Things that make you go Hmmm (#2) …..

Holiday season is approaching.  I get so excited for Christmas. Christmas shopping, baking cookies, decorating the tree, and snow globe snowflakes falling peacefully from the sky.  Top that off with Sarah McLachlan’s Wintersong playing and my Christmas season is complete.

In a previous blog post (my first ‘Things that make you go hmmm“) it was all about our new garbage collection company within my town.  Their collection strategy had my mind completely boggled and it’s back with a vengeance.  We recently received a flyer in the mail regarding their Christmas garbage and recycling collection.  After reading the two-page flyer, I fell upon the last few lines stating: 

• All wrapping paper must be folded and placed within the recycling bin
• No crumpled paper will be accepted.
• No tags or ribbons attached
• No foil wrapping paper.

My first thought was “Good luck for the families of 4 with children under 12 years of age” and how kids just rip open their gifts in complete excitement at what Santa may have brought them. My second thought was, “ Am I the only person in this town that thinks we are going backwards with regards to recycling?”   

Don’t confuse motion with progress. A rocking horse keeps moving but does not make any progress – Alfred A. Montapert

If I understand this two page flyer correctly.  We must fold each and every piece of wrapping paper we have and make sure there is not one tag or ribbon attached.  Then, neatly place it within our blue box, separated away from cardboard or regular newsprint. If, any of these items are not folded neatly or even separated completely, the new company will simply bypass my designated blue box and head off to my neighbours blue box.  

Sidenote: I’ve seen the trucks leave the yellow or blue boxes completely filled, alone on their street’s edge simply because their items were not neatly separated or packed.  Ironically, on page 2 of the flyer (the backside), is a whole article on Waste Reduction Week.  In the last few months of having this new company, more and more waste has been placed in regular garbage due to recyclables being left roadside.  

I am baffled at the concept of the new companies rules.  With the additional restrictions, more and more items will be placed within our regular garbage heading to landfills and NOT within our blue box.  Why can’t our town see this?  Why are my tax dollars (our tax dollars) paying for this new company who is deciding to not pick up my recycling all because my wrapping paper is crumpled and not folded?  

I am almost at the point of turning into Claire Dunphy (Modern Family reference) and running for town council over a stop sign, but in this case – returning back to our regular garbage and recycling pickup.  Standing up for my fellow community and keeping our landfills clear of paper, cardboard and all other items left puzzled at the curb wondering why they weren’t picked up.  

Are you just as baffled as me?  How are the recycling steps in your town?  Are they just as nitpicky as mine? Or, are they pretty straightforward and easy to follow?  

I know I may be just ranting here and nothing may ever come out of this.  I know every town is different and that each community has its issues.  However, this is something that doesn’t follow my ‘right and wrong’ – black and white personality.  If paper is recyclable, then it is recyclable whether it is folded or crumpled. I’d rather see a blue box filled with crumpled wrapping paper than a box of crisply folded wrapping paper because then, I’d know that family spent their Christmas living in the moment  – not worrying about rules or regulations.  We need more of living in the moment and less of hard press rules being continually folded into our lives.  

So, who’s with me?  Are we going to live a crumpled ‘live in the moment’ kind of life? Or a straight up – I’d better follow the rules – kind of life? I know for me, I won’t be spending my Christmas morning neatly folding my snowflake wrapping paper only to please my town council.  I will be spending it laughing, loving and living in the moment of the Christmas spirit filled within my heart and within my home.