SlowpokeBlog

As I was moving last week, I wanted to get rid of some nasty solvents and cleaners, most of which I accumulated from roommates at a prior house. One item, I swear, is a can of Brasso brass polish from the '70s if not earlier. How these things wind up in my hands I know not.

But alas, Charlottesville only collects these items twice a year -- for a few hours one day in April, and for a few hours one day in October. If you manage to remember these magical dates, you still must drive the items several miles out of town to a facility in the country. Woe to you if you don't have a car. To its credit, the dump does accept a few items like paint and antifreeze year-round, but these accounted for only a couple things I wanted to purge. And Charlottesville is supposedly a progressive community. Roads are constantly and gratuitously paved around here, yet the hazardous materials program is a total joke. It blows my mind.

Alas, that damned can of Brasso has followed me to my new house.

Toxic Cost-cutting

(According to at least one appreciative reader, I'm not alone in my endless pollutant-toting. As he says, there must be curbside pickup -- nothing less.)