There's a letter this week protesting the City of North Battleford's decision to change garbage collection from communal bins to rollout bins. There seems to be some concern in the community about how efficient the system will be.
We've had what I call "garbage buddies" in Battleford for several years. I think most residents happily embraced a system that replaced messy garbage bags stored somewhere out of the reach of marauding dogs, cats and deer until garbage day and then dragging them to the curb.
It is wonderfully handy to be able to slip out to the bin and toss in a bag of trash without having to worry about it ending up strewn all over the driveway. It is a rare occasion that we have too much garbage to fit into the bin (the Town is very strict about popped lids). On those occasions one of the neighbours is usually able to share some space.
The other wonderful aspect of the garbage buddy system is the guy hauling the bags to the curb doesn't ask, "Hey, what's in here?" Making it impossible for the chucker in the relationship to make any headway against unsightly clutter.
Being young, fit and spry (cackling can be heard from the far corner of the newsroom where the rookie sports reporter resides), I've never had trouble getting the bin to the curb, but I can see how that might be difficult for someone with mobility issues. Perhaps to alleviate the concerns of those who do have trouble getting around, the City could institute a "Garbage Angle" program like they do for snow removal.
Since I'm talking trash, I'd like to send out a boot to the goofball who shared my garbage buddy this week. I hauled it through the snow to the curb Tuesday morning. The angel who usually does this job has been under the weather, so it sat with the lid open after pickup until I got home from work later that day.
As I reached over to close the lid I glanced inside and then scratched my head. It took me a minute to figure out someone had deposited the remains of their fast food meal in the bottom of the empty bin, leftover soft drinks and all. The drinks leaked out of the cups and froze to the bottom festooned with French fries and food containers. It will be spring, whenever that might be, before I can get that mess cleaned out.
But I guess I should be thankful the fast food customer actually deposited the garbage in a bin. It is my observation many of those who patronize such businesses missed the lesson on that protocol, but that's a topic for another day.
