obsessiveness in a neighbor. Ask them about if you have to, but don't set out to educate or chastise or correct them - be a neighbor, not a monitor...

[CreekDog]

111. I'm against capital punishment

but since it's still legal. :evilgrin:

[Mariana]

208. Yeah, but for whom?

The person who doesn't put out a recycle bin, or the nosy neighbor who freaks out over it?

[CreekDog]

239. I'm not much of a detail person

:shrug:

[Renew Deal]

113. Get over it

You can't worry about everything.

[lynne]

116. Get another hobby as you seem to have too much time on your hands -

- Find something constructive to do so that you can mind your own business!

[CTyankee]

158. what an original thought!

Why, that never occurred to me? Silly old me!

And a good morning to you! :hi: I'd ask you how you're doin' today but I don't want to be a busybody!

[Vickers]

117. Yer going to have to murder him.

Sorry man.

:(

[NoPasaran]

118. Live and let live

[pitohui]

119. i find "mind your own business" works best in these situations

why do you even know whether or not yr neighbor recycles?

i'm glad i live in the south, this amt of snooping into other people's lives is just sick and creepy to me


i'm not interested in how they handle trash, if you have this much detail on their lives, tell me some of their sex action and make it interesting at least!!!

[MilesColtrane]

121. Let it go.

[Steely_Dan]

122. In As Much As I Appreciate...

the fact that you feel so strongly about recycling...we need to think about this.

I won't be as rude as some others who simply tell you to mind your own business.

One of the criticisms constantly thrown out there by the RW is that Liberals/Progressives act so elitist...that they seem to think that they know what is best for the rest of us. Sound familiar? I think that we are looking at a case here where you are dangerously close to fulfilling that "stereotype."

It sounds like you live in "Progressive Heaven" in your neighborhood. I would be infinitely grateful at your stroke of luck in this regard. You say that these particular neighbors are great people. Sure, we all wish that they would recycle like the rest of the neighborhood. But dang...you're pretty close.

If these neighbors had the habit of starting up their car in the morning to let it warm up for 10 minutes while they gathered the kids together for school...would you go over there and speak to them about wasting gas and polluting the air?

Maybe it is hard to know where to draw the line. However, in this case, I would live and let live.

-P

[RandomThoughts]

125. I like commenting on comments that catch my eye.

I would live and let live.

I have no reason to do that. :shrug:

:)

[CTyankee]

160. You make a good point and I get where you are going with it...

Bottom line, yes, you cannot really force people to do the right thing...the recycling program is a very public campaign. One neighbor made up his own flyers about the start up of the new project and offered to help answer questions (I think he's gearing up to run for alderman). The local online paper did a big story on it. The city attached clear instructions on the new bins and delivered them to our doors (what goes in which bin...listing out all the recyclables/nonrecyclables for folks) and also did a robo call.

I think folks here have an understable concern for privacy but this instance doesn't fit so neatly in that box...at least since no one is suggesting spying on them...

[Pithlet]

127. Nothing you do is likely to make a difference.

They aren't going to recycle. You might as well get used to it. So if you want to wreck your neighborly relationship, then go ahead and push the issue. You may even wreck a few more in the neighborhood if others take their side. If you want to stay friendly with them and maintain your friendly neighborhood atmosphere, let it go.

[Quantess]

128. Be thankful for all the other neighbors who do recycle.

They might come around someday, but don't bother them about it. That's my advice.

[TransitJohn]

131. Mind your own business?

:shrug:
edit:spelling

[NJCher]

132. writing laws

Another thing I would like to say to the "let it go" people on this thread is that you have obviously never worked on getting such laws into place. I have and in some cases have spent as many as four years of volunteer work to get the law passed. On one environmental campaign I gave $150,000 of time and expertise. That is called "working with the system" and is a part of a democracy. As citizens, you owe your country and your environment time and commitment to make it better.

It never occurs to you that people who care very much about the environment have worked hard to put these laws into place. These laws went through a long thought process. It is very hard to get a law passed. It requires an incredible amount of patience, hard work, communication skills, and caring.

We all have a responsibility to make our system work. That means that if you see someone who is not cooperating for the overall good, you need to do something about it.

The "don't you have something better to do" attitude is a logical fallacy. You're not doing your job as a citizen if you take that attitude.

This does not mean you have to turn them in. It does mean you have to find a way to make the situation better, whether it be through a friendly conversation or whatever method you are willing to engage.

Take some individual responsibility. It's way too easy to say "let it go."

Cher

[noamnety]

142. I see it differently.

I think almost all of us - save those off the grid - have a huge amount of hypocrisy when we start lecturing others over the environmental "responsibilities" they have, when most of us could be doing more just as easily. We choose not to.

If the OP is worried about their environmental impact because they don't recycle a few bits of plastic - but the OP isn't a vegetarian, the OP's a hypocrite who is more concerned about controlling other people or her status in an elite community than the environment. If the OP uses air conditioning, they're a hypocrite. If they heat or cool a house that's big enough to support 5-10 people by most of the world's standards, but they use it to shelter just a fraction of that, they're a hypocrite. If they went their whole life using disposable products for their period, they're a hypocrite. If they are buying prepackaged food that they need to recycle instead of avoiding it in the first place, they're a hypocrite. If they don't use a composting toilet they're a hypocrite. If they use a drier instead of hanging their laundry on a clothesline, they're a hypocrite.

We can all play that game, and it's likely that everyone reading this thread fails in one or more of those categories. It's better not to be throwing stones at the neighbor from the comfort of one's own glass house.

If she's that concerned about the environment, she can pick something off that list and make that change in her own life to offset what the neighbor is doing.

[NJCher]

270. simple answer on that one

Stick to the issue: recycling. By going off on tangents, you complicate the issue and nothing ever gets resolved.

Cher

[Phentex]

150. Many in this thread have said that!

I think most in this thread would prefer the neighbor to recycle like everyone else. THAT would be the ideal. That would be best for everyone. Many, if not most, have suggested a friendly conversation with this neighbor but the OP does not feel comfortable doing that. Where is the OP's personal responsibility? The OP doesn't necessarily feel comfortable reporting the neighbor either. WHERE is the personal responsibility in that?

A few here may think recycling isn't worth it but the majority have not made that claim. It's more about how the OP should try to get along with this neighbor instead of stewing over how to get the neighbor to comply.

[CBGLuthier]

152. Turn in Your Neighbors for fun and profit

Individual Responsibility should mean mind your own fucking business.

[Ikonoklast]

243. Turning them in a waste of valuable resources.

We compost them, here.

