Punks! Urchins! Trolls!

[Ozy_Flame]

Thank god I live in a condo, where they have to get by a grumpy five-foot-tall Philipino security guard first. I wouldn't want to mess with that either.

[Regulator75]

Originally Posted by Russic

As far as I'm concerned if I put my empties in my blue bin (and I do), then as soon as they hit my curb they are no longer mine. I've made the decision that the time, effort and storage of the cans and bottles just isn't worth the $$ I'd get back.

I don't want to be an ass... But you are either too rich or too lazy, which is it?

[bomber317]

Originally Posted by Regulator75

I don't want to be an ass... But you are either too rich or too lazy, which is it?

Well for me, I live DT in a condo. We didn't have recycling for our building for the first 2 years. During that time, my options were to take them to the depot in DT where all the "career bottle collectors" were.

I didn't feel comfortable doing that, so I just had them stacking up higher and higher until my parents came by and I was like "here, have $40" and they gladly took them.

For me it just wasn't worth the time/effort/problems at the depot.

Now we have a recycling program in our building and I put everything in there (everything is locked up so there are no treasure hunters in our building).

Granted, I didn't go to the depot to see what it was like, and perhaps it would have been an enjoyable experience. My fears of being incessantly bothered for cans/bottles while waiting in line may have been unfounded.

[4X4]

I live in an apartment DT and when I'm too lazy to bring in the bottles, I leave them in a garbage bag beside the dumpster. Gone in 60 Seconds.

[bomber317]

Originally Posted by 4X4

I live in an apartment DT and when I'm too lazy to bring in the bottles, I leave them in a garbage bag beside the dumpster. Gone in 60 Seconds.

We were advised not to do that because that would attract them to our area. Since we're near penny street and trying to "clean" up the neighborhood at that time, we all complied.

Strangely enough, it has improved a lot since 2 years ago. I wonder how much the cops walking through DT has to help with that.

[GGG]

Originally Posted by Jimmy Stang

In order of effort required: 1) You can either take the bottles back to the bottle depot, 2) save them and donate them to a bottle drive, or 3) put them in your blue bin.

In scenario 1, you get the deposit back. In scenario 2, scouts or a sports team get a donation. In scenario 3, you are giving your money to the city or a bottle picker - whoever gets it first.

I don't agree with bums making a mess, but if you're putting refundables in the blue bin, you are forfeiting the deposit either way. And, as others have mentioned, making it lucrative for bottle pickers. No bottles in blue bins = no bottle pickers. Supply and demand.

No I am putting them in the blue bin and having the city recylcing program be subsidized by the bottles. The $8 per month fee is based on a certain amount of deposit bearing bottles being collected. If these number are not met the cost of the program will go up.

So the bums are in fact stealing from the city which eventually will cost me more. Remember that 2 jugs of milk a week is $2 per month or 25% of the cost of the program.

[GGG]

Originally Posted by Regulator75

I don't want to be an ass... But you are either too rich or too lazy, which is it?

It doesn't have to be either or.

Do a simple time value of space and money. To take bottles back doesn't make any sense by the time you drive there (40 cents a km). Your time (after tax wage times and hour) So lets say it takes an hour to take the bottles back. Your looking at at least $25 in costs to take back bottles. $25 in cans at 10 cents each is 250 cans or in the case of milk jugs 100 milk jugs.

Now with I think I can put about 10 to 20 4L milk jugs in a garbage bag so I am looking at a minimum of storing 5 garbage bags of milk jugs somewhere in my house. Now if you have a 2000 square foot house worth around $400k you are paying 200 per square foot of living space with an interest rate of 5% you are paying $10 per year in interest per square foot of space. The garbage bags each will take up around 2 square feet of space so about $2 per month per garbage bag. Since each full bag of milk jugs is worth $5 so if you have to store the milk jugs more then 2.5 months you have spent more on storage.

So between effective storage costs and time and gas costs I don't think it makes sense for me to recycle especially win there is a mandatory fee and program which allows me to recylce without effort.

I ask the same question to you Why do you feel it is worth your time to recycle.

[JustAnotherGuy]

Originally Posted by Regulator75

I don't want to be an ass... But you are either too rich or too lazy, which is it?

Well, you failed at not wanting to be an ass.

[jammies]

Originally Posted by 4X4

I live in an apartment DT and when I'm too lazy to bring in the bottles, I leave them in a garbage bag beside the dumpster. Gone in 60 Seconds.

I"m always too lazy, and the last two times I've taken bags down to the dumpster there's been a guy there doing some diving, so I don't even have to wait 60 seconds:

"Dude ya want some bottles?"
Nod nod nod "Yeah thanks!"

As far as encouraging the homeless, I'd rather have them turning in bottles than holding the door open at Mac's and bumming change. At least gathering bottles takes some gumption and effort.

[stang]

Originally Posted by Regulator75

I don't want to be an ass... But you are either too rich or too lazy, which is it?

Here in Lloydminster, no matter what time you go there is a long lineup of people waiting to take bottles in. Its so long in fact that they have a 3 bag limit that you can take up there.

They also sit there and sort the bottles for you. So its not just bring your already sorted bottle in, quick count and done, its bring 3 garbage bags in dump them out and the people sit and count them.

