As is my custom, I bought a copy of USA Today at the Charlotte Airport on my way to NYC today. I waited to savor it on the plane as I wasn’t in the mood to delve into my latest “how to be a great marketer” book.
After leaning my seat back to an incredibly comfortable position, I read my paper.
(BTW, I now know everything about the Health Care Reform Bill signed by President Obama. Just ask me how it will change your life, I’ll tell you.)
As we were nearing NYC, the nice flight attendant came to pick up my trash. She leaned over and asked to take my obviously ‘read’ paper. I asked her if it would be recycled. She said flatly, “NO.” (I capitalized her response because it appeared she gets asked that a lot and she is tired of the question.)
So, I took the paper with me off the plane to find a proper receptacle at LaGuardia Airport. To my amazement, as I traveled down the US Airways concourse and out of the airport none were to be found!
So, I took the paper with me to my hotel. Again, I looked for a proper receptacle in the lobby and in my room and none was found.
Understand, I am NOT a huge activist around saving the earth from piles of trashed newspapers. I just like to do my part. I recycle.
So, after settling into my room I called down to the front desk. I asked about recycling my paper…did she have any advice? To my utter pleasure she said, “Well, we don’t recycle if you leave it in your room, BUT if you bring it down to me at the front desk, I’ll put it in our office recycling and it will be recycled.” I then asked her, “Are you sure. Will it REALLY be recycled?” She giggled a little and said, “Yes, I promise.”
So, soon I will be parting with my copy of USA Today. Not right away though. I’ll let it stay with me in my room a little while longer and then bring it down to the front desk before bedtime.
I’ve kind of grown fond of today’s paper, though. Maybe I’ll keep it and bring it home as a souvenir. I think I’ll sleep on it. (Not ON the paper…on the decision…geesh!)
Ha ha ha, now you know how I felt when I came to the USA in 1997. In Germany it was mandatory to recycle since the late 80′s. So I had 10yrs of recycle training when I got here. It’s scary to think back and see how easily I got accustomed to throw paper, plastics and other unwanted materials into one plastic grocery bag and throw it away. On the other hand, I am also glad that it did not catch on here in the states yet; reason: they will and I repeat WILL charge the living daylight out of you. My family in Germany has to pay: for normal trash removal, for Bio trash removal; and for all other trash removal. Plus you have to pay different taxes on those too. Now this is not all over Germany the same, as here, it depends on what state and setting you live in. But that one has to pay out the whazzoo and the Government is taking a healthy financial cut of your trash is unquestionable. Germany has a social-capitalist economy system just think how it would be with a sole capitalist economy system. Long speech short sense: Recycling is good for the environment but bad for your bank account.