That way they make up for their evironmental sins when alive as fertilizer for zucchini.

[CTyankee]

183. Thank you for understanding our city's activism...

a LOT of people here are quite heavily involved in local issues. My husband is on our local Dem Ward Committee and he is a volunteer at the polls on Election Days. He is also the volunteer head of the Commission on the Homeless for the city, having worked on that issue for the city before the financial crises forced his early retirement and that of others at city hall.

People here are incredibly active and aware. It's what we like about living here. And the diversity is wonderful. We have an eruv on our street, allowing Orthodox Jews walking to shull to have strollers for their little kids and on Saturdays and high holidays our street is abuzz with our Orthodox neighbors. I wish we had as many street festas as another section of town...or even an Asian community, also. It would be great fun...

[haele]

133. We don't have that problem in our neighborhood -

One of our neighbors brother (who lives with them) is on a seriously fixed income and goes through everyone's trashcans on the street an hour or so before the trucks come by to pick them up. Any recyclables either goes into his personal recycling bins or if he can't trade them in for money, he puts them in his recycling bin to be picked up.
He's an ex-hippy and very much into the back to nature and re-cycling habits.

We've also had problems with pickers in the past that weren't so neat; the recycling bins tend to cut down on the really nasty and potentially dangerous personal trash being scattered around the street when trash-can divers go through a neighborhood looking for the week's additional food money for their families. Most of what they pick out of a recycling bin goes with them, not on the street.
Especially since they get $1.50 for a pound of aluminum cans (that's about 40 soda cans) and approximately $.80 a pound for CA refund marked glass and plastic bottles. We have bins in the back for our money-making recycling; every month we can usually get an extra $20 just from what I collect from work and our personal CA refund stash. Go through the recycling bins (most people keep their trash and recycling bins by the street) in our neighborhood after a big party, and (according to our neighbor) a picker can collect close to $100.

That's one way of approaching the problem, if there's a large needy population around...If everyone recycles, it keeps the instance of pickers messing up the neighborhood going through co-mingled trash instead of just going through the recycling.

Haele

[cleanhippie]

138. Not everyone wants to recycle.

For many reasons, none really matter, and its not something, IMO, to give another thought.

[quinnox]

141. Why don't you stop spying on your neighbors

Not trying to be mean, but that is what you are doing and how you would know if they put their recycling out or not. Late at night when people put their garbage out you are looking out your window most likely and seeing what they have done.
I understand being retired and you have a lot of hours in the day to fill, but just let them do their own thing like they let you do yours without hassling you.

I think you know that it would be rude to put your nose where it doesn't belong and that is why you are hesitant to talk to them over this. Trust your gut instinct and let them be, it won't be the end of the world if they don't recycle even if everyone else in the neighborhood does.

[CTyankee]

184. Nobody spies. We roll out our garbage and our recycling bins.

Since the trucks stop on the street it's as plain as day if there is no recycling bin. It could be that they "never" have recyclables, I guess...

[ProgressiveProfessor]

143. MYOB

and alert the city if there is a snitch line

[earth mom]

144. I totally believe in recycling but I can't stand my neighbors being in my business.

And I would be furious if any one of them came over and told me what to do about anything.

You may think you are doing the right thing, but it sounds like they want to keep their distance from everyone and be left alone and that should be respected no matter your good intentions.

[tomm2thumbs]

145. watch 'Serial Mom' with them

and then laughingly ask 'omg - who on earth doesn't recycle' when the infamous neighbor-who-isn't-recycling scene appears

[Dorian Gray]

146. Tell the city

and let them fine them into compliance.

[CBGLuthier]

151. MYOB

[Sea Witch]

157. I would suggest minding your own business on this one.

It's not your place to try and enforce your ideals ( however good they may be) onto others. What is important to you is not important to every other person. If you make this an issue you risk making your neighborhood a much less pleasant place.

[Mimosa]

166. Right. Nobody knows what people in other homes are dealing with.

The neighbours may have personal problems, may be taking care of an elderly relative in a nursing home, may be ill, may have fibromyalgia, depression...

One just doesn't know the stresses others may have which keep them from paying close attention to their refuse.

[Phil The Cat]

364. People should lead with examples

Not chains!

[AngryAmish]

159. Most recycling is useless

Vast majority of paper goes into the landfill. Aluminum is valuable - that is why the homeless fish it out of our container. I forget if glass gets recycled much.

Anyway, about 20 years ago Waste Management (founded by the mob) started telling people that we were running out of landfill space. It wasn't true but it allows them to capture large rents for decades since.

[Codeine]

162. Don't do anything. It's not your problem or your business.

I know you might lose your superiority to the Yalies (Jesus fuck -- what a stupid worry) but that's a burden with which you will have to cope.

[CTyankee]

169. It's really a friendly rivalry ya know...

"who's got the best neighborhood" is just a gentle ribbing of each other. A very good friend of mine brags about how small her garbage bag is every week and how much she recycles...she has a compost heap and dumps food off her plates out her kitchen window which is where the heap is...the first time I saw her do that I freaked. She lives in a gorgeous house in a very lovely area not far from the Yale campus...it was kinda funny...I kid her about it now...

Don't take this too seriously...

[Sea Witch]

193. Honestly, stop and count your blessings

And I do mean that. If you actually have time to consider and worry about these things then your life must be considerably easy at this point. Be grateful for that. Not everyone has that sort of time while they struggle to get by. We all do what we can.

[CTyankee]

197. Actually, I'm helping my husband recuperate from back surgery

and I spend a great deal of time at the house dealing with things he used to do...it's ok, he's making progress, I just deal with it...

[noamnety]

221. It doesn't sound very "friendly"

It sounds like you and some of your friends stand around gossiping about the one neighbor in not very nice ways, like a scene from Desperate Housewives. "We are all at wits end with them."

I'm guessing your neighbors wouldn't see it as friendly if they happened to overhear you all discussing them. What do you think?

Maybe you all think that's polite and friendly because it's behind their back. And maybe we all sink to that at some point, I'm not gonna claim any of us are above pettiness from time to time. But it sounds like elements of that rivalry are bringing out some of the lesser qualities in you and your community in addition to the positives.

[CTyankee]

262. I wish this was all we've had to deal with here...if anything, tho, we feel

that they do not quite "get" it and the frustration comes from knowing that they received the same information that all of us did and haven't made a stab at recycling stuff...it "may" be low literacy skills...as a literacy volunteer I know that there are many people right here in our community who cannot read. It "could" be the issue...

