Trash Talk

Obviously, I did not post a third blog yesterday; surely, no one wants to hear about my adventures in trying to find my washateria and learning how to use a foreign washer. As far as post-grad stuff we can save that for later.

I feel it is absolutely neccesary to talk about the trash.

Fact 1: America is not in the cool recycling club that goes on over here (all of Europe is my guess, but Germany definitely). Germans recycle. They recycle in their homes and on their streets, not just at school when they can remember to do so.

Fact 2: There is an incentive for recycling here: Euro aka money. That's right. If I buy a glass or plastic bottle, more likely than not I can return this empty container either back to the store or to a machine and either will give me about 1/3 to 1/2 back for what I paid. Essentially, you pay a deposit and then get it back.

Opinion 1: America should wise up and do this.

Opinion 2: However, if we do, we should make it clear where our regular trash goes... you know, the stuff you can't really recycle too well.

Basically, within my dorm there are two noticable containers for plastics and metals. Just a fun fact, milk (milch) is not put into plastic containers; they are place in containers you might normally find soy milk. You put milk containters in with the metals. But, the containers are right there in plain view. There is also a big cardboard box for paper items... no sense wasting a plastic bag if you can just recycle the cardboard too, right?

No big. I've got the recycling thing down. Here was my issue: where does everything else go? I will agree that most everything can be recycled, but things such as disinfectant wipes (handy for cleaning my sink and other items of the sort) have no discernable place to go. Where the heck do I put round cotton cosmetic pads.

We were told in GER 105 that it was a science... and then not clued in later as to what it actually was. In public areas there are containers for "Restmull" (umlaut over the u), where other trash goes but not in the dorms.

Luckily for me I happened upon mine just yesterday. Totally by accident of course. Problem solved for me. Now, if I could just find the places to get rid of my trash once it has accumulated. The populace of fruit flies near the plastic containers has reached Mexcio City-like proportions in our small kitchen. Oh, well. I'll let you know how that goes.

Cheers!