Yes, it's been 108 days, nearly a third of a year since I blogged last. Not the *best* way to keep up readership, I suppose.
Since my last post, much has happened. The first being, I got back my job. Yes, the same job I had before. I work for the company that blew me off and didn't willingly contact me for over a year. Doesn't sound like a bad boyfriend at all, does it? Anyway, I am back at work and had a huge project that had me working 6-7 days a week and sometimes 15 hours a day for over a month. So, that's why (excuses, excuses) I didn't post for a long time. However, I had time in May. I even had time in June. So, why didn't I post? I don't know. I've still been collecting my cans and bottles and recycling them. I have a complete stranger in Pasadena who contacts me when her bin is full. I also have some friends who will soon be moving to Canada who regularly contact me to come pick up their bin full of beer bottles. (Images of "Strange Brew" are coming into my head. Just joking, W&S.)
I don't know. How interesting can I make an update on my trash? I've been collecting approximately $25-$30 worth of recyclables every month, which is a great little fund for my kids. But it's not going to reach that 5 million can mark anytime soon. How do I enlarge what I'm doing to really make that mark? I've tried putting up bins at weekend craft fairs and festivals, with the sad realization that many people don't watch what they're doing and just put trash in recycling bins and recycling in trash bins, no matter what.
Also, with being back to work, the only time I can really deposit my cans are Saturdays, since now plastic bottles are no longer fully refundable. Yes, did you know that? You pay your 5-10 cents a bottle every time you make a purchase and the state of California, or the recycling center (not sure which) isn't required to give you the full refund unless you bring them in amounts of 50 bottles or less. If you bring in 50 or more, they can pay you by weight, which turns out to be much less. About 3 1/2 cents a bottle instead of 5, so 70% of what you pay into the system. And it's not that great for people like me who, at a goal of 5 million cans, don't want to bring them in 50 at a time. Especially when I can only drop them off on Saturdays, especially if I'm working on a Saturday or want to, you know, spend time with the people I'm collecting cans FOR.
(The following used to be the norm. Now, apparently, it is the exception. More and more places are paying by weight instead of fairly paying back the money we are charged when we purchase a bottled or canned beverage.)
Did you know there’s a way to get your beverage container recycling refunds on a per-container basis instead of by weight?
That’s right, California law allows you the option of being paid based on count instead of weight for up to 50 empty beverage containers of each material type.
This means you can bring up to 50 aluminum, 50 glass, 50 plastic and 50 bi-metal California Redemption Value containers in a single visit and request to be paid by count.
Consumers can also make more than one visit per day to a recycling center and be paid by count on each visit. Recycling centers are required to comply with this rule, found in the California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Chapter 5, Section 2535(b).
Any consumer who has been denied this right by a recycling center can file a complaint by emailing CalRecycle or by calling 1-800-RECYCLE.
http://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/bevcontainer/
Since this makes it a bit harder to actually tally how many bottles and cans I've recycled, my count will be slightly inaccurate. I will need MORE than five million cans if I'm going to reach my monetary goal. However, I can't complain too much, because after all, I'd still recycle even if I got paid nothing, and there are plenty of states that don't give any kind of refund for recycling. Yet, it somehow seems unfair that we are a: paying for the privilege of purchasing a bottle or can b: make the choice to return the entire bottle or can minus the beverage, and we don't even get a few pennies for our troubles. Seems like they're trying to make it less and less desirable to go get our refund, doesn't it?
Anyway, I will still approximate 5 cents per can and bottle for my can count, even though it is no longer accurate. The monetary count will be.
April 16, 2011 - $28.00
May 14, 2011 - $29.76
June 11, 2011 - $23.67
GRAND DOLLAR TOTAL: $476.18
Approximate can/bottles recycled: 9,523
