Do you judge your neighbors who don't recycle? (Houston, Round Rock: landlord, disposal)

[noellestar]

I absolutely judge my neighbors that live in my building (I live in a private fourplex, so we have 4 trash cans and 4 recycle bins), and 3 out of 4 recycle bins have been filled with TRASH for the past month. The city won't pick up recycle bins that are blatantly filled with trash so they just let them sit there. All four were actually filled, but my boyfriend and I took the initiative to clear one out so we can have one to use for our own recyclables. We have started keeping our trash can and our cleaned out recycle bin in a separate area to keep the lazy neighbors from trashing them up again. UGH.

[someguyatx]

You guys have good points about the bin not being full but these most have trash cans out every week so I tend to think they just dont care. I dont run around the neighborhood thinking bad thoughts all week but its just annoying to me that people just dont seem to care. I'm more of a redneck than an environmentalist but its so simple to have a two trash can system indoors and outdoors. My arguement to my fellow rednecks who don't recycle is that beer comes in 100% recyclable packaging and by not recycling they are causing beer prices to increase.

I have also found an excellent no rinse car wash solution that I will share in the near future.

[hamjeepr]

Seems kinda' petty to be judging your neighbors by the quantity in the recycling bin.

You can recycle w/o using the bin as well. Most metals, particularly aluminum, copper and stainless yield a good return when you turn them in to a private operation. I use shredded paper for mulch. I even saw someone use their old glass bottles for a border on their garden (this one is a little scary).

[kbchitown]

Austin recycling contract still up in the air

Austin's recycling program is years behind. Water conservation?....a joke. Yeah, Austin is a "green" city...by Texas standards, I guess.

[cmaxmor]

I have noticed that some of my neighbors use the recycling bin for regular garbage. English is not their first language. I don't speak Spanish. I suppose if it really bothered me I could find a way to talk to them. But really, I would rather be angry about the children (literally) starving in Africa. So, no. I don't judge.

[ScoPro]

We've recycled our household waste for over 30 years in Austin & Round Rock. We've driven mid-size & compact fuel efficient cars since we married 44 years ago. All three of our homes have been well insulated, and we presently are lit with a bunch of CH bulbs etc.

It bothers me not one whit what my neighbors do or do not do about recycling or what they drive as long as they keep their homes looking nice from the street.

Otherwise it's none of my business.

[lemonlime22]

Well, I don't really judge it, but I find the lack of involvement in recycling depressing.

I grew up in Michigan, where we had a bottle deposit in the 70s (appartently the program has a 96% redemption rate) BottleBill.org - The Michigan Deposit Law

and a pretty hard-core recycling program, too. Plus, I lived in NY & CA. So, yeah, to see many neighbors not using their bins is a downer.

But the problem is so much more pervasive than the lack of curbside recycling here in TX. Outside any store (HEB, Home Depot, Wal-Mart, etc.) with a trash can, you'll see it overflowing with bottles & cans. In states with a bottle deposit, those would be picked clean by people who need the cash. Money for people who need it AND less waste for the landfill. What a concept, eh?

I've sort of blocked it out, because there's not much you can do about it. Hadn't thought about it much lately until a (non- recycling) retired neighbor of mine commented on how much bottled water we use (the majority content of our bin) and lectured me on a home purification system. And I ought to look into it...

I'm sure there are things he could recycle, but I didn't want to get into it with him.

[JohnA151]

FIRSTLY its not free most of the city uses T.D .S texas disposal systems and you proberly pay for it in your local taxes or get a monthly bill .

no service provided by the city is FREE you or somebody else pays for it one way or another .

we have it here its voluntary even thou you pay for it whether you use it or not

i dont care much for nieghbors who set themselves up as a *watchdog * as to what i do and dont do we have enough big brother attitude from the govt
perhaps there is something your NOT doing that you should such as preserving electricity .water , keeping your lawn cut,. making sure you cars are taxed and road worthy etc etc .should you nieghbor be watching you ????
or as a previous poster said mind your own business

[someguyatx]

Originally Posted by JohnA151

FIRSTLY its not free most of the city uses T.D .S texas disposal systems and you proberly pay for it in your local taxes or get a monthly bill .

no service provided by the city is FREE you or somebody else pays for it one way or another .

we have it here its voluntary even thou you pay for it whether you use it or not

i dont care much for nieghbors who set themselves up as a *watchdog * as to what i do and dont do we have enough big brother attitude from the govt
perhaps there is something your NOT doing that you should such as preserving electricity .water , keeping your lawn cut,. making sure you cars are taxed and road worthy etc etc .should you nieghbor be watching you ????
or as a previous poster said mind your own business

Ok so its not free but it doesn't cost more money in most places and there is no way to opt out to save money.

Also the thread isn't about being the environmental police or a watchdog its about being judgemental and the nature of people. Please put your tinfoil hat back on and go inside.

[CptnRn]

Originally Posted by someguyatx

I judge my neighbors who don't recycle and this week out of 6 immediate neighbors I was the only one who had a bin out and it makes me a bit mad. As I looked down the street I saw maybe half recycle and I even noticed one trash can overstuffed with recyclable materials. I dont understand why people do not use this free service that is provided by the city. Thanks to single stream recycling we easily generate more recyclables than trash on a weekly basis.

Yes, I think you are being excessively judgmental, judging your neighbors on the content of their recycling containers. Your nose has no business in your neighbors trash. As others have said there could be any number of reasons they have not put out a recycling container on any given pick up day. There are far more important issues in being a good neighbor and citizen.