Recycling Thefts Linked to Poverty in Santa Monica

Your article on thieves and recycling in Santa Monica brings to mind a number of issues: government sticking its nose where it doesn’t belong, the propensity of human nature to take advantage of things that are “free” and a tremendous waste of taxpayer’s money.

Why should government be collecting recyclables in the first place? In our area, environmentally minded citizens separate their cans, bottles, plastic and paper and put them in paper bags on the curb on the evening before trash day. Sure enough, sometime before the trash men arrive, they just disappear. The scavengers that are the scourge of Santa Monica collect the items, cash in and perhaps make their lives a little better. The environment is served and it costs nothing.

Second, it is obvious that it’s not the scavengers that take the plastic cans in Santa Monica. It’s the upstanding citizens that use them for everything from mixing drinks to cement to pots for plants. After all, they are free--why should anybody care? I put perfectly good plastic trash cans out every week and no one steals them. However, everyone knows they are my property. If the government provides them, they belong to the “people.”

Third, why shouldn’t the city do what it does best--work through civic groups to get people to separate their trash and spend the $26,000 on an advertising campaign to remind us to separate. Then they could publish the trash days and routes and stand back. The stuff would be recycled, the city would not have to add extra trucks, programs, people and costs. (I would be shocked if the recycling program didn’t cost more than it takes in.) And a new collection industry would flourish.

Oh yes. My program also means that civic groups and churches could also become “scavengers” and perhaps pick up a little extra money for their good works.

I don’t believe Americans need to be forced to do what is right. They need to be educated, reminded, trusted to do the right thing. I rebel at doing things I am forced to do, but I am happy to get in line when I am given good information and a little gentle prodding.

JOHN VAN HORN, Los Angeles