[Shrek]

165. High-tech carts will tell on Cleveland residents who don't recycle

and they face $100 fine

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- It would be a stretch to say that Big Brother will hang out in Clevelanders' trash cans, but the city plans to sort through curbside trash to make sure residents are recycling -- and fine them $100 if they don't.

The move is part of a high-tech collection system the city will roll out next year with new trash and recycling carts embedded with radio frequency identification chips and bar codes.

The chips will allow city workers to monitor how often residents roll carts to the curb for collection. If a chip show a recyclable cart hasn't been brought to the curb in weeks, a trash supervisor will sort through the trash for recyclables.

Trash carts containing more than 10 percent recyclable material could lead to a $100 fine, according to Waste Collection Commissioner Ronnie Owens. Recyclables include glass, metal cans, plastic bottles, paper and cardboard.

City Council on Wednesday approved spending $2.5 million on high-tech carts for 25,000 households across the city, expanding a pilot program that began in 2007 with 15,000 households.

[CTyankee]

173. That sounds like it would cost more money than it would raise in fines.

Our city is trying like hell to get every dime out of the tax payers but they haven't come up with this yet! I think they might have anticipated some pissed off professor at Yale Law School suing them on privacy grounds...and thought better of it...the city has a dicey position with yale as it is...

[RamboLiberal]

283. Here's the payoff

Cleveland.com also informs us that the city pays $30 a ton to dump ordinary garbage. It makes, however, $26 a ton by selling recyclables.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-17852_3-20014348-71.html

If I wasn't wheeling out the RF cart enough to suit Cleveland I'd make sure I loaded up my bags with the dog poop on top the week I figured they were going to go through it.

I'm all for recyling but damn this is too big brother.

[Violet_Crumble]

170. Waht to do? Form a vigilante neighbourhood posse!

And when they're not looking, go through their garbage and sort the recyclables out from the other stuff. If they catch you at it, glare at them self-righteously and mumble stuff about doing yr citizenry duty at them. It will impress them no end and they'll be happy to know that they don't have busybody neighbours who can't mind their own business...

[Statistical]

172. Sadly you will never get 100% compliance without enforcement.

Recycling is no different than any other program.

The early adopters went through a lot of work to recycle. They took their recylables to recycling center and lobbied to get recycling pickups. - very low adoption
Eventually city does pickups but it needs to be separated. - higher adoption
Now it doesn't even need to be separated. - even higher adoption

Only two things remain to push adoption hihger.

Education & Enforcement.

On education angle maybe city could send flyers talking about how expensive garbage collecting is and how much money city makes form recycling. Point out it has a tangible impact in terms of roads, schools, police, services provided.

After education the last segment will only be convinced by enforcement. Lobby for you city to enact legislation placing fines for non-compliance.

[CTyankee]

175. That might already be the case...easy to check...

I think the city wanted to go the route of public education and information and trying to rally everybody to the cause. That's a carrot that hurts nobody. The stick of a fine would hurt those least able to pay the fine in many cases, esp. among newcomers whose former community might not have been so comfortable with the idea of recycling...as I suspect it may be with these folks...

[Statistical]

181. The "newcomer" phenomenom can easily be handled w/ probation (suspended fines).

$100 fine. fine suspended on first offense if no further compliance violations occurs in next 90 days.
If no fines in next 90 days = $0 due. If another fine in next 90 days then $200 due (new fine + suspended fine).

Sadly after education the only thing that works in enforcement.

The city can increase adoption by making the program easier and easier with better and better awareness/education however eventually you reach the compliance wall. No matter how simply & easy the program is some people won't adopt it unless forced.

[BurtWorm]

174. Volunteer to recycle for them.

And be prepared to follow through if they accept your offer. But have them separate their recyclables from the trash. This will get them in the habit, and eventually you can point out to them that this is recycling and it's easier than they thought it would be.

[CTyankee]

178. Oh, they have a chart with pictures about what to recycle and what not to recycle.

We all got one attached to our new bins, delivered to our door by the city. If I ever saw them outside I would think of some reason to chat them up and mention it...but they don't go out except to go to and from their cars...and that's their right...

[Luciferous]

180. If that's the biggest issue you have with your neighbors, you're lucky.

I would just talk to them about it.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

182. Get a life?

[CTyankee]

187. Oh, thank you! Gee, why didn't I think of that...such an original thought and such an

original way of phrasing it...

[rAVES]

186. I'd call Hollywood police station immediately.

[ThomThom]

190. Do it for them. Go through their trash and remove the recycles.

Maybe they will notice people going through their trash and get embarrassed or just not happy about it. Many secrets can be seen in your trash.

[noamnety]

202. Or she could just hang out at the town dump one day a week

sifting through garbage. She'd probably get a lot more recyclables if she went to the main source, instead of targeting just one person's trash. I guess it depends if she's looking to control the neighbors specifically or looking to have the largest impact on the environment.

[ThomThom]

233. true... sounds like an idea ...maybe the whole neighborhood should

get busy at the dump

[Stuckinthebush]

192. Ignore them. Live and let live

Seriously, it isn't worth the effort. You can't force people to recycle. He may put out the bin with a single can in it each week to keep people happy, but he won't engage in full force recycling. You can't win em all. Focus on the good and ignore the idiots.

[TK421]

196. Don't do anything...if its a recycle-friendly community someone else will rat them out

or do whatever they have to do, but don't you go getting involved

Recycling may be important, but you seem a little too interested in what is going on with your neighbor

If they are breaking a law knowingly, and that law is enforced, they will get caught

pure and simple

Don't get involved

[geek_sabre]

198. How do you know they don't recycle?

Do you dig through their trash? Peek in their windows? If so, don't you have something more important to do with your time?

Maybe they reuse their recyclable goods. Maybe they turn them in to the center themselves for cash. Maybe they take it to work. Maybe they're hoarders.

[CTyankee]

226. You have a point there. They might turn their recyclables in someplace for cash.

I assure you I have no interest in their trash nor what goes on within their own home. But they might need the money if they could get it from recyclables...

[kiva]

203. Be grateful that's the only problem.

I've had neighbors who had large parties that spilled out onto the lawn - at the most memorable one, someone fired off 27 shots and killed a man. I found two bullets in our wall.

The drug dealer that lived upstairs was particularly annoying - he only sold while his girlfriend was at work, so there was a constant stream of people from 3PM to 11PM to his place.

I've had neighbors whose kids threw rocks at cars - there went a driver's side window (and no, the parents did not pay for the window).

One of my neighbors at an apartment complex left his trash sitting just inside his door and drew cockroaches into the entire building.

Right now I live in a neighborhood where none of that is happening, and I feel so damn grateful that I don't care if my neighbors recycle or not.

