As I'm sure is the case most everywhere else, waste management...aka garbage collection...is a big issue in Toronto.
Waste Management In Four Streams
We manage our household waste by separating it into four streams.
Yard waste...garden trimmings, dead plants and leaves...but not lawn clippings (???)...are gathered in paper bags and left curbside for collection and ultimate mulching.
Recyclables are stored in large blue bins with wheels as the await their bi-weekly journey to the curb.
Kitchen waste which can include soiled disposable diapers and pet droppings (???) are collected in small green bins, also with wheels for their weekly curb trip.
Grey bins are the vehicles of choice for everything else that does not fit into one of the above categories and is not hazardous-designated waste such as electronics, paint products, batteries and other specific types of disposables.
Despite initial misgivings of some residents, and post-launch problems the system seems to work quite well.
Most people have adapted to separating waste into its proper stream.
The Racoons Like It
Our neighborhood racoons have adapted particularly well to the waste management system.
Thanks to the ethnic and cultural diversity of the people who live in Toronto, they enjoy different types of food...albeit leftovers and waste...24/7, 365 days a year. And now with the green bins, they have convenient storage facilities...set up for their dining enjoyment throughout the entire city.
Not only have they figured out how to open the so-called 'animal-proof' lids of the green bins, they seem to follow some kind of a rotation system in selecting where to enjoy their meals. Few if us humans go the same restaurant every day...why should raccoons?
Although I don't know for sure, it seems that our green bin is chosen every couple of months or so.... and last night was our lucky night.
Leftover Leftovers
When I went out to take the green and grey bins for their trips to the curb, I saw the overturned green bin surrounded by the leftover leftovers from a recent raccoon meal.
Unfortunately the raccoons have yet to learn to pick up after themselves...of course there are human adults who have yet to develop this ability.
So I dutifully gathered the leftover leftovers, returned them to the green bin and complete my part in this phase of the waste management process.
Lessons To Be Learned
What is notable about this incident is that earlier in the week, I read a fascinating blog entitled What A Raccoon Taught Me About Selling. by Kelley Robertson.
In his blog, Kelley suggests there are three things about selling that we can learn from raccoons:
- be bold
- ignore your initial fear
-
be diligent
What a great blog...take a couple of minutes and read Kelley's blog for yourself. It's a fun read.
Raccoons could be even better teaching models if only they learned to clean up their own messes. Few of us humans enjoy picking up after others.
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We can learn from many "in the wild". When was the last time we saw real trash or garbage created by an animal in the wild??