A friend of mine in Luverne put her recycling bin out on the wrong day.
The next morning she discovered the bright yellow recycling “tag of shame” attached to it. The tag of shame is usually given to people who place non-recyclable items in recycling bins.
You know the kind – they don’t wash the cans or remove the labels. (Yes, you are supposed to.)
They try to recycle types of plastic that aren’t “on the list” or they repurpose plastic shopping bags to carry material to the bin and leave the bags in the recycling container. (No, you are not supposed to.)
Some have gone so far as to toss actual garbage into the recycling.
The Luverne garbage guys could probably fill a book with the tales of stupidity they encounter every week.
As for my friend, it’s bad enough to be the only person on your side of the street to roll a giant recycling bin through the snow, across the ice berm and out to the curb on the wrong day, but to discover the bright yellow tag of shame twisting in the bitter Minnesota winds the next morning just makes it all the worse.
Sometimes a person just wants to blend in with the neighborhood, lie low and go unnoticed. No one wants to find the yellow tag boldly proclaiming to the neighbors, “A doofus lives here!” or “This person can’t remember what day it is!”
No one wants the neighbors wondering what “exactly” the problem is with the recycling situation.
My friend, seeing the tag and realizing her mistake, went to lug the giant bin back to the house.
It was empty.
The garbage guys had emptied the bin. Why?
The bright yellow tag read, “Not your recycling day – emptied it anyways.”
At that moment, the bright yellow “tag of shame” became a little ray of sunshine on a cold Minnesota morning.
This isn’t a sign to put out the recycling bin any day you want to. It’s a sign that people are nice even when they don’t have to be. Even when no one is looking.
Even when it’s a little extra trouble on their part.
Thanks, garbage guys.
Have a nice day.