recycle

When I started work at my current place of employment there was a good-sized box for recycling cans in the kitchen. I always made a point to drop my used cans in the box, and everything was right with the world. Eventually, the box was removed because cans would pile up and no one who had the room in their vehicle for several trash bags full of cans wanted to drive them to the recycling center. This all transpired three to five years ago.

Recently, I noticed a very small trash can in the kitchen affixed with a piece of paper containing the hand-scrawled word "Recycle." When I first saw the can I was amused because there seemed to be no consensus as to what recyclables should be in the can. Aluminum cans, plastic bottles, and plastic wrappers all filled the can. At least now, no one is putting plastics in the can.

This raises some questions, though. Why bother with such a small trash can since we have already had troubles with a big can? Is someone going to actually take these cans to a recycling center? How many cans are required to make the trip worth it? Why not specify the type of recycling that goes in the can? Is this just someone trying to make a buck or two on the run up in aluminum prices?