[KansasVoter]

204. What if they asked you to stop eating meat?

[CTyankee]

220. To tellyou the truth, I don't know...nobody has asked me to...

Most vegetarians and vegans I know never ask me that, altho I would discuss it with them...

[noamnety]

235. Why should someone have to ask you to do that?

If we're talking personal responsibility toward the environment, you can do the research yourself and find out the environmental impact of eating meat. You pretend to be concerned about the environment but it sounds like you've made a decision to continue eating meat even though you know it harms the environment more per week than your neighbor's nonrecycling habit.

You shouldn't need an engraved invitation to do what's right. "No excuses" - right?

[CTyankee]

247. Of course. I do eat less red meat but then I think production of chickens is

likely problematic environmentally. While I CAN eat less red meat I think it would take a lot more than just saying I'll become a vegan...I know from experience with a former family member how difficult that can be for more than just the vegan...

Recycling is much easier...which is why I said "no excuses." It has now been simplified to the max...throw all you recyclables into one container, no separating, bagging, stacking, etc. One big bin...with wheels yet...

It's all a matter of doing what you can. I take showers under 5 minutes. OK, not everyone can do that. I do lots of things that other can't or won't do and I'm just the same. This however is doable and easy...so why not?

[noamnety]

252. It's just as easy to be vegetarian.

Here's how it works:

You don't buy meat at a grocery store.
You don't order meat at a restaurant.

It's not any harder than recycling. You've made a decision not to do it, despite it being low effort and far better for the environment.

And that's fine, I'm really not getting on your case for that. I'm getting on your case for the hypocrisy, and for making your own excuses while acting like your shit don't stink.

You aren't any better than the neighbors. You just hurt the environment in ways you are willing to excuse in yourself, and those happen to be ways that are less visible to your neighbors, or more socially acceptable among your class of people.

[CTyankee]

257. I don't excuse anything. I recycle because it IS easier, altho I was doing it before

it got so easy because it was doable, even if a bit difficult as I get older (carrying big bags of newspapers). We all do what we can do.

For some reason this has become a strange morality play that I didn't intend it to be. It was a straightforward issue. I meant it that way. I am not better than anybody else and I never said I was.

The high horses around here are higher than any horse I ever sat on...sheesh, folks...

[slackmaster]

206. A few suggestions...

Gulag.



Pillory.



Ride out of town on a rail.



Trial by water:



Tar and feathers:



You could politely offer to sort their recycling out for them. Or you could mind your own business.

[CTyankee]

224. Perhaps I could get a group together and we could all pitch in.

WHile we're at it, we could get the flat tire on that car in front of their house fixed. It's been there for 2 months...

A few weeks ago, they went away on a tour bus that came to our street to pick up folks, so all of the people on the tour parked their cars on our street for an entire week. Since the street is small, it was hard for those around them to back out of our driveways...I guess they didn't "get it" that our street wasn't a public parking lot...I'd never seen anything like it.

[BakedAtAMileHigh]

212. I have a suggestion that involves neither confrontation or the "authorities"

Instead of continuing an approach that continually leads nowhere and makes you appear intrusive and demanding, why not continue your neighborhood/community building approach and create a "troop" of volunteers who go to other/industrial/business areas and clean recyclables from the streets? I have lived in New Haven (well, on campus for a bit in the Jonathan Edwards dorms, not quite the same thing, really) and I do not recall it as the cleanest city ever built. I am sure there is plenty of good work to be done.

A few flyers hand delivered to your neighbors might be a fine place to restart the recycling discussion without any adversarial foundation: invite them and their family to participate! At the worst, you have given them something more to think about, at the best they will come along and make up for some of their failures.

I have no clue if this idea will work for you but I always like to avoid conflict and law enforcement (they are identical, I think!) whenever possible. If they are "perfectly nice to talk to", that usually means you can work it out.

[CTyankee]

222. It's a nice idea. My alderman would be a good resource to get the conversation started.

Actually, the flyers and instructional materials and robo calls from the city already accompanied the switch to Single Stream. It's really easier than before! There has been publicity about this but not a community discussion...the whole reason the city chose Westville to pilot the program is because of all the neighborhoods in New Haven, Westville has the highest level of recycling compliance...beating out East Rock, Morris Cove and some of the poorest areas of the city...also, the Mayor lives in Westville...

There might be more community discussion going forward as plans develop to make this citywide.

When were you at Yale? New Haven has really changed in the 24 years I have been here...the Yankee Doodle is gone, as is the Yale Co-op and that art movie theatre. Mory's is trying to recover from bankruptcy but recovery doesn't look too hopeful. The Whiffs are still around, tho! Oh, and some Yale class raised the dough to fix up the Bowl, which was beginning to look like the Roman Colliseum...

Harvard still beats the crap out of Yale in The Game. Some things don't change...

[Javaman]

217. Did you try asking them why? nt

[CTyankee]

223. If I can find an opener for a conversation with them I will strike up a

chat about how great it is that recycling is so easy now...alas, the info we were all given seems to have gone unread by them...however, the city appears to have picked up their garbage in the recycle bin so perhaps there's a bit of an amnesty for a trial period...

[Jennicut]

225. Okay, now I feel like sludge. Our recycling bin blew away during a recent rain storm and I haven't

recycled in like two weeks. Need to go to the town hall and get another bin, pronto! Terryville collects on Fridays.

[bkozumplik]

227. really?

You are the recycling police now?
My advice to you would be to have a beer, chill the F out, and get off your high horse. No one likes a puritanical person, esp when it comes to recycling.

[mentalsolstice]

228. Pay them a visit

Go for a nice sit down, have a little tea, and discuss it with them. While you're at it you can also discuss the hygienic advantages of having a bidet in their bathroom.

:eyes:

[CTyankee]

231. Hey, a twofer! Admirable!

[Imajika]

232. Sounds like an uptight, snooty neighborhood...

Seriously? Ya'll have time to sit around and worry about whether your neighbors are recycling?

You could create a neighborhood garbage patrol. Gather the troops and march off into combat against the offending trash bins around 1 hour before pickup time. Bring cameras, video cameras, etc, etc.

"We are all at wits end with them. We can't understand. They are perfectly nice to talk to. No problem there. But we don't know how to handle this problem."

LOL. Your at your wits end? It sounds like you people are actually gossiping about whether someone recycles. This tells me that where you live, life is simply too easy.

If I thought my neighbors were spying on my trash to find evidence of failures to recycle, I would immediately stop recycling just to spite their nosey behavior.

