| « Previous | Home | Next » | Making a Living Monday, March 27, 2006 |
 This is one of those shots that I debated posing because it lacks a few important elements. But I decided to go ahead and post it because it illustrates a cultural truth from which many people choose to look the other way. There are two elements to this truth. First is that there are many people who must struggle to make a living. Second is that, at least here in the states, littering in pandemic. It seems that anywhere you drive or walk, a close look around (and sometimes it does not take a close look) reveals the dregs and throwaways of our consumer culture. More years ago than I care to think about, many states passed bottle laws requiring deposits on soft drink and beer bottles and cans (yes, a lot of other bottles are exempt) in the belief that this would stem the tide of littering. It did not. One side effect of this law, however, is that there are now lots of people who now live off the proceeds of those deposits. I don't know how many cans this person has collected, or how long it took to collect them, but I feel sure the money earned at 5 cents per can probably represents a major source of this person's income. The can collectors scour the steets and ditches, recovering the money others are so quick to toss aside. It is a public service of sorts. But one which pays far to little. | |
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Posted by forgingahead Archived under: Most Commented On, People, Street |
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