Recycling

I haven't ranted for ages because, to be honest, I haven't actually had anything to rant about.  But I'm a bit bored tonight so I think I might as well have a RANT about recycling.  Where I live there are 12 properties and although we all share a couple of big bins; we don't have any communal recycling facilities.

And just so that you all know...……………….  I personally think recycling is really important.  I'm all for saving the planet and all that.

What I am NOT in favour off...……………… is recycling when it doesn't work.  And it certainly is not working in a small seaside town in the South West.

In the town where I live a pilot scheme has been in place for the summer so that the thousands of holiday makers that descend on us each year, have somewhere to put their recycling.  It hasn't worked.  All summer the recycling bins have been full of general waste.  And I have to say; it's the same where I live.  Holiday makers either leave their brains behind when they come on holiday.  Or they just don't care.  Yes, they are paying a lot of money to come on holiday to my town.  BUT does that really mean that they have the right to disrespect it?

To be honest, I don't know a great deal about the recycling scheme that has been introduced into the town.  Apart from the fact that it failed.  What I do know is; the recycling boxes where I live have been totally, utterly and completely misused.  People have been putting in bags of dog poo, babies dirty nappies, food cans that haven't been washed out, etc.  They have totally disregarded the labels on the boxes and have put in bags of mixed stuff (which the recycling guys will not pick up) and to be honest, they've just been dumping any old rubbish in there.  What do they think is going to happen to it?  Who do they think is going to sort it out?  Would they really do the same thing at home?

Oh and while we're on the subject of recycling...……………..  I clean a couple of 'holiday let' properties...………………. One of them has just had a fabulous new kitchen fitted, complete with rubbish containers for recycling.  Do the holiday makers use these?  They do not.  They fill up all the bins with general waste.  And sometimes, when I go into clean, I'm really lucky...…………….  they've actually removed all the bin bags from the property and I think whoopee doooo.  Unfortunately 9 times out of 10, they've then had breakfast and have thrown all their breakfast debris, ie yogurt pots, banana skins, burnt toast, etc into a bin that they haven't bothered to put a bin liner back in.  Just what is the point of that?

I really do not understand the mentality of some people.  The majority of people these days can read, so why on earth would they ignore signs on recycling boxes telling them what goes where?  I guess the phrase 'silly season' is true.  It's very sad to say, but the 'school holiday brigade' of holiday makers really don't care.  And yes, they do pay a lot for their holiday lets, and actually; I can understand if they want to leave their holiday let in the worse condition ever, and I have to say they usually do.  BUT, plastic is drowning our world!  It won't affect me because I am a ranting middle aged spinster.   In years to come it will probably have a HUGE impact on the future generations of the these holiday makers who come to stay every year and think it's OK to just chuck a bagful of c*** into the recycling.

Recycling is really, really, important if we want to 'save the planet'.  Our children, grandchildren and future generations are at risk if we don't sort out this problem now.

OK rant over.