Spring isn’t here yet, but I have been running in shorts and a t-shirt a few times this month. Now I may end up with hypothermia, but it beats looking in the mirror and complaining to myself about how I look. Life is all about choices, and we have to make an effort to make the ones that will be best for us. I constantly make the wrong choices for myself, but I know that exercising and eating healthy is the better choice for my mind, body, and spirit. Though why is it so common then, when we know what the better choice is, that we tend not to do it?
So, speaking about choices, you now have different choices for your garbage. As many of you have probably realized, the recyclable dumpsters are now back in Bretton Woods. They have been placed throughout the community in accordance with the Town of Brookhaven requirements. You will see ones for “CARDBOARD ONLY” and others for “BOTTLES AND CANS ONLY”. This is where you should place those specific items.
The “CARDBOARD ONLY” sign will be replaced with a “CARDBOARD AND PAPER” sign. The items for this dumpster should be all paper products and cardboard, excluding pizza boxes or paper items with grease on them. The “BOTTLES AND CANS ONLY” sign will remain the same for now. The items for this dumpster should be plastic, metal, and aluminum only. All glass items should be thrown out in a regular dumpster, as glass is now considered municipal solid waste (MSW), meaning it’s no longer recyclable in the Town of Brookhaven.
Winter Brothers has their own plant and has been sorting the garbage onsite for the last several years. We had initially removed the recyclable dumpsters because they were being picked up in the same truck as the regular garbage, even though they were separated onsite. This created obvious confusion and annoyance amongst the residents. Why should anyone make a special effort to separate their recyclables if they are going into the same truck as the regular garbage? For that reason, all of them were removed and have remained regular trash dumpsters since.
However, we were contacted by the Town several months ago and were informed that recyclable dumpsters must be reinstated, and therefore, we are doing so. I spoke with Winter Brothers, and they assured me that they have been sorting the trash and recyclables ever since they were initially removed. The new process, as per the Town, is called “Direct Stream,” which means that the items are sorted on the specific properties rather than at the plant. This will prevent recyclable items from being contaminated by regular garbage. You will now notice that these specific dumpsters will be getting picked up by different trucks. I have attached the new Mandatory Recycling Memo from the Town directly after this article for additional details.
Last month, I received a call from residents who had a water leak in their unit. These residents have water alarms in their units that alert them when water is detected. These simple devices can be purchased at Home Depot or Lowe’s for a nominal fee. If the device gets wet, it emits a high-pitched sound to alert you that water is leaking. This could alert you of a leak before it becomes visible to you. I can’t speak to how effective these devices are and whether or not they work in all water events. However, I don’t see any downside to considering having one or multiple of these devices placed in your unit. Especially if you have had leaks in the past or have older appliances that have water hookups, such as a fridge, washing machine, hot water heater, etc.
So, back to garbage, as that is something that we all tend to carry around with us day in and day out. I recently heard about a book called “The Law of the Garbage Truck,” and it talks about the following: many of us are so weighed down by the garbage we carry that we unintentionally dump it onto other people. Now we can’t control when people dump their garbage on us, but we can control how we react to it and whether or not we do the same to others. We all know people in life who just appear to be filled with garbage, and as soon as they start speaking, all of it starts coming out of them. When we interact with these people, it’s important to remember that we aren’t the problem, but rather just who they’re dumping their garbage onto.
Try to remember how it feels when this is happening and ensure that you never do the same to others. As far as the people who are dumping onto you, remember that you aren’t a garbage dump and have no obligation to take their garbage. Find a respectful way to remove yourself from the conversation, and if you can’t, which does happen, focus on not allowing their garbage to become yours and to make a conscious effort to enjoy every moment when you’re free of their garbage and your own.
We all need to dispose of our garbage, but we don’t need to do so by dumping it on others. Find healthier ways to dump your garbage and encourage those close to you to do the same. If they don’t want to find healthier ways to do so, then minimize your contact with them. I assure you, they will find a new dumping ground, as there is always someone else who wants to dump garbage on others as well.
April brings us the following holidays and days of significance: Passover, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, Easter Sunday, Earth Day, and Arbor Day.
Craig Pessin-HOA Administrator
Let’s all leave our garbage and this past winter behind us. As we embrace the Spring weather and everything coming back to life, let’s all remember how blessed we are. We may have had one brutal winter, but that just makes this Spring that much more beautiful and special. We must go through the harsh times in order to appreciate the good ones.
