RANT- Garbage in the Junction Post Office parking lot

[christopherboffoli]

Has anyone else noticed the garbage in the parking lot at the Junction Post Office? It is along the ground against the Eagles building.

This rant is directed at the person who thought it was OK to unload a few paper bags filled with garbage in the lot. But as much as I appreciate the hard work of our local USPS team, it is disappointing that the garbage has been there for months now and that none of the postal employees who park their delivery vehicles in that lot seem to notice or care. No wonder they need to put rat traps out there.

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[velo_nut]

What’s keeping you from picking it up?

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[JoB]

good question

and not just for Christopher

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[celeste17]

Was it Tim Eyman? :)

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[bluebird]

And what did the supervisor say when you contacted them, before posting this rant?

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[JoB]

:)

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[cjboffoli]

velo_nut: It is neither my property nor my responsibility to pick it up. I clean up after myself and wish others would do the same. But I’d be happy to meet you over there with gloves and trash bags if you’re so inclined.

bluebird: If you read my post you’d see that the rant was directed at the inconsiderate people who dumped their garbage.

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[ToddinWestwood]

Its called pride in your work and workplace. Yes, most of us will pick up some trash when we see it, but this is fairly a blatant case of not caring.

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[velo_nut]

I’m down with that. I have a training ride Saturday morning from 8 to about 1 or 2 but can meet up in the afternoon with gloves in tow.

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[christopherboffoli]

velo: Just name your time and I will make it work for my schedule. I can’t image it would take us more than 15 minutes.

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[Gina]

Post Office=U.S. Government property. So it belongs to all of us.

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[cjboffoli]

Gina: Just because our tax dollars pay for it doesn’t mean that we all own it. More often government property means that no one takes any responsibility for it.

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[KBear]

Not sure what Gina’s point is. It’s the PO’s responsibility to clean it, and it’s everyone’s responsibility not to litter. That it’s government property has no bearing on these facts.

Christopher, do we get an “after” photo?

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[christopherboffoli]

KBear: Nicely said. Yes, I’d be delighted to post another image when this is resolved.

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[KBear]

Maybe the Post Office is just trying to re-create the ambiance of that dumpy lot over on Alaska where they used to park their trucks (before QFC was built.)

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[velo_nut]

I wanted to follow up on this and explain that I did not blow you off on the expected garbage pick up.

We had a bit of an accident on our training ride Saturday. We had a guy crash out pretty hard at about 40 mph and I spent most of the afternoon between the hospital and friends houses.

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[christopherboffoli]

velo_nut: Thanks for the follow-up. Wow. I hope your friend is OK. Actually, I phoned the USPS office on Friday and brought it to their attention. Let’s give it a week or so and see if they take any action. If the garbage is still there next week maybe we can revisit the plan to do a clean-up.

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[acemotel]

But why doesn’t Boffoli pick it up by hisself instead of guilting velo nut into it. sheeesh. Can’t pick it up by yourself, man?

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[christopherboffoli]

acemotel: It isn’t my responsibility to pick it up. And I resent the implication that someone can’t identify a problem without fixing it themselves. No one is “guilting” anyone into doing it. Instead of criticizing me why don’t YOU go pick it up?

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[acemotel]

huh? It doesn’t work that way. If something upsets *YOU* it’s not *MY* job to fix it. You’re the one with the rant, not me. Nothing to resent, either. It’s the mark of responsibility to take care of the things that bother you. I have a lot of respect for people who go about picking up garbage, or maintaining green spaces, doing beach cleanups, etc. without asking for recognition or thanks. There are many such good citizens in our midst.

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[specialeditionsstudio]

Has anyone simply talked with the station manager about this? Seems to me the simple thing to do. And lastly their appears to still be confusion about tax dollars that the USPS. Your tax dollars do not support/subsidize the USPS it is an independent agency of the gov’t support by the sale of it’s products…stamps, parcels, Express, etc. No tax dollars since the early 80’s!

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[christopherboffoli]

specialeditionstudio: Yes. After the pile of trash has sat decomposing in the lot for about three months now, it was brought to their attention. If and when they address it will remain to be seen.

acemotel: No one ever asked you or anyone to clean up this mess. Your role is apparently just to sit behind your computer keyboard and spend time giving advice to people whom you’ve never met on how they are supposed to behave.

The rant was directed at the irresponsible people who dumped their trash in the lot and to express my disappointment that such a prominent location in West Seattle’s business district could be so neglected by the people who have the responsibility with maintaining it.

I do plenty in this community to be a good citizen, including often cleaning up garbage that isn’t mine. However, it is an unreasonable standard to expect people to be responsible for everything that is wrong. I hate that some dog owners let their mutts go right in the middle of the sidewalk and leave it there. Yet I shouldn’t be expected to stop and clean up excrement whenever I see it. And for instance, I hate that my gay friends don’t have the same legal marriage rights that I do. But that doesn’t mean I can’t articulate my disdain for this situation without just resolving it myself. We can each only do so much within our own sphere.

To me “good citizens’ shouldn’t be saying “If you don’t like it then fix it yourself because your concerns are not MY job” but instead how can we work together to fix this. Seems to me that if you have time to tell me to go pick this up then you could get off your duff and help.

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[JoB]

the dog owners who leave their mutts “mess” in the middle of the path are the reason that many dog owners carry extra bags… our dogs alert us to every “mess” they pass…

If people expended as much energy doing something positive about the things they see that bother them…

like picking up piles of poo until their bag is full.. or stopping to pick up the plastic bags blowing in the wind since the bag “tax” didn’t pass… or helping kids and elders cross the street safely…. or… or picking up public parking lots…

as they do pointing fingers at others..

this would be a much cleaner and safer world.

this is literally what the words “personal responsibility” mean…

personal responsibility isn’t about those “others” who aren’t pulling their weight because they haven’t had your opportunities…

it really is all about you…

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[bluebird]

“We can each only do so much within our own sphere”

How much time has been devoted to taking and posting a picture? Ranting and re-ranting and checking on peoples comments about your ranting and then correcting their viewpoint. Calling the supervisor (finally). Watching the situation for a week “to see how it goes”.

The damn garbage could have been picked up ten times. But then again, we can only do so much.

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[christopherboffoli]

Oh it was just a matter of time until you chimed back in bluebird. What a refreshing surprise that you’re critical and “counter” once again. Actually, maybe it was YOU who dumped the trash in the parking lot. I mean, we’ve already established that you’re pro-pollution :-)

My posting the image and raising the issue had broader intentions than the actual issue of who needs to clean this up.

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