When we were growing up back east, every year there was a “bulk trash day”, where you could put out as much crap as you wanted, including stoves, couches and the like, and the city would pick it up. Of course, in the days leading up to it, we kids would roam the neighborhood scouring through what others considered “trash” looking for treasures. We were rarely disappointed.
Wallyhood tipster Annie T alerts us that there’s an effort afoot to nationalize this grassroots recyling program with “Curb Day“, and it’s tomorrow:
Curb Day is a simple two-pronged solution:
1. Let’s not throw out valuable items with our garbage
2. Let’s put our items out on the same day – so others can easily pick them upThe first Curb Day will be on Saturday, May 16, 2009. On that day, or the night before, people are encouraged to take their valuable (but unwanted) items to their curbs. Because this is a weekend, it will not interfere with normal trash pickup. There will be treasures on neighborhood curbs all over the country. People will be out en masse picking up these free items. Kind of like Halloween!
Apparently, the city is not 100% enthused about the idea (Seattle kicks Curb Day to the curb), and Jenny highlights some of the rules for us, as well: no guns or knives! Yes, we know, there are a number of you out there with a cache of arms that, now that Y2K has come and gone, you have no use for, and now we’ve deprived you the means to recycle it. That’s a shame. Maye you can sell them at the JSIS Garage Sale.
It used to be that houses south of the ship canal had city-sponsored curbside pickup of unwanted things once or twice a year. It was great! I have friends who wandered around these neighborhoods and picked up great stuff (rugs, pianos, etc.). While there will definitely be problems, I like this idea.