[mentalsolstice]

238. +1

[Common Sense Party]

266. Mrs. Kravitz!

[CTyankee]

319. Ah, now I'm Mrs. Kravitz! Wow. How I've changed!

Thanks for that, and we haven't even been introduced. Who are you?

[CTyankee]

250. Let's see. The neighborhood demographics are

a retired cop, a state trooper, a retired teacher, a retired architect, two retiring pharmacists, and two other city workers (including my husband). So many of us are retired and some of us are moving on, downsizing as we will be next year.

It's a nice middle class street. Quiet. Mostly small 3 BR, 1 1/2 bth NE Colonials. We are on a bus line (which my husband used to get to work every day before he was laid off). The kids around us can play ball in the street. On Saturdays our Orthodox neighbors walk to shull on our street (we have an eruv). There is a lot of mingling and chatting. We are social, not nosy. To you this may seem overbearing but it really isn't. Hard to explain. We're a community...

[DainBramaged]

276. You are nosy. And when your neighbor begins to criticize the way you live

then goes on a social network/chat room to talk about how disgusted they are with the way you live your life, how will you react?


It amazes me that you are acting like a Republican.


And you think you aren't doing anything wrong.

[DainBramaged]

278. I'd be much more 'pro-active' than you would be

:evilgrin:

[NeedleCast]

234. Nothing

If encouraging them to do it hasn't worked, that's about all you can do. Be happy you have friendly neighbors.

[Buns_of_Fire]

241. I know! I know! Have a neighborhood contest!

"The household that recycles the most (by weight) over the next X weeks will win a BRAND! NEW! HYBRID! CAR!"*

Now, the downside to this is that someone is going to have to cough up the money for the BRAND! NEW! HYBRID! CAR!

But if Doing The Right Thing (TM) for its own sake won't incentivize someone, I'm personally not above a little bribery to achieve the same result.:evilgrin:


* One prize per household. Void where prohibited by law. Your odds of winning: Zero if you don't recycle, so get with it, residents of 1234 Mockingbird Lane!

[Scout]

242. get over it? turn them in? n/t

[kiranon]

244. Ask if you can use their recycle bins. Can never have too many.

[Little Star]

245. Are you the recycle police?

I think you need to myob, stop gossiping with your other neighbors and get off your pompous, high horse.

This is the most petty problem I've ever seen on DU.

[uncommon]

246. MYOFB. Either that or dig through their trash and recycle it yourself if it's that important to you

Most local trash facilities have their own sorting systems at this point anyway.

[Recursion]

251. Thank him/her. Recycling most materials wastes energy

Aluminum is good, glass can be good. Recycling a plastic bottle can wind up using more petroleum than it would take to just make a new one. Paper is a separate issue: pulp is made from trees specfically planted and farmed for paper production.

[Little Star]

290. I spent some time today looking up if recycling actually is

all that beneficial and you have given a pretty good synopsis. Not all recycling is created equal.

[ecstatic]

253. maybe s/he isn't familiar with the recycling pick up schedule or procedure nt

[ieoeja]

261. Do *not* talk to them about their recycling. *Do* talk to them about yours.

If, during the course of the conversation, they mention they do not recycle, express mild surprise.

"I'm surprised. They make it so easy. I thought it would be a hassle trying to keep two trash cans. But then I realized that 99% of my trash goes into the recycle can. A plastic garbage bag hanging from a handle holds all my garbage for a week. So now bulky extra trash can taking up space."


No insulting. No passing judgement. And no looking like a busybody.

[CTyankee]

263. That's EXACTLY what I wanted to do...I just wish I had an occasion to do it.

They don't come out of the house except to go in and out in their cars.

My idea...if I could just "run into" them...would be to say how great it is now that we have Single Stream. It was always such a pain to get everything separated and cart it out, etc, and let it go at that...

[Common Sense Party]

265. I have found that dropping off a plate of cookies, or some yummy

home-grown goodies from the garden, can really open doors--figuratively and literally.

[CTyankee]

285. What a great idea! I think I might adopt that...altho I don't really bake, but I could a store one..

That's a nice idea...

[Common Sense Party]

336. Of course, I'm not proposing this method: "Here's some cookies. Now,

let me set you straight about how to be a responsible, eco-friendly citizen."

I'm saying, start with the cookies to strike up a friendship. Eventually, after time, you may be able to DISCUSS (not LECTURE) the whole recycling thing.

[DainBramaged]

267. It's not your problem. Are you going to criticize them for what they eat next?

Why is it your business to get them to recycle? Would you want them telling you how to have or not have sex? Wash your clothes, what groceries you should buy?


Why do you have to get involved in their personal affairs ?


Why must 'progressives' meddle?


WHY ARE YOU THE RECYCLING POLICE?


I would regret having you as a neighbor.

[CTyankee]

287. Will you stop? What IS your problem? This started as a problem on a community issue.

You have "joined the chorus" of the "recycling police". I do hope this makes you feel better because you are a little late into this post. Congratulations on your late joining of the "choir."

I am so not caring whether YOU regret having me as a neighbor...

Sanctimonius...oh holy sanctimonius...

[DainBramaged]

291. I have other words to describe you, but I don't think you'd understand

even asking for help here about this 'issue' in your life is troubling.

Have a nice perfect life. Help those who need help, not people who dont recycle and disturb your perfect life.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

268. Chop him into tiny pieces so he fits in the bins. And don't forget to use the "organic" bin. -nt

[Pavulon]

269. Burn his house to the ground and spread salt in his yard...

seriously, not your problem. you have to live next to them. Unless they are already a prick why piss off someone you cant get away from over their trash procedure..

[CTyankee]

296. Maybe the previous poster who wanted me to chop him into tiny pieces was more authentic....

I dunno...burning his house into the ground and spreading salt into his yard is a pretty great idea, tho! How clever of you to think of it!

I am amazed at these "progressive" and "liberal" people at DU who tell me to do the most horrific things to my neighbor...

Actually, I am horrified. This is what we've become here? REALLY?

I asked what could be done if a neighbor doesn't recycle and I get THIS? Wow...:sarcasm:

With friends like these, who need enemies?

[Pavulon]

339. Dude, Carthage refrence, joke...

really I am sure there are things you COULD do, I can tell you from experience watching neighbors with to much time and money piss on each other that doing nothing is the right thing to do...

[Matariki]

271. I suspect my neighbors gossip about the dandelions in my yard

I want to slap them all upside the head when I see them spraying Roundup everywhere. I try to tell them it gets into the waterways and kills fish, but they play at hard of hearing and say 'there's fish in the street'.

