Recycling

Every place has their own method of recycling. None is as privative and interesting as Harbin's I'm sure. It's actually pretty wild and very thorough.

I'll try to take you through the process. First, there are people that walk around the streets all day with a two-wheeled cart hitting a plastic bucket or container with a stick of some sort to create a thumping sound. This sound is basically saying, 'Bring out your dead.' (Ha ha, Monty Python) Seriously, the thumping just tells people the 'street-bangers' recyclers are coming. If you have stuff in your home such as bottles, paper, plastic, Styrofoam or cardboard you can call to one of the bangers to come and get your stuff. Of course they have to buy it from you. The bangers spend the day, 12 to 15 hours, collecting anything and everything that can be sold to a recycling 'depot', my photo.

I myself don't do this. I just throw everything away. I know it sounds terrible but this is yet another method of recycling. When I put my garbage outside my door the cleaning ladies pick through it. They will go through the bags and take anything out that can be recycled. By not recycling myself it gives these other ladies a chance to earn a few more yuan when they sell it. It's the cycle of life. They earn very little as a cleaner so going through trash creates a bit more income.

Anyway, this is my photo of a little recycling depot. This fellow is loading some cardboard to sell on a scale.