Do Something To Save Your Yard

I was about 12 years old when an ecologist came from the University to speak to my grandmother, father and mother about the state of climate change. Their research and tests determined that the first 10-story building on our island was sinking because of the erosions caused by climate change. They went on to suggest that since we were business, home and land owners we should change some behaviors. In short, the effects of an expensive tan was the least of our worries.

They went on to evaluate Grandma’s restaurant and bar practices. We always used brown paper bags for the beer, wine and liquor package service. She never offered plastic stirrers for mixed drinks, only the hand blown glass ones. On show nights when we transformed the restaurant into a Disco was the only time she offered paper cups to make it easier on the dish washer and Bartendar. In the restaurant, Grandma insisted you sit down and enjoy her freshly cooked meals and used ceramic dishes and silverware and never offered take away; not even for a cup of coffee. Tho our restaurant passed their “save the world” examination, the fact that most of the businesses on the island were contributing to the strangulation of many endangered species by using plastic bags and straws, shook me.

Well, that was more than a half a century ago. From that day I was known as the “bag lady” that carried my eye-catching reusable bags everywhere and insisted on using instead of plastic in spite of the grunts and stares from the uninformed and less conscious. Then the unthinkable happened last week when my son moved into a fancy apartment community. I asked for the recycle bin. The attendant looked away embarrassingly, “We don’t recycle here.” My heart dropped. All the the years of getting my family and friends to separate, repurpose and recycle were challenged. I called the City of Atlanta and they directed me with relief back to the owners of the complex to request recycling. 99% of apartments don’t recycle deeming it expensive and just a headache.

I’m so disappointed in the city of Atlanta for not stepping up better and offering solutions that so many cities with similar challenges have conquered. I’ve lived in a single family home for decades so I never realized that apartment communities are reserved the right to offer recycling to its residents but very rarely do. According to the National Multifamily Housing Council, 52% of Americans live in multi-family homes. If all multi-family households participated in a recycling program, it would significantly reduce the nation’s waste stream.

THIS IS WHY APRIL 22 EVERY YEAR IS IMPORTANT. There are so many ways Landlords benefit often selling recyclable materials that have a market in their area. Plastic, metal, glass and even cardboard can be sold to recycling facilities in many locations. Especially for large rental properties, this can be a practical way to off-set some of their operating costs.

So if you live in an apartment complex that doesn’t recycle here’s a couple of articles that you can pass on to get them motivated and do their part to change your city, state and world.

(And oh, thanks to the Ecologist, that 10-story building is still standing, the porpoise and sea life in my hometown are legally protected is being saved through the efforts of the residents and businesses in the community.)

Clean River - 4 Steps to Help Start an Apartment Recycling Program

https://cleanriver.com/blog-recycling-for-apartment-complexes/

How to Start Recycling in Your Apartment Community

https://blog.apartmentsearch.com/apartment-life/start-recycling-in-your-community/