How can I get my neighbors to not spray toxins all over the place?

[noamnety]

279. Heh, my parents had the lawn police at one point.

They used a mulching mower and it occasionally left splats of cut grass in stripes on their lawn. Not a problem, it decays back into the lawn. No biggie.

But sometimes their neighbors would sneak over and rake up the cut grass. I guess they just couldn't enjoy their retirement knowing the lawn next door wasn't perfect. :)

[Matariki]

356. oh man. that would really piss me off.

i use the mulching mower too. my neighbor doesn't like when the grass ends up in the street - she comes out and sweeps the gutter. *sigh* - I always want to suggest that she volunteer at a women's shelter or something actually useful like that.

[Throd]

277. Just let it go...

http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.com/2008/02/14/66-recycling/

(By the way, I am an avid recycler.)

[noamnety]

280. lol

I suggested upthread that the nonrecyclers were maybe not the right "class" and she was offended. My other guess was not the right race. Something's not matching the demographics, because even though this is supposedly just about the recycling, it's also about them being the Other in some way.

They aren't part of the "community." They don't get what the neighborhood is about. Their English skills are suspect. They have a car that needs to be fixed. Their vacation was on a bus. They're held responsible for where the bus company told people they could park (presumably parking that the public has a right to use, paid for with public taxes, but still ...). The paternalistic need to explain how recycling works because maybe they aren't smart enough to do it without some help.

And others have caught on, suggesting by association that they might be bringing vermin to the neighborhood or otherwise endangering all their homes by luring arsonists into the neighborhood.

Class or race, I figure it's one or the other or both, but it's more than just recycling given the way the other little complaints keep edging in.

[RamboLiberal]

286. Some of us don't live in perfect neighborhoods

I'm certainly not a HOA type of person but there are neighborhoods where unkempt homes, yards, abandoned cars do become a problem.

And I don't have the perfect home but I try to do what I can to at least keep the neighbors from having to call the cops or the city on me.

There has to be a balance for people to have a good neighborhood that will attract people wanting to live in the neighborhood and to attract new homeowners.

I live in an old milltown in Pittsburgh so I damn well have seen more than my share of urban blight. My little area has hopefully started to turn a small corner where we have affordable homes and neighborhoods that people want to invest in and take care of and not some long-distance flippers who don't give a damn. And the city is doing what it can to tear down abandoned homes and condemn those unfit to live in.

As far as recycling I don't give a rat's ass what my neighbors are doing with their recycling bins. I put my paper & glass & cans out but I'm not anal retentive to make sure every piece of paper ends up in a bin. We don't recycle plastic or cardboard. And we sure don't have any neighborhood contests.

[CTyankee]

289. YOu know, Rambo, that is what we feel here. We want people to stay here and be happy.

We're happy with a middle class group who are only interested in working hard and being responsible. That's really the whole deal. Nobody "flips" homes here because they aren't that fabulous to flip. People like me came here to settle in for a long haul as we did.

We DO respect the recycling effort of the city. What is wrong with that? Why are we "Nazis" for supporting a good thing, environmentally?

You really have to answer these questions if you are a real progressive.

I'll await your answer...

[RamboLiberal]

298. Our mayor was telling us how tough it is for him to track down

some of the deed owners of homes in our little old milltown city. We're talking 40+ year old milltown houses where the old residents have died and the kids end up selling to some broker who lives in Las Vegas or some other area far from us and is only interested in flipping it for a couple thousand more. And they are absentee landlords when they rent.

I'm not calling you a Nazi - seems to me no one has in this thread - for wanting to recycle but IMHO it is none of your business if a neighbor isn't recycling to suit you. Short of my neighbors being criminals or dealing drugs or just generally running down the neigborhood with trash and vermin I got other things to be concerned with than checking out the recycling bins while I walk the dog. Oh and I do take my poop bags with me and will even pick up trash while out.

If you want to make it an issue get your city to go Cleveland's way.

And guess what - I don't depend on DU'ers determining if I'm progressive enough. Gee, isn't this like determining if President Obama is a real Christian or is he secretly a Muslim?

[CTyankee]

310. And I don't depend on anyone here on DU or anywhere else determining whether I'm

progressive enough either, buddy.

Why don't you save your energy for the Glenn Beck's of this world and not attack me? I and my neighbors are not your enemies, much as you have joined this whatever pack attack on something they say it is not and was never meant to be...please, maybe you can keep yourself above this really nasty crowd...whatever you feel most comforable with...

Let's see your courage here...

[RamboLiberal]

353. You started this thread IMHO expecting DU'ers to agree with you

And found many of us didn't. So you perceive this as somehow attacking you?

Courage???? WTF!

Get over it your neighbors don't recycle to suit you.

Geez I already wasted too much of my life in this thread.

[CTyankee]

299. We are not in opposition to each other, you know.

I think as you do. I believe in community progress...

[DainBramaged]

300. You believe in minding your neighbor's business

they don't meet 'YOUR' standard for neighborhood behavior, therefore you're at your wit's end over them.


How sad.

[CTyankee]

313. Well, Dain, we all have people we are "at wit's end with" don't we?

Oh, you don't? Then why do you post on DU?

[Sea Witch]

349. I'm glad someone else noticed that

[BAU]

281. I think...

You should go to Christopher Martin's on State Street for some chicken nachos and forget about it.

[CTyankee]

315. Might be a good idea. Haven't been to Christopher martin's for a long time.

I used to work on State Street, for Women's Health SErvices. You might remember it, if you were in New haven at the time...we got picketed constantly by anti-abortion pickets who were loud and obnoxious...I worked there...

[boston bean]

288. Easy

Mind Your Own Business.

If my neighbor came to me about recycling and how I was making the neighborhood look bad because I was ruining their stats as the best recyclers in all of New Haven, I'd bust a gut laughing behind your back!

You never know what you might get as a replacement neighbor, so if their non recycling is the only issue you should be grateful.

You could have non recycling Abners and Gladys' as neighbors.

Hell, I bet that's how your non recycling neighbors would feel about you, if they knew how torn up you are about their non recycling.

[CTyankee]

292. Well...thank you for that...

it is a gracious stroke on your behalf...

Nice, aren't you...

[boston bean]

293. It's not very nice of you to be gossiping about your neighbors on a website

and with your other neighbors.

But you're right, I didn't have to be mean.

I'm sorry.

[CTyankee]

301. Thank you. But in fairness I didn't say their name or any address...

[boston bean]

314. but do your neighbors with whom you are commiserating with know

these non recycler and where they live?

Listen, I'm really not here to bash you. I just think this is really petty. That's my honest opinion.

