The Point of Recycling

It has been many, many days since Your Boulevardier has shared his thoughts in this forum, and for that he apologizes. Professional responsibilities -- yes, he has them -- have kept Your Boulevardier ensconced in his cozy office. But this morning an exception was made, and as storm clouds are brewing once again, Your Boulevardier decided to stroll a bit before the weather arrived in earnest.

It must be said that Your Boulevardier, for all practical purposes, had Castro Valley Boulevard to himself. Vehicle traffic was light, and pedestrian traffic practically non-existent; perhaps three fellow walkers were encountered. None seemed particularly in the mood to interact, so no interaction was had.

The lack of company gave Your Boulevardier a chance to admire, and now comment on, the new recycling structures appended to the civic trash receptacles. Shaped somewhat like the ancient pyramids of Egypt, these bins have round holes on two faces for cans and bottles, and messages of environmental encouragement on the other two faces. According to the Castro Valley Sanitary District, ten of said pyramids now grace our streets in a pilot program. According to the district, the structures themselves are made of 60% recycled stainless steel (this I believe) and hold up to 40 beverage containers (unbelievable, unless my fellow citizens are partaking only of liquor purchased aboard airliners).

Nevertheless, Your Boulevardier welcomes the addition of these pyramids to the streetscape, in part because he has a personal aversion to bottles -- especially broken bottles -- on the roads of our fair town.