Recycling is big business in China. It sometimes seems everyone is collecting the detritus of society. Older women, the venerable ai yis, root through my trash, in the hall waiting to be carried downstairs, stealing away with the empty cans and bottles.
Some entrepreneurs, above, visit businesses, like this one in Shekou, Shenzhen, and collect empty cardboard boxes. The boxes would be taken to a local, street-level recycling depot for cash.
Captured: April 6, 2008.
April 10th, 2008 at 9:16 am
It’s the same here in Brazil- it’s funny to watch at any kind of street party- beer cans disappear almost before they hit the ground, then eventually soda cans get picked up, and finally someone makes a sweep for the plastic bottles- all worth different prices per kilo of course.
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April 10th, 2008 at 10:43 am
It would be nice if recycling were more common here, but in our throw away society…
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April 12th, 2008 at 1:51 am
I wish recycling was practiced more here. It’s especially bad in the area where I live. The attitude is: Isn’t that what the landfill is for?
Or, for those who can’t afford garbage pick-up, isn’t that what the creek out back is for?
Great capture, Stevo.
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April 12th, 2008 at 5:17 am
I see people like that here in the US but I saw it more when I lived in asia. I’m all for it. it helps give them income while keeping trash down.
I’m moving to china in a few months. i’m looking forward to it….hopefully, there won’t be as much trash thanks to guys like this! lol!
Come visit my site if you get a chance! I’d love to hear any advice you have about settling in china!
http://www.nomadicmatt.com
-Matt
April 13th, 2008 at 6:40 am
Well, I guess it’s good that nothing gets wasted, but it’s still hard to look at, coming from this culture. Someone rooting through trash always seems sad, maybe we’re just too egocentric here to feel comfortable acknowledging overt poverty that we don’t plan to immediately address.
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April 15th, 2008 at 3:40 pm
I like the quality of light in this one, Steve.
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