And I don't think it's right for you and your neighbors to make such judgments, ok.

[CTyankee]

331. Thank you for your response.

I know you think this is petty and I get that. On a scale of nuclear war with Iran, the economy and other huge problems, it IS petty. I'm not overestimating this. I was just ruminating on solutions to how we could convince people to do a simple thing by recycling when it was made easy...I never meant this to be a crusade. Some people here made it that. But it was not my intent.

To tell you the truth, we've pretty much given up on this. AS others here have said, it's best to walk away sometimes.

Oh, well, we tried...sometimes giving up is the best thing to do, I guess...

[oldhippie]

294. How about tolerance .....

.... for folks with different ideas about what's important?

[DainBramaged]

297. Doesn't get it, read all of the posts

bringing something this silly here shows how absurd some people are. people in the streets, people without money for food or gas to get to work, kids need cloths, the OP is worried about the neighbors who won't recycle.

"We are all at wits end with them."

I wish my life was that simple. How embarrassing for them.

[CTyankee]

305. precious you are, dain. I wish I were as precious...

we should all be so perfect...like YOU!!!

[DainBramaged]

309. What's 'precious' is how you don't see how absurd this thread is

There are people here on DU who can't make ends meet, and other economic hardships you are completely oblivious to, and what concerns you are your neighbors who refuse to recycle and therefore despoil YOUR precious neighborhood.

A lifelong Liberal? Nah, a nanny, plain and simple. I'm not perfect. I try and buy American when I can. And I help A LOT of people in ways you'll never understand. Been a Democrat since I could vote. But I NEVER worried about my neighbors, unless they were cooking meth or abusing the kids. And I never worried about them tossing soda bottles in the garbage, nearly 45% of America does. Except you think that they are bad people.


How precious.

[Name removed]

317. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[DainBramaged]

Now it's resorting to personal attacks

Aw, stuff it, Dain...your stuff don't sell here...really...do you think anybody buys this rhetoric today? Please don't shit me. I've worked in the inner city in New Haven and I don't need a sermon from you...you remind me of the poverty pimps who really sold out their liberal base...I'm old enough to know this stuff...I've seen it...go peddle it somewhere else, buddy...

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:


You worked in the inner city, doing what serving dinners at Christmas to build your Liberal cred?


:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:


I am so glad I am who I am

Goodbye, it was fun watching you implode.

[CTyankee]

329. Lordy, Dain. I've worked in New Haven for over 24 years in nonprofit agencies.

Do you really want to get into this with me? Really? Honestly, did you ever set foot in New Haven? Do you even know the problems of this community?

Well, I have and I do. I have worked for Women's Health Services on State STreet, Planned Parenthood of CT and Literacy Volunteers of GReater New Haven. I'll stack up my experience against yours in New Haven any day of the week.

Come on, Dain. Let me hear from you...

[Sea Witch]

350. Dain- she just doesn't get it.

[CTyankee]

303. Of course. How silly of me, a lifelong liberal. I shouldn't have these stupid ideas

about recycling and the environment.

You are right...just tune in, turn on and drop out...that worked in the 60s...oh, wait...

[noamnety]

321. Nobody's saying tune in, drop out.

They are saying there are real hardships in the world, and you've lost perspective if this is what has you at your wits ends, and if your idea of helping people is to go through their garbage.

[CTyankee]

327. "to go through their garbage"? Where did I say that?

You know, you really shoudn't make shit up, because it comes back to bite you in the ass in the end.

Give it a rest, buddy. If you are reduced to making this crap up, you are fini...really...think about it...

[boston bean]

304. On second thought, here is one sure fire way to give your neighbors the message

write a letter to the editor about you neighbors and be sure to name them. Tell exactly what you told us here on du. Actually provide a link.

That ought to get 'em the message and good!

[CTyankee]

306. Wonderful! Sounds great! I'll do it, right away!

Always a great suggestion from you, BB...! Thank you so much...

[bkozumplik]

307. TAZE THEM

Its them or you. taze them. then pepper spray.

They will be screaming and crying and trying to negotiate but you have to ignore everything they say.

Pretend you dont speak english. I saw this on cops, its how its done. Spray, tase, ignore.

[CTyankee]

311. That sounds like a real liberal solution to this issue. Thank you!

You have demonstrated what a REAL progressive would do! Great thinking on your part...wow...

[RamboLiberal]

308. Maybe they are just Glenn Beck Republicans

Ever think of that? The Earth is theirs to use up and trash.

[CTyankee]

312. I don't think that. It is interesting that you do. nt

[cry baby]

316. Accept their decision and move on, especially if they are nice otherwise.

just my 2 cents.

Nice neighbors are gifts. Try to overlook this one flaw.

[CTyankee]

318. You are right. They are nice in so many ways. They just don't "get" some things.

I won't go into the other ones, but I think you show some humanity in your response that is so curiously lacking in other DUers responses. I wonder why?

[yawnmaster]

322. you do know that it is possible that you don't "get" them.

Is your position the correct position that needs to be "got"?
How do you know that you are not "getting" the correct position and it is theirs?
By what standard are you judging?

[CTyankee]

325. I'm talkiing aboaut recycling, made easy. That's a standard right there.

So, whaddya think? Here's the standard: Is recycling good thing or a bad thing?

[yawnmaster]

330. you said they don't "get" some things, implying more than recycling...

I may have missed it upthread, but how do you know they aren't recycling?
Are you going through their garbage?

[CTyankee]

332. Where do you get the idea that I or anybody else in my neighborhood would even THINK about

going thru their garbage? Good lord, is this what DU is reduced to?

I hate to think it, but this thread has revealed something really awful to me...a kind of dark side to people's thinking here...I will chalk it up to the subject and not the website which I feel is very worthwhile...it's just some people at some times get a little carried away...

[yawnmaster]

333. so answer the question. How do you know they are not recycling? eom

[CTyankee]

334. Oh, dear. I've already gone thru this. Please pay attention next time.

they have never put out a reclycling bin. Never.

I have already said that yes, maybe they sold their recyclables. And, it is possible that they are using their recyclables for art works for our local art galleries. That could be. Or, they have misunderstood the recycling plan for New Haven and have not bothered to ask their neighbors why there are two bins for garbage/other.

We do not know. However, this time, this city has explicitly and with flyers, explanatory materials and robo calls laid out the new plan for recyclables and garbage. In plain and simple English (and Spanish but they are not Hispanic). So. You tell me. Why?

[yawnmaster]

335. ahhh...so you are, in fact, assuming (luckily, there is no "me" in assuming)...

