The lovely Suzanne of Old Grey Mare is encouraging us all again to think about what we do to help keep this planet clean. She was the inspiration behind my compost post, and today you can thank her because you're going to hear about French rubbish!
I'm sorry but this is not a joke.. Here we go...
Can you believe that for the sake of a blog post I actually took pictures of our rubbish being collected this morning! My children say that the men in white coats will soon be here to collect me!
We may live in deepest Normandy but when it comes to our poubelles (bins) there is nothing provincial about us.
We have a poubelle verte into which we put anything we can't put into our poubelle bleue.
Into the poubelle bleue we put plastic, cardboard, newspapers, tin cans.
No glass bottles are allowed into a poubelle, I have to drive them to the nearest bottle bank, except I don't go to the nearest one because there's a lady in the house opposite the glass collector who twitches the curtains - I swear she keeps records on what everyone's drinking, so I drive my bottles along the valley to the next village where I hope no one knows me!
If, par malheur, we should put the wrong thing into the wrong poubelle, the dustmen may choose to name and shame by strapping the offending item onto the lid of our bin for all to see, and leaving the bin full. Quelle honte!
For large items such as a broken down fridge, a no-longer-desired armchair etc we can either put them out on the pavement on two predetermined dates, spring and autumn, when the same dustmen come by to collect the monstres or take them by car to the dechetterie (selective rubbish tip) . The man at the dechetterie is very nice indeed, always happy to give a hand unloading my car, and doesn't think it at all strange when I tape notes to things I leave behind explaining what's wrong with the item and suggesting ways it may still be useful.
A big thank you to Suzanne who is SOO right to make us feel responsible for what we're doing for the planet. Please check out her site and see what great ideas other people are having.
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I just love this! A peek into another world, even if it is rubbish...I wish the US had such strict regulations, or that Americans would regulate themselves. Step by step...Thank you for sharing and why does even your garbage sound more classy in French? Dustmen.... from now on I shall call my two "dustmen" Bet they like it. : D
ReplyDeleteIt is so funny that you mention being aware of your "bottle" consumption. I recycle paper and plastic every time but the bottle bin does not fill up as rapidly so sometimes it stays in the garage for several pick up days. By the time it does go out it can be overflowing and I wonder if a passerby thinks I may indulge too much. ( They would think the bin was full from 3 days worth!) hehe let em gossip...they'll think I am having a grand time.
btw..that mist in the morning is lovely..
Suzan
A lovely post, even about garbage. In Australia we call 'dustmen' 'garbos.' We are big on recycling, but apparently the recycling plants cannot cope with all the recyclables sent to the sites.
ReplyDeleteTimely post to call on us to be vigilent with our waste..:)
Poubelles - one of my favourite French words! We used to visit Brittany every year on holiday as a child and we used to joke about the poubelles. I also remember passing through a village named 'Plogoff'! (hilarious to a 10 year old!)
ReplyDeleteOur town recycles as well in big blue cans. Luckily they make it so easy and we can place glass in them. It has been researched that the easier you make it to recycle the more people will participate. My hubby and daughter are getting there slowly. I like the new ones with lids we have started using, they were open containers before. I'm sure some of my neighbors counted my "bottles" as well.
ReplyDeleteFunny Sharon but I hope it reminds people to recycle and lessen our carbon footprints. Where I live we recycle everything, you should see my mudroom, loaded with several different bins for separating our recyclables. Our trash bags are clear/see thru so the guys at the recycling center can make sure we’re recycling. Needless to say we only have one small bag of trash and our town actually makes money back from everything our town recycles. We compost what we can and my gardens are happy for it, unfortunately so are the skunks and raccoons but that’s life. Funny about counting the “bottles” I do wonder if our town people think we’re tipsy from all the wine we drink….lol.
ReplyDeleteFrench rubbish seems so much more chic that American rubbish!! We recycle everything and take things to the local town Dump. Our favorite part of the dump is the huge (below surface, so you can look in it) metals bin... we find the BEST things there to take home and recycle!! I had to laugh at you taping notes to things as I often pull out fabulous finds and leave them on the outside of the bin so people will see them and take them home! This weekend a charming pair of newish urns! I'm always telling my husband I could decorate a house with the things we find at the Dump!!
ReplyDeletehave a wonderful weekend!
joan
Wondeful post and TOTALLY CHIC!
ReplyDeleteRecycling is the right way and soooo chic!
Fra
I get that we all have to do our part, no matter what country we live in, but what is with this garbage-judgement!!! Come on people, ou les gens...lighten up!
ReplyDeleteBeing a retired French teacher, this is certainly what I expect for France. I do remember being there once when the garbage cans came up the very narrow streets at 3am! Quelle horreur!Linda
ReplyDeleteSounds like a good system. It sounds like your dechetterie is similar to the 'give and take' area that some towns in my area have. My town does not but people do "Freecycle" (a Yahoo group) items online for pick up.
ReplyDeleteGarbage is serious business here in France. However, I live in heart of the the central ville in Aix and we are not required to recycle, I think because there is simply no space for all the big bins required. But I've found one close enough to be able to carry my trash on foot. I wrote an article last year about a similar subject, complete with pubelle history in case you absoltely must have more information! I love your idea of putting notes of explanation on your throw-aways!
ReplyDeletehttp://delana-dujour.blogspot.com/2010/03/one-persons-trash.html
Love this! What a funny story! I greatly enjoyed that you were out with your camera catching the workers! :) Thanks for the peak into French rubbish!
ReplyDeleteIf I took pictures of the people on the recycling and garbage trucks here they would think I was somehow in the media and possibly become unhappy with whatever my potential story could be - "good hard workers" doesn't sell, "lazy buggers on board" does. LOL, it's a wacky world.
ReplyDelete~*~*Love that you took photos of the gargage men!!~ I love how your road looks though with the old stone wall etc..~*~*And the bit about the nosy lady across from the glass place is so funny!!lol..Hugs, Rachel~**~
ReplyDeleteHere in Canada we have very strict recycling rules. We have to return liquor and beer bottles now to the Liqour Store.
ReplyDeleteLoved the peek into your French garbage collection.
Our children may laugh at how we handle garbage today, but they will either thank us (or not) if we leave them with a filthy planet! Thanks for sharing ideas for good stewardship.
ReplyDeleteGlad you shared; Some states in this country will have an area, where you can select tossed treasures; Other places don't. I think it is to
ReplyDeleteeveryone's benefit to be able to drop off their
items. It has been known for ages, "Another man's trash, is another man's treasure"~