Sunday 18 November 2012

Strike One, Strike Two And...

now we're into our third strike in the last 3 months. I wasn't too aware of the first one at the end of September since I'd just come back from holiday. The second one was this past week. I can't say for the main street, but there were absolutely no problems with pickets in my area. The hardware shop across the street was open as were most, if not all the ones, I passed. Because I don't agree with most strikes and this one in particular, I had class. The rubbish collectors in Madrid are on strike now though for only 3 days. Thank goodness! They're protesting because the Town Council has decided to take away one rubbish pick-up day - from 7 to 6 days. In my street the day they don't come around now is Sunday. Our rubbish bin is in the street probably getting filled up. I just heard someone drop some rubbish in, and I bet I know who. I'll hold off putting mine out as long as possible. In my block, we've never put rubbish out on a Sunday anyway.

Since I can remember I've been 'green' even before I knew the meaning of being 'green'. I remember being in the car with my family and everyone except me throwing their drink cans out the window. To this day I hate seeing litter carelessly thrown along the roads or onto wastegrounds. On Thursday I took a bag full of empty printer cartridges into a shop and the young shop assistant handed me a flash drive and said, "Here. You can probably use this." I can't remember the last time I've been given something in a shop, can you?

My photo today is one of my birthday presents. I'm still waiting for a new camera, one that I hope takes better photos (or is it the photographer?). In case you're not sure what it is, it's a Nepali mountainside hooded wool scarf. I got it from the Animal Rescue site. It looks good on, and, mostly importantly, will keep my head warm. I'll be celebrating my birthday in a Greek restaurant while some of you will be celebrating Thanksgiving. Hope everyone has a wonderful celebration and week. 

6 comments:

  1. Wishing you a good celebration, too! I mentioned it on FB, and will say it here, too... let's see that birthday gift ON you!! :)

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  2. Enjoy your birthday, the present sounds lovely, just the sort of thing I'd choose. I hope you get your new camera, a new camera is on my list of 'I need', but I'm waiting until next year when I retire. I think our rubbish collection is very different to yours. We have to recycle virtually every thing. We are given lots different bins for different recycling and then we have a little purple bin that goes out once every two weeks for genreral rubbish thats left over once all the recyclables have been taken out. it's suoprising, that one little purple bin, empitied once every two weeks is ample if every thing else is recycled.

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  3. We recycle everything in Madrid except organic material, and I say in Madrid because I know some cities do have organic recycling bins. Each block of flats has one or more grey bins, depending on the number of residents for this rubbish and the a yellow one for plastic and carton containers. I have several paper and glass banks nearby. There are also places called 'clean points' where you can deposit things such as computers, batteries and other contaminating material.
    An intetesting fact: Spain is the counrty that most recycles paper in Europe. Maybe we use too much of it!

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  4. OOPS! Forgot tins and aluninium cans go with the plastics and cartons.

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  5. I love your scarf! This would be so perfect for our Michigan winters!

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  6. That's certainly true, Kris! It would be perfect for Michigan.

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