Minding Your Neighbors’ Bin-ness

Dear Alisa and Gina,

I’m very happy that people seem to be getting more and more conscious about how their actions impact the environment. In my town we recycle bottles, cans, and paper. The rules are very strict about what you can and can’t put in the bins And I’m very diligent about minding them.

But, I have a neighbor with whom I am fairly good friends. She consistently recycles incorrectly, putting aluminum foil, hangers, light bulbs, mirrors, etc. in with her bottles and cans. I want to correct her, but not sure if it’s my place. I feel like a bad citizen if I don’t say something, and a bad, nagging friend if I do. Any ideas on how to handle this? ~ Randi Recycler

Let it be. One day the authorities will come to her door and drag her away and she will be recycled into Martha Stewart. In the meantime, stop looking at her trash. ~ Gina

I agree with Gina. Sometimes, often in fact, we feel the need to say whatever strikes us as important. But really it’s not necessary. I try to follow the same guidelines with adults that I learned as a parent – pick your battles. Is safety an issue? Is it necessary? Is this the right time? If not, smile, say hello and take care of your own business. ~Alisa