It's not easy being green, Part 84748329

I'm almost all settled into the new place, which is a relief! The office- where I'm sitting now, and where all of my art supplies are also sitting, sadly, still in boxes for the most part- is still a disaster. I would love to post pictures of it for a laugh, except that I still can't find my camera!

Also on the list of things I have yet to find:

-My printer cable
-My Stargazer Lily painting (and canvas prints)
-My business cards (but who needs them, anyway? www.wasteofmoney.org)
-A place to dump the recycling around here

Yes, here I am, living in a city. I moved up here from a rural place. Though, truth be told, it was like pulling teeth, I still managed to get a recycle bin from Waste Management in my old town.

One might think in the city, you'd have access to tons of recycling opportunities. Aren't cities supposed to be all sophisticated? That's what they led us to believe in my hometown... Yet here I am, still throwing all of my garbage into one bag and tossing it like it's 1980 :(
It's so against what I've been doing for the last few years. I made about 30 calls last week, left messages, got a few rude people on the other ends of a few calls (which was just plain funny- one lady acted like "How DARE you call me and ask about residential recycling? WHO DO YOU THINK YOU AAAARE!?!?"), yet I still have absolutely NO idea where the hell to take my paper, cardboard, plastics, etc. It's starting to drive me crazy. How hard can it be? ...Seriously?

Some people acted like I should just go get a basket. Actually, that was a pretty universal response. Great, that's just what I would do, except that I've been told where I live, a basket is pointless because as soon as you put it outside, it gets stolen!? (Um... Probably because no one else can figure out how the hell they can recycle their stuff.) I am even willing to just bag up the recyclables- separately!- and just go take them to wherever they need to go. Folks on the phone acted like that's the most bizarre concept they've ever heard of.

I've seen dumpsters back at home where they have different compartments for things-- can't we just get one of those? I just don't understand how, in an area where recycling is actually mandatory and required by law, it's damn near impossible.