Volume 14 - Day 202/163, 2022 - Thursday

Before there were garbage men, there were Toshers, Mudlarks, and Dustmen. People took care of their own waste by burying it or burning it, until the population boom around the turn of the century. With the arrival of the Industrial Age, some waste products could be recycled to make others. The Public Health Act of 1875 created a formal waste collection authority and REQUIRED that household bins be FULL with each pick up. Less than full cans resulted in a fine.Benjamin Franklin created the first street cleaning service in 1757. I am not even sure 'garbage men' is an appropriate phrase now. But I digress. We have trash collection at the Curious House every Thursday, and the recycling is collected every-other Thursday. On one of my walks last fall, I noticed that one of the neighbors several blocks away was leaving water for the collectors, so I started. When I did that, the collectors started putting my trash and recycle cans up at the garage door. I had no idea who was putting my cans off the street, and everyone denied it, so one day I watched the saved videos from my cameras, and it was the collectors. Now, this morning, one of the houses we passed by is trying to out-do us all! Water, energy drinks, cookies, candy bars...I'm just going to stay with water, and maybe next week I will help myself to a cookie.