CHRISTMAS TREES & MATTRESSES - What do they have in common?

You find both of them thrown out on curbs!

It's mid-January now and Christmas is over, and you know what else is over, curbside collection of trees.  Most areas collect trees for up to two weeks after Christmas.  That means it's OVER for this year.  So throwing your rotty old tree on the street just means you are hoping someone else will deal with your tree.  Real nice.  You got the tree and you should properly get rid of the tree.  I drive around and see these trees sitting on curbs for weeks and it's just plain RUDE.  I know you see your tree sitting there every day like an eyesore.  You are waiting for the day you come home and it's gone.  Your relief that finally SOMEONE ELSE did the work for you.

Now for mattresses.  Even worse than Christmas trees.  I saw 3 or 4 while driving for a half hour today.  Why does throwing your dirty old mattress on the curb and sidewalk seem to be a good idea?  Because you don't want to deal with it?  Do you think anyone else wants to touch your mattress??  Unless it's bulk pick up day, don't put your mattress on the street.  I guess you think SOMEONE will want it.  Are you telling yourself it's a way to donate and you leave it there feeling "good" about yourself.  Well my friend, let me tell you, you are the problem and not the solution.  Thanks for contributing to your community (said with sarcasm and judgement.)  And, to add insult to injury, it rained today, so now think of those mattresses...

There are plenty of places and people that can help with getting rid of both of these items.  If you just don't know, let's educate you.

Trees:  Go to this site - http://earth911.com/  and type in Christmas Trees and your city or zip and it will give you a list of recycling centers.  If you have questions, give your local recycler a call.  They are there to help.  Here's what it looks like.

Mattresses:  You can call your local sanitation department and ask them to assist you.  You can use Earth911 as above and type in mattresses for recycling.  You can put an ad on Craigslist or see if it can be donated.

There are a few suggestions.  Maybe this will steer your life in a new direction.  And then we all don't have to look at your crap.  We'd all appreciate it.

Come on, it's 2010, let's work together!