One of the things that use to disturb me when first arriving in Mexico, was how the Mexicans don't put their trash in trash cans. There can be a trash can right next to them and they just throw it on the ground. Why we even saw a police check point in La Paz where the police would confiscate cans and bottles, pour out the contents and leave the empties laying on the ground. Wanting to become submersed into the various cultures of the countries I visit, I have recently joined the wonderful people of Mexico and stopped using trash cans. It's really quite liberating when you finish eating a bag of Tostitos and instead of walking 10-15 steps to an empty trash can, you just toss it into the wind. Another nice thing here in Mexico is we don't recycle. We don't have a separate vacant lot for cans and bottles, everything goes wherever it may. We also don't have to remember when trash day is ...and with so many holidays it would get very confusing anyway. Now I know right about now my fellow gringos are shaking their heads and thinking Steve has really lost it now. But do we americans really think that we are doing the environment any better service because we put all of our garbage in one location? Here in Mexico we spread the trash across the land evenly...it may even be better that way, who knows.
DISCLAIMER: this blog post is fictional. Steve still uses the trash cans even though the locals all wonder why I'm putting trash in the funny round container.