Refuse

 

We buy stuff. We accumulate stuff. We get rid of stuff.

Monday is the day the big truck hauls it away. They don’t ask or inspect my leftovers. They just roll the plastic bins and hook them to a mechanical arm that lifts it and dumps the contents into the back of the reciprocal with all the neighbors waste to continue down the alley and disappear, leaving the air fresh and clean.

Where those fine fellows in their reflective vest who should be paid more than an elected official take my refuse is unknown but I appreciate the effort with a ‘Thank You’ and a monthly check to the city. If Monday trash pick-up didn’t happen all the neighbors and I would have piles of stinky refuse to deal with.

We could dig pits in our well-manicured yards. We could burn it. We could just pile the black plastic bags on the curb in hopes of a tornado will take it all away.

Along with our home waste and yard debris comes natures helpers. Crows and rats and termites will gather to destroy your leftovers for their nightly dinner.

This procedure goes on in every city around the world and somewhere, some place it is all dumped. Mountains of waste are accumulated with birds flying over and children picking what was trash to one but a treasure for others.

Ever walk down to the neighborhood creek (there is one in every neighborhood). A little stream of water washes down from the heights to a lower connection with a river and then the ocean. It is a water source for the neighborhood critters and refreshment for the greenery. Yet tin cans, plastic bags and the occasional lost underpants block the flow.

As long as we don’t see it, it disappears; the trash that is.

Think of all the ships that were trying to cross the ocean but didn’t make the destination. Think of all the ships in WWII that tried to get from America to England only to be torpedoed and sunk on the East Coast. Think of the Lusitania. Think of the Titanic.

Gigantic metal hulls drifting down to the bottom of the ocean with whatever cargo they hold. Out of sight; out of mind.

Our oceans have been a great dumping ground to pour our trash in and let it sink under the water. We don’t consider that we are moving our throw-a-ways into another’s home.

Like climate warming, we will run out of clean water.

Next week the huge trucks will squeeze down the alley and remove our banana peels and dog poop followed by another huge truck that will remove our cardboard delivery boxes and glass wine bottle recyclables wishing that will make a difference.

Flush!