Alki trash followup: More cans added in the park

Though the sun is gone for now, it’ll be back, and so will Alki crowds the size of the ones that left behind the weekend litter/overflowing can problem shown/discussed here yesterday. As a result, Seattle Parks spokesperson Dewey Potter told WSB this morning, more cans would be set out – and as the photo we took around 10 am shows, they’re already there. (Compare to the photo in Monday’s story – today, two cans are side by side in each of the two spots east of the Bathhouse that previously had one apiece. Don’t have any comparisons for the rest of the beach, though.) Potter also says that contrary to her first reply, some Parks employees WERE on duty over the weekend, but they had some pickup challenges with the larger “in-ground” cans – a special cable-equipped truck used for emptying them broke down (they have a loaner replacement now).

DR April 24, 2012 (12:26 pm)

Can we get a better looking trash receptacle? I think some good looking surface mounted furnishings would be a huge asset to the park. And how about recycling? It’s unbelievable to me that there are no recycling receptacles in seattle parks.

JanS April 24, 2012 (12:34 pm)

DR, now, let’s not make it too difficult for them…recycle cans might mean there’s more work, you know ;->

HappyPanda April 24, 2012 (12:35 pm)

Glad to see there was a response and some action to help the issue. It’s a nice start.

WSB April 24, 2012 (12:58 pm)

There WAS a recycling pilot program .. are there really NO recycling receptacles any more anywhere? I can’t go back right this moment to look …
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https://westseattleblog.com/2008/03/some-west-seattle-parks-will-get-recycling-some-wont

CandrewB April 24, 2012 (12:39 pm)

One step at a time DR.

boy April 24, 2012 (12:43 pm)

The trash gets picked up and still it is not good enough for some people.

Aman April 24, 2012 (12:46 pm)

Good to see more cans. “Better late then never” as Grandma used to say.

DRW April 24, 2012 (12:46 pm)

Instead of more cans they should just empty the current ones. Im thinking there are just going to be more overflowing garbage cans.

Christopher Boffoli April 24, 2012 (12:54 pm)

DR: I was thinking exactly the same thing, both on the aesthetics issue and the lack of recycling. Compared with some of the public garbage and recycling bins I’ve seen in Europe ours are in the dark ages design-wise.
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Kudos to the Parks Department for their quick response to this ongoing problem. And Kudos to the West Seattle Blog for once again serving as both a vibrant forum for citizen feedback and also a catalyst for governmental improvement.

cruzer April 24, 2012 (12:54 pm)

Thanks WSB for your coverage of the trash problems at Alki Beach. The City owes our neighborhood these additional cans and pickup service during high traffic weekends!

Huindekmi April 24, 2012 (1:45 pm)

Go to any public location that has recycle bins next to garbage cans (airport, restaurants, etc.). Now look inside the recycle bin. What to you see? Lots of recyclable garbage. Look in the garbage can. Lots of recyclables in there. Basically, the contents of the two are virtually indistinguishable.

Thus is the joy of public recycling. A certain percentage of the population just don’t care or don’t think. Regardless of the types of bins used, how well they are labeled, or whatever, the contents of both the garbage and recycling containers must be manually separated.

Might as well just have one big bin and sort it later.

DC April 24, 2012 (2:50 pm)

Totally agree with Huindekmi.
Also if people aren’t automatically packing out their trash when the bins are overflowing, I highly doubt they will take the moment to recycle. Just my opinion about the beach goer that leaves their trash “in” or next to a full bin — not an environmentally conscious individual.

Marie April 24, 2012 (3:35 pm)

This may sound crazy, but what if the trash bins were just eliminated altogether? Most people want to do the right thing. They have some trash, see a bin and, stuffed as it may be, they’ll automatically just continue to add to the pile. I wonder if those same people (ie: you and me and all of the people that we personally know), in the absence of a trash can will, just as they brought it with them to the beach, will take it away with them as they leave.

Not talking about the jerks here, who I think are solidly in the minority and who will just leave their trash anywhere, but the overwhelmingly majority of thoughtful beach-goers. I’ve been to some great parks over the years with posted signs that advise that there are no trash bins and people just automatically get in the habit of dealing with it responsibly.

Mark K April 24, 2012 (4:00 pm)

I’ve seen at least (only?) one blue recycle can. East of the bath house, I think down near the volleyball pits. I saw it last night, and had seen it before…just not 100% sure where.

gatewooder April 24, 2012 (4:36 pm)

Marie, nice idea but you are not grounded in reality. People come here from outside the community on the weekend and they get to go home at the end of the day… and many of them don’t have your altruistic vision. I was out on Alki on Monday morning, and have never seen more trash on the ground. It belongs in trash recepticles – they are a necessity.

datamuse April 24, 2012 (4:36 pm)

Marie, have you waited at a public bus stop recently? The one near my house no longer has a trash can, and people just leave their trash in the bus shelter.
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Where I’ve seen recycling bins work best is when what can go in each bin is clearly indicated. The rules for what’s trash, what’s recyclable, and what’s compost are sufficiently complicated that I honestly can’t remember when the time comes to throw something away. San Francisco’s done a really great job with signs and labeling in this regard, and from what I’ve seen there, it works.

Cecelia April 24, 2012 (5:27 pm)

Marie,
In my experience in parks that have no trash and a pack it out program you just trash all over the place.

In parks that are harder to get to that attracts a more camper/backpacker type pack it out is not an issue. But in a park like Alki I think it would just be asking for an even worse mess.

ws_s April 24, 2012 (8:02 pm)

Marie, Cormorant Cove along Beach Drive used to be a pack-it-out park with no trash can. I usually pick up litter when I walk that route. That park had more litter than most in WS. And it was a magnet for folks to take their dogs. The grassy areas were filled with doggy landmines. The increased litter sent the message that the park was meant for dumping in more ways than one… Recently a garbage can was added there and situation is better.

A little litter attracts more litter, and can quickly end up a mess.

visitor April 25, 2012 (12:02 am)

Marie, two former parks superintendents have promoted that idea in the past. In one case, the number of trash receptacles in city parks were reduced. It’s an idea whose time has not yet come, completely. As parks funding continues to shrink, the option may be back on the table. If community centers can close, trash containers can disappear!

west Seattle since 1979 April 25, 2012 (2:07 pm)

Marie, also why make it harder for people who want to do the right thing? Not everyone is there in a car to carry their trash out in, so they’d have to wander all over on their bikes or on foot, looking for a trash can, or carry it home. I think your idea would work better in a place most accessed by people in cars.

Sorry, comment time is over.