So last time I went I had like 8 garbage bags full. Had to wait in line around 45 min to get up to the front then another 15 or so to go through them then I collected like 9 dollars.

Back to the truck for more, wait for 45 collect 8 bucks,

2 more bags another 45 min, collect 5 dollars.

Woohoo! Spent a good part of the afternoon at the stinky bottle depot standing in line for $22!! Cant even take my family to Mcdonalds for that.l

[Regulator75]

Originally Posted by GGG

It doesn't have to be either or.

Do a simple time value of space and money. To take bottles back doesn't make any sense by the time you drive there (40 cents a km). Your time (after tax wage times and hour) So lets say it takes an hour to take the bottles back. Your looking at at least $25 in costs to take back bottles. $25 in cans at 10 cents each is 250 cans or in the case of milk jugs 100 milk jugs.

Now with I think I can put about 10 to 20 4L milk jugs in a garbage bag so I am looking at a minimum of storing 5 garbage bags of milk jugs somewhere in my house. Now if you have a 2000 square foot house worth around $400k you are paying 200 per square foot of living space with an interest rate of 5% you are paying $10 per year in interest per square foot of space. The garbage bags each will take up around 2 square feet of space so about $2 per month per garbage bag. Since each full bag of milk jugs is worth $5 so if you have to store the milk jugs more then 2.5 months you have spent more on storage.

So between effective storage costs and time and gas costs I don't think it makes sense for me to recycle especially win there is a mandatory fee and program which allows me to recylce without effort.

I ask the same question to you Why do you feel it is worth your time to recycle.

I've paid for the deposit and will be getting it back. It's that simple, I don't like being ripped off. I generally take about 8 massive bags to the depot for a return of anywhere between 40-60 bucks.

Sure my house is large and I can store bags in my basement and/or garage. The depot is a 5 minute drive, they sort and count them in about 15 minutes.

I have no problems with people who don't use bottle depots, I just don't understand why they wouldn't want their money back when they originally purchased their beer or juice.

[JustAnotherGuy]

Originally Posted by Regulator75

I've paid for the deposit and will be getting it back. It's that simple, I don't like being ripped off. I generally take about 8 massive bags to the depot for a return of anywhere between 40-60 bucks.

Sure my house is large and I can store bags in my basement and/or garage. The depot is a 5 minute drive, they sort and count them in about 15 minutes.

I have no problems with people who don't use bottle depots, I just don't understand why they wouldn't want their money back when they originally purchased their beer or juice.

It is simple math. Their time is too valuable to waste to get just $40-$60.

Do you get that? I mean, it has been explained multiple times. Do you need more examples?

[GGG]

Originally Posted by Regulator75

I've paid for the deposit and will be getting it back. It's that simple, I don't like being ripped off. I generally take about 8 massive bags to the depot for a return of anywhere between 40-60 bucks.

Sure my house is large and I can store bags in my basement and/or garage. The depot is a 5 minute drive, they sort and count them in about 15 minutes.

I have no problems with people who don't use bottle depots, I just don't understand why they wouldn't want their money back when they originally purchased their beer or juice.

Well the economics look like they work for you but where do you find a bottle depot without a line up?? and what time do you go at.

But the reason people don't return them is the same reason you do. The economics of the situation based on a calculation of time value of money.

[Champi]

Atleast you don't have 9 shopping carts all on your neighbors lawn and another 4 or 5 scattered around the block.

Nothing beats that NE Decor!

[valo403]

Originally Posted by Regulator75

I don't want to be an ass... But you are either too rich or too lazy, which is it?

You'd have to be doing a whole lot of drinking for bottle returns to bump you into the "rich" bracket

[CMPunk]

Originally Posted by valo403

You'd have to be doing a whole lot of drinking for bottle returns to bump you into the "rich" bracket

Well he's taking in something like 400 empties when he goes in, so maybe he needs the money to continue drinking.

[Regulator75]

Originally Posted by CMPunk

Well he's taking in something like 400 empties when he goes in, so maybe he needs the money to continue drinking.

LOL, I actually don't drink much alcohol. It's mainly juice, pop, milk and the occasional wine bottle.

[Devils'Advocate]

I think the bottom line in this thread, is that they have to jack up the deposit if they actually want people to recycle. Obviously a dime per bottle ain't cutting it. If there are people willing to toss their bottles in the blue bin because it's not worth the time to get their deposit back, believe-you-me there are people out there willing to toss their bottles in the garbage bag.

[GGG]

Originally Posted by Devils'Advocate

I think the bottom line in this thread, is that they have to jack up the deposit if they actually want people to recycle. Obviously a dime per bottle ain't cutting it. If there are people willing to toss their bottles in the blue bin because it's not worth the time to get their deposit back, believe-you-me there are people out there willing to toss their bottles in the garbage bag.

But putting it in the blue bin IS RECYCLING. That is the point of a mandatory recycling program. Make recylcing so easy that people have to excuse not to.

People shouldn't be looked down on for using a program that was designed for recycling, whose costing by the city was based on getting deposit bearing bottles back. That is the point of the program!!!!!!.

[Devils'Advocate]

Sure. If mandatory recycling meant that it was mandatory for you to recycle. Cape Breton is moving to a system where you have to put your garbage in a clear garbage bag and if the garbage guy sees you put recyclables in it, you get fined.