Refunds for Recycling

Pooh on the petulant lady who writes from Santa Monica that she objects to raising the redemption value on bottles and cans because it will only encourage what she calls the “scavengers” who, she complains, awaken her by noisy rummaging in trash bins for bottles and cans.

Wrong on every count.

Instead of whining about these poor souls who earn a few pennies from dumpster diving, why doesn’t she do something? The city of Santa Monica has an excellent recycling program. Not only are there bins in many locations, but the city will actually pick up recyclables at your home on set schedules.

Does Ms. Renton recycle? Does she encourage people in her building to recycle? Do they encourage others on the block to recycle? If everybody did, there would be nothing in the trash bins for the “scavengers” to “ransack.”

I saw the law working very well in New York, where the redemption value is 5 cents, including plastic bottles.

People “scavenge” recyclables because it’s worth it. One poor woman going through street-corner trash cans told me she can make up to $15 a day--to her, an enormous sum. But what is more important, the volume of trash choking our environment can be lessened by recycling. Isn’t it better to light a candle than to curse the dark?

SARA MERIC

Santa Monica