Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Amazing What You'll Do for Five Cents!




Recycling is a reeeeeally big deal here in NY. Such a big deal that we have not one, not two, not three, but FOUR recycling bins in our house. Aren't they lovely?
Everything has to be sorted into its appropriate bin. Other trash has to be sorted into burnables and non-burnables. After you burn the burnables (a concept that wouldn't go over very big in Fairview Township!), you have to take the rest to . . . the DUMP.

Now I must say that this is the most attractive dump I've ever seen - nestled among the spruce trees with mountain views all around. But . . . it is nevertheless a dump and they charge you for your trash - by the pound! AUGH! Who knew kitty litter was so heavy!

Anyway - I have a funny story to share about recycling which is the real reason I decided to blog about this subject. Turns out that you can get 5 cents apiece for soda/beer cans and bottles. Well you know us Stoners - ever the entrepreneurs!

The girls and I were taking a walk through some of the back streets of Keene Valley the other day when we began to notice all the empty cans and bottles lying along the sides of the road. Cha-ching! We saw an opportunity to make some easy money. We began to pick up everything in sight. In a short time, all three of us had our arms full. We circled back to the van which was parked on the main street of town.

Yes - the main street of town.

Three blocks from the van, it hit me . . . here I was walking down the sidewalk . . . in broad daylight . . . with my children . . . all loaded down with beer cans! Knowing how fast news travels in a small town, I can only imagine the conversations over dinner that night "Saw that new family today . . . ."

Thought you all would enjoy that account of our afternoon stroll. =-)
And just in case you've taken it for granted, give thanks for your curbside trash service!

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Beer cans for money??? ... I could retire!!!

robstop said...

Looks like fun!

Anonymous said...

We'll have to save all our cans and cash them in up there! :)