Recycle Bins, Donation Bins

They say there's big profit in the recycling business.  I don't know about that and frankly I don't care. I'm just pleased not to throw away my used items into the garbage , and at the same time I'm proud to help, in a small way, protect the environment.

There's a decent coverage of the city with  recycling bins of all sorts: for glass bottles and jars,  plastic bottles,  clothing and textiles , paper and cardboard, metals and even...holy items. 

These bins are placed at "strategic" points: near grocery stores, malls, post offices, parking plots - either as several kinds grouped together or as individual bins. (Disposable bins for batteries and small electronics are not placed outside, for safety reasons.)

bins near a bus stop and a synagogue, 

bin for clothing, bags, shoes, textiles

bin for paper, cardboard...

bin for glass bottles and jars

bin for plastic bottles

Usually, people donate clothes and accessories that are in good condition,  to charity organizations. The donor brings the package with the stuff to be donated into the office / thrift shop of the organization, or throws it into a donation bin outside the place. 

There are rumors that, for some reason, most of the undamaged, good stuff also goes to recycling. If this is true, then it's rather sad news. These clothes could make someone happy. One could sometimes get a unique  garment for free or for a fraction of the price. Another could get several garments for the price of a single new outfit.   Let's hope the matter will be investigated and good, usable items will not go to recycling centers.

Strawberry - The Recycling Version

Recently, standard recycling bins for bottles in my residential town have been replaced with huge, red plastic bins in strawberry format. The 'strawberry' has two round black 'eyes' through which bottles are introduced into the red container, and a black slot through which nylon/plastic bags are slipped into it. The stuff is taken out through the bottom part which has a square door opening.

round black hole for bottles

slot (rubber black tabs covering it)

The red containers , placed in 'strategic' public places such as at a main street corner, near a supermarket, restaurant, park , bus stop, parking area - seem to be highly durable and color-fading resistant; The intention and idea are good; the design is, however, not very attractive, in my opinion. It looks huge , awkward, and far from resembling a natural strawberry. I hope it's experimental and the people responsible for the project, will either improve the look of the strawberry or improve the former facility. In most places, by the way, the bottle recycling bin is placed close to the paper recycling bin, and/or the trash bin. Good neighbors.

near building with gym studio & supermarket

adjacent to paper recycling bin

former bottle recycling facility

Why strawberry? Well, our town was in its beginning, a rural settlement surrounded by strawberry fields . It still has some of the fields , and its informal icon is the strawberry. Along the pedestrian part of the avenues that run to and from the municipality building, there are many plastic strawberry exhibits in various colors created by local artists. These 'strawberries' display all sorts of prints and inscriptions such as "only love brings love". Perhaps the love slogan is correct , but all this affluence of plastic strawberry exhibits might gradually 'kill' the desire for the real fruit.

'strawberry' with Love slogan (in hebrew) at top