So, perhaps, you should go through the garbage they are putting out to see if there is an errant can or piece of plastic there.
Otherwise, IMNSHO, you should stop assuming and MYOB.

[DainBramaged]

341. This thread has been a joy to read

Not only those who enable the nosey neighbor, but the responses of intelligent members who realize how fucking trivial this is.

Going back a LOT of years, my beloved ex and I used to take our recyclables every Saturday morning to the recycling center and then go out for breakfast. We dd this religiously every Saturday for nearly six yeas until our beautiful daughter was born, then we separated and put them at the curb.

Who knows, maybe thee folks take their recycling to the center themselves or to work. But SOMEONE in their neighborhood KNOWS they aren't and is WATCHNG them closely to make sure they keep the neighborhood above snuff.


It is so so sad to see that in in this day and age people who claim to be Liberals are worried about the neighbors recycling, while the neighbor across the street may be a mass murderer.

[noamnety]

346. That breakfast tradition sounds wonderful.

I may have to steal it.

We used to do Sunday church about once a month and go out for breakfast, til the pastor morphed into rightwing satan during the bushyears.

Recycle breakfast would be a nice way to replace it.

[cry baby]

355. In your posts through the years, you've seemed like a caring person.

I rarely post anymore, but your reach out showed a true wish to find a humane solution to your problem.

Thing is, one cannot control actions of another, no matter how much they want to. One can only choose to control their own actions. Sometimes the gift of acceptance for the others' actions is the only route, especially if you like them.

Besides, you might be able to gently guide them onto the right path with lots of time, kindness, and understanding. Sounds mushy when I read this paragraph back to myself, but I think that it might be the best chance of getting the results you want.

Thank you for your kind words, CTyankee.

[boston bean]

326. They were perfect in every way, except one.........

And it was one big thing! So big in fact, that it became the chatter of all those living in this wonderful middle class Americana subdivision.

Setting:

Beatiful, clean, tidy, middle class New Haven, CT.

Plot:

All the neighbors in the tiny hamlet got along quite nicely. Until one day the neighbor that everyone dreaded moved in on the scene. The new neighbors seemed perfect. They were perfect in every way except one. One horrifying way. So out of character for this one little middle class enclave. The controversy became the talk of the town. The chatter was an undercurrent that became a tidal wave. There were threats to call the authorities. While others had visions of vigilante justice.

Now playing at Regal Theaters:

RECYCLE

You'll never look at your neighbor the same way again!

[CTyankee]

328. Sorry, I don't think your short story will make it into the pages of the New Yorker.

Good try, tho. I think you are resourceful but, well, Updike or King you are NOT...do try again...

[REP]

340. My grandma's advice: Shit or go blind

Always good advice for life's little dilemmas.

[yawnmaster]

343. wait...isn't it shit or get off the pot...and if you keep touching yourself you'll go blind?

ahhh...wait...the two put together...on the pot...got it.

[Shell Beau]

344. Are you serious?

I certainly hope my neighbors don't look through my garbage. If you aren't willing to bring this up with them, the get over it. Quit whining about it while sitting back and doing nothing. You are afraid to say something obviously, and rightly so. BECAUSE it is none of your damned business. No offense, but really. I understand recylcling is important, but what they choose to do with their trash is not one bit of your business.

What do you want here? A cookie for recycling? You almost refuse to talk to them about it. You shoot down almost anyone here who tells you to mind your own business. You want to call the cops? If you aren't willing to confront them nicely about it (which I wouldn't since it really isn't any of your business.period.), then stop already.

And yes, you are judging them. Whether you deny it or not, you are. You're more worried about how lovely your "recycling" street is and how y'all have helped them before than you are with what is actually going on with your neighbors. If you want to be neighborly, care about your neighbors. Then maybe you could have an opening into the recycling.

[Jamastiene]

351. Push your sleeves up and do it yourself.

Believe it or not, people are funny about their trash, so they will most likely come ask you :wtf:

That will open the door to a conversation about your neighborhood's good reputation in regards to recycling. Be nice to them and be very peppy/friendly about it. People respond to positive not negative. You could just tell them you are doing their recycling for them until they learn how. If they want to try to learn how themselves, teach them.

If not, keep doing it for them and make sure to eat cayenne peppers before you go out there to do it. Also, make sure to only do it when they can see you doing it. When they see you sweating over their garbage, they will either feel sorry for you and offer you some lemonade, pay you to keep doing it, or come out to learn to do it themselves.

Also, do they have kids? If they do, you will stand a MUCH BETTER chance of getting someone in that family interested in recycling their own garbage. The kids will be more interested in learning about recycling and may start doing it themselves. If you teach the child well, they may talk to their parents about recycling along the way instead of having to dig in after the fact. If you really get the kid excited about it, they will most likely remind their parents to start recycling as they go along, aka reverse nagging. That seems to work on parents more than anything. I've noticed parents with super motivated children seem to listen to the children when they want to do something positive.

If all else fails, plan on pushing your sleeves up every time they put their trash out. You have to show them your commitment to recycling before they will get a clue.

[DainBramaged]

358. Or in open carry states, shoot your ass off for screwing with the garbage

Maybe she can show them how to clean their bathroom better? Or dress appropriately to the neighborhood 'code'. Why, even make sure they are driving a Prius like all of their good neighbors do.


:rofl:

[Jamastiene]

365. She's not a raccoon or a rat, fer crying out loud.

Even in most open carry states, you don't have a right to shoot someone unless they are trying to break inside the house. I know. I'm not very neighborly and looked it up. In NC, we don't have to give anyone a reasonable chance to escape(one of only 6 states where I would be compatible on that law), but they do have to have at least enough of their person in your window or door first. That's why you shoot first, drape them over the window sill, then call 911. :evilgrin:

[shanti]

354. myob

that's what you do. i got a "code enforcement" letter a few months ago because my tiny front lawn grass was a couple of inches too long. "next time, it's a $200 fine". i don't know who turned me in, but it totally pissed me off!

[DainBramaged]

357. Rip your grass out and put in black stones

That will piss the nannies off way more.

[GreenPartyVoter]

359. Sic Annabelle Gurwitch on them?

[Name removed]

361. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Matariki]

362. Why do you even KNOW the state of your neighbor's garbage?

and why do you discuss it with your other neighbors?

and you wonder why people have called you out for being a busy-body?

oh and btw - why do you keep pointing out how diverse your neighborhood is, what does that have to do with anything?

It's great that you recycle. It's too bad your neighbors don't, but seriously, there are far better things you could be doing with your time and attention that worrying about your neighbor's garbage.