It’s like I’m 10 all over again as I stoop to pick up discarded cans in the street. Decades on, the imperative isn’t so much to “Cash-a-can” for pocket money to buy mixed lollies at the milk bar. It’s more about trying to do my bit to help save the planet.
Since Victoria rolled out the Container Deposit Scheme on November 1, I no longer squeeze cans into my overflowing yellow co-mingled recycle bin or bottles into my purple bottle bin for kerbside recycling. Canny hobby: Ashton Hanson (right) and brother Xavier, pictured in November, were planning to collect thousands of cans this year. Credit: Joe Armao The other day, as I swooped on a Corona bottle, my eyes met my Millennial neighbour.
Momentarily embarrassed, assuming she would think I was a desperado scrounging for bottles, I regrouped to tell her I would drop them off at the depot. We’re near a main street with bars so empty “travellers” are regularly dumped in planter beds or on fence posts. That childhood Keep Australia Beautiful indoctrination has stuck fast.
According to the state government, Victorians use 3 billion drink containers every year and many end up in landfill or waterways. Being a motivated recycler I wanted to support this initiative promising cleaner and streamlined recycling. But as the cans rattling around in my car boot testify, there are teething problems, and it does take commitment.
The reverse vending machine closest to me keeps throwing a wobbly. Largely because it is overwork.
