Backyard trash pick-up. Should this continue?

Gary Rice · Post by **Gary Rice** » Mon May 18, 2009 11:46 am

I want to emphasize that I believe no one, and I repeat no one, needs to be villianized here.

There is a real need to economize, and keep this city's finances stable.

The Mayor and Council do seem to be working hard towards that end.

At the same time, my own concern rests with the poor, the infirm, and especially the elderly, who have seen dramatic cuts in assistance and now will place many of their very lives in danger with this new exertion.

Or with being forced to find cans or newspapers to recycle when they might buy neither.

Or?

As well, I have concern for all of our quality-of-life issues...for those things that we can point to that help make Lakewood the great place that it is.

"Is", that is, and hopefully, not "was".

This community is(was?) a special place. What has been happening lately is troubling to me, and I know, to a great many others.

It is so sad.

"One size fits all" laws never, ever do.

Lakewood, becoming a WONDERFUL place for healthy young families!

Period.

Heather Ramsey · Post by **Heather Ramsey** » Mon May 18, 2009 3:00 pm

Gary Rice wrote: Or with being forced to find cans or newspapers to recycle when they might buy neither.

How many times do I have to say that the potential penalties will NOT be based on how much you do or don't put out as recycling, but by obvious quantities of recyclable materials being found in your TRASH???

Missy Limkemann · Post by **Missy Limkemann** » Mon May 18, 2009 3:59 pm

Heather Ramsey wrote:
Gary Rice wrote: Or with being forced to find cans or newspapers to recycle when they might buy neither.
How many times do I have to say that the potential penalties will NOT be based on how much you do or don't put out as recycling, but by obvious quantities of recyclable materials being found in your TRASH???

I feel sorry for the guy(or girl) that gets to go thru my trash!!! Hope they city provides nose plugs and THICK rubber gloves to them....LOL!!!!!

I will ask though, what does happen when someone is moving this can and they slip and fall and break something?

Jim DeVito · Post by **Jim DeVito** » Mon May 18, 2009 4:05 pm

Would it be wrong to put a motor some electronics on one of these cans and so they can be remotely controlled?

Gary Rice · Post by **Gary Rice** » Mon May 18, 2009 4:48 pm

Heather,

I've seen your point, made twice here.

Please think about that point for a moment, if you will.

The City... rummaging through your trash?

Through EVERYONE'S trash who might not have a blue bag out that week?

Is THIS what we want our government to become?

Glorified garbage pickers?

Eco-fascists?

You may well be right, however. At this point in my life, I would be prepared to believe just about anything.

Jim,

I do like the idea of a motorized cart. Hey, they have those motorized scooters for the infirm.....Hmmmm, you may be onto something here...

I can see it now. Just like the radio-controlled model cars and tanks.

Maybe we could drag race those dumpsters by remote control on the 4th of July.

You know, a school HAS TO pay for necessary adaptations for special needs students. I think those carts might be cool for adults with special needs...

...and of course, Lakewood would certainly have to pay for each and every one of them, were they deemed to be nece$$ary for whomever....

All only my opinion, of course, but I do believe that I see a proverbial trainwreck comin' on.

Back to the banjo...

Heather Ramsey · Post by **Heather Ramsey** » Mon May 18, 2009 5:16 pm

Gary,

I can't say I know exactly how they'll go about it, but, unless I've been lied to countless times by multiple officials (which, some here would perhaps argue is plausible), the penalties will be based on what is in the trash not what is NOT in the recycling. My assumption is that this will really just mean that the clinking of glass or aluminum or maybe visible items will give people away.

I was not particularly arguing that I love this idea, but it is the only way to know if someone is, in fact, NOT recycling something.

Gary Rice · Post by **Gary Rice** » Mon May 18, 2009 5:32 pm

Heather,

Thanks for your thoughts, as always!

The interesting thing about what you apparently have been told... is simply this:

Since your trash (most likely bagged and tied) will be in those dumpsters, right?

And the arms, being automated, will be handling that trash..right?

Not human hands....right?

Then HOW would they be able to go through your trash?????

I can see it now...Just like the fruit sold by an unscrupulous vendor...

The miscreant stashes the "clinkys" at the BOTTOM of those megatubs...

In order to find the evidence, the City would have to dump EACH dumpster all over the street....

WHAT are we coming to....

Gary Rice · Post by **Gary Rice** » Mon May 18, 2009 5:39 pm

...and talk about worker liability?

Wow!

Imagine telling a worker to open a bag and go through someone's trash, and then their getting hurt in some way.....

I truly hope that is not in their plans. All of us must pay, if the City gets sued for this type of shenanigan.

Heather Ramsey · Post by **Heather Ramsey** » Mon May 18, 2009 5:55 pm

I'm just telling you what I've been told. There are still a few months yet before it comes into practice.

Yes, the new system is automated, but there are still people involved. I imagine they'll have a role to play in determining whether or not someone is being compliant.

Jerry Ritcey · Post by **Jerry Ritcey** » Tue May 19, 2009 12:55 pm

Bryan Schwegler wrote:Maybe it's just me, but with all that's wrong with the world right now, all we can do is complain for endless pages about a garbage can?

Boy our lives must be great and care-free in Lakewood.

Quite right. We should remove all the discussion topics except how can we prevent the heat death of the universe, since it's the most important problem.

Gary Rice · Post by **Gary Rice** » Fri May 22, 2009 7:43 am

Well.......

Wowie.

Over 10,000 views now on this thread.

I believe that this beat out the thread about the running urinal.

...by thousands...

Remember when all we had to moan about was a running urinal down at the Womens' Pavillion?

Ah, the good old days.

Well, there's a Lakewood dumpster in my back yard now.

How about yours?

Gee, it's big.

I could probably use it as a fishing boat.

Now that many of YOU have 'em. How do YOU like 'em?

Make room.

For one the same size in blue someday.

For your recyclables.

Don't think so?

Big sister Cleveland has 'em.

Oh well, if we ever go back to the old days,

...at least it would make a nice dog house for a dog like my dear late Skippy.

...or perhaps, a tool shed.

...or homes for unemployed politicians.

Back to the banjo....

Dee Krupp · Post by **Dee Krupp** » Fri May 22, 2009 1:34 pm

I wasn't sure of my opinion til now. Got my monster yesterday (complete with it's own trash that somebody dumped in there..including a Taco Bell cup complete with liquid covering the bottom). Tipped it over trying to wheel it to my back yard around a parked car (can only imagine wheeling through the snow).

Didn't know where to put it, doesn't fit in my regular trash area and won't fit on the side of the garage. What a beast and a PITA to store.

I'd rather have my street paved!!!!!!