My regular readers will remember that I wrote about the dangers of recycling when I injured my foot through stomping on Sam's beer cans. This had to be done so that I could compact them down into the bottom of bags of foil and aluminium for Church. Feeling slightly embarrassed that we were now contributing beer cans in quite a big way and that we might be thought of as secret drinkers approaching alcoholism, I hid the cans under all the other foil from pies and things.
What does Church want with them anyway, you might well ask? Well they sponsor a little girl in Bangladesh with the proceeds of the aluminium after it is sold. This provides her with a meal a day and an education that she would not otherwise receive. So I suppose it could be an incentive for my son to drink up!
I don't really care too much about what other people think of me. In fact the older I get, the more I can get away with bizarre behaviour, as I can always blame my age and have been doing that for years! Several bloggers advised me to purchase a can crusher to save my feet from getting further damaged and I am now the proud owner of a deluxe model that is mounted on the kitchen wall. It is quite therapeutic crushing down cans! There's something a bit pathetic about that statement, isn't there? If the lever of the can crusher is pulled correctly and the can turned upside down so that the air is forced out of it, all is well. However, every now and then the crumpled can is liable to leap out when you least expect it to. There should be a warning on these contraptions to use protective goggles!
Now I have developed a horrible habit of picking up cans from the pavement. Usually they have been flung from cars onto the pavement and I turn the cans upside down to let left over liquid to trickle into the gutter. Sometimes I get odd looks as I really don't look like a down and out who needs to slurp down other people's leftovers hurriedly.
I have been known to say, "If everybody picked up a can, the street would be a lot cleaner!" I am also thinking of the little girl in Bangladesh, as I'm sure she doesn't care where the money for her meal comes from. Whether its from coke or beer cans, from the street or anywhere else.
After my can crushing, I wash my hands carefully in case someone really horrid dropped the cans and I watch with fascination as the bag fills up quite quickly with little two inch condensed can stumps.
So I don't really care anymore who thinks what! After all, I know that I hardly drink at all and I say, "Cheers," to the Bangladeshi girl, when others do!
26 comments:
What a crushing experience! The things we do with a `can-do' attitude.
Cheers to the wonderful quest.
And oi, Sam, when you come over you can drink my share of beer. If I drink Fanta and crush the cans, would that be `orange crush'?
I'm another one who just can't resist a little pun here. In the words of the old song "Heat Wave", you certainly can, can-can, ;-)
Sounds like it could become quite addictive, like blogging perhaps!
CJ xx
All for a good cause...picking up, crushing and taking them to church. Cheers go out to the girl in Bangladesh.
Good for you Maggie!
David...... don't encourage him to drink any more! He says he will be over if you pay his fare!
Billy.... the heat has gone to your head!
Crystal........ I don't need another addiction!
Mae........ hey we share the same name! Thanks for popping over!
Jackie....... thanks for saying that!
Slurp, in this heat you probably got more cans today than most Sundays.
We have a bottle return policy here in Alberta. That includes cans, bottles, cartons, etc.
Each can - not a beer can - is worth 5 cents. Beer cans are worth 10 cents. The bigger the container - such as a large plastic pop container - 20 cents.
It all adds up to lovely money in the pocket and keeps our province very very clean. You often see people out on their bicycles - with specially made contraptions to hold bottles - like saddle bags - attached to the bicycle...another way to go green while recylcing the returns. They can be seen combing the highways - and some people claim sections for themselves!!
I always wonder why the rest of the world doesn't get in on this? I think helping some child in Bangladesh is a wonderful use for the cans...but there are many other uses for the rest as well. Everything we recycle here is turned into something else...it's wonderful really. And I do like getting a little money for putting in some effort.
I personally have at least $100 worth of bottles to return at the moment. I'm wondering what I will do with my new-found cash?
Well done Maggie! It does sound very theraputic. Does it crush anything else?!!
So instead of a beer-drinker you look like pie-eaters... which is worse?!
Hi Maggie - I never knew there was such an invention as a can crusher! Great post. And you are entitled to do what you want when you want!
When I grow old I will wear purple and red....
Next thing we know you'll be Dumpster Diving (a 'skip', in the US). Your neighbours will just see your legs sticking out of the top!!!
We save cans to, but we don't crush them and I think we ought to, because now they take up a lot of space in the recycle bag. I must talk about that with Eduard. I wonder if we can get can crusher over here?
gonebacksouth ......... Sunday? Not a can to be seen!!!
Aims....... Sounds like Alberta has the best recycling method for miles around.
We could do well to adopt it.
Suburbia ..... now what else would I crush? Maybe my finger!
Girl With a mask ........ er well pie eaters!
Crazy Cath ......purple & red....aaaaaahhhh yes! Here I come crashing my stick along the railings!
expatmum ..... I had funny visions of me stuck upside down in a skip with just ankles sticking out the top! Probably get left there! Be years before I was missed!
Irene...... try hardware stores. That's where I got mine.
Enjoyed your pop can post.. and hope you continue to collect a lot more. Good job! Here from pun-master David's.
Hi came here via David's. You are doing a noble job for the girl there in Bangladesh. So thoughtful of you.
"So I don't really care anymore who thinks what! " What an attitude!
My salutations to you!
What a great idea the money going to the little girl in Bangladesh. Wouldn't the streets be cleaner everywhere if people got money for cans and bottles etc. xx
Hilary ...... thanks for coming over to my place ...... yes, David is good at puns & they seem to come naturally without effort!
Indrani........ thanks for your comments & for visiting me. No I don't really care unless it is something that I have done wrong or offended some one. Or wrongly being accused of something. Well yes.... I do care about those kind of things!
She's like the wind.......... yes if every one did their little bit it would probably put the street cleaners (never seem to see one) out of business but things would look better!
Stopped by from Ornery's Wife.
Another word to the odd looks is, "If you wouldn't throw 'em out here, I wouldn't have to pick 'em up."
The best part is you're turning someone else's poor litter habit into something positive for a child in this world.
Have a great day.
Great idea! :)
We've got a can-crusher in church and it is therapeutic!
I was in a prayer event yesterday and an older man prayed for less forgetfulness for the over-60s. I thought, 'I rather like my forgetfulness! It's handy.'
drilleraa....... thanks for your helpful comment!
casdok ........ glad you're back!
liz ......... not sure about the forgetfulness ....... as long as it doesn't progress!
Good for you for crushing up all those stray can that wander your way. My MIL has one of those crushers as well, and she swears by it.
Hip hip hooray! What a wonderful thing to be doing. I applaud all your can crushing efforts!
Thanks Jules & Carolyn!
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