The metro’s blue recycling carts
November 3, 2008 by James
Filed under Environment, Guest Writer: Lindberg, James G., In the News, The City
Have you seen Des Moines’ new blue recycling carts? Most have been delivered. What can you put in or not put in? Like ‘em?
One big advantage? It’s much easier on the back than hauling the loaded green bins. But… is it a recycling cart or a recycling car? I’d have to collect recycling for 2 months to fill it, and I’m not the only one who thinks the carts are on the large side. Two silly facts: 1) Filled with water, it weighs 800 pounds. 2) Filled with the Purple Wren’s sweetie, it weighs less than 800.
You have to give a lot of credit to someone for the color choice. It matches … um … well …
- my poster of the Blue Man Group
- the Boise State football field
- a Drake t-shirt
- Picasso’s The Tragedy
To tell you the truth it’s big, ugly and doesn’t match anything within 10 blocks of my house. It can hide me, but I can’t hide it.
Oh well. Here are the final advantages:
- add a pillow and it doubles as a spare bedroom for unexpected guests
- still visible after a 42″ snowstorm, and best of all
- add one more wheel, a stool, and a little Saranwrap, and you’ve got an Iso Isetta Turismo!
photo by Purple Wren
James is James G. Lindberg (Jim) is the Purple Wren’s sweetie and is a visiting chemistry professor at Grinnell College and retired from Drake University.
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Alright, I just had to say, that is a GREAT photo!! LOL
Shhhh, don’t tell people that they’re too big. The goal is to fill them up instead of your trash can! At least for most people, the recycling bin matches the size of the trash bin. We have the smaller size trash bin, so the blue dwarfs the brown! But my family of 5 is loving the blue bins! And I can’t wait til we get the yard waste bins!
I thought it looked big that first day, as well. However, after two days we had filled it. After that we pretty much fill it up completely every two weeks. I know we recycle a lot more now than we did before. It’s easier to take to the curb, and there is less to think about. All in all, they are a great step forward, IMO.
My only gripe with the blue cart is the lack of a “handle” on the lid. I’ve installed a drawer pull on the lid so I can lift the lid with my elbow and dump my stuff in one flowing motion.
Lucky me, I got two of the blue monsters. I didn’t put it out on the first collection day — because I had only filled roughly one-tenth of it with recycling — so they assumed I didn’t have one and plopped a second on my yard.
So, if anyone’s in the market for one of these cans, get in touch!