Do you know how awesome Toronto 3-1-1 is?
I had to call them yesterday to deal with the recycling bins at our new place. We were constantly going over the allotted space, and the truck guys finally told us that enough was enough. So… I procrastinated, because I figured it was going to involved me taking 5 recycling bins to some out-of-the-way corner of the city to exchange them for five newer, bigger ones. I didn’t really have a clue what to do.
So I called 3-1-1.
It turns out that if you tell the City that you need bigger (or smaller, or not as many) recycling or garbage bins, they’ll actually pick up your old ones, and drop off new ones for you. As in, I put out my recycling in my old container next week, and when I get home from work, there are three brand-new containers sitting on my driveway waiting for me to pick them up and put stuff in them. That. Easy.
When the new containers (pictured above) were releases, people bashed them for being too big (they are), too ugly (yup) and unoriginal (because everyone would now have the same bins). Having gone for a run this morning while the bins were all out, I have to say that it’s pretty darn cool to see them all sitting in front of house, all looking the same, all neatly arranged for the AUTOMATED RECYCLING TRUCK to come pick them up.
We have AUTOMATED RECYCLING TRUCKS. How can we go wrong?
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In dealing with the aftermath of the arrangements today, I learned that your recycling bins are always free, but that your garbage bins have yearly fee – how’s that for encouraging eco-friendliness?
This week, I’m going to steal a page from my friend 
