How Many Is Too Many?

When did this become acceptable?

We live in a country overflowing with garbage.  We all produce pounds of it daily; nobody wants to see or smell the stuff; nobody cares where it ultimately ends up, just as long it goes away.  It's no different here in Hudson, where there is no shortage of trash to be had and seen.  One thing I have noticed lately regarding garbage that is disturbing to me is the increasing number of plastic trash receptacles in full view 24/7 on our sidewalks.  

I get it -- some property owners who opt to hire a private trash hauler instead of using the city's blue bags have no access to an alley to leave their trash receptacles when full or empty.  The only place to store them is along the side of the house or, more commonly, on the sidewalk either at the curb or along the front of the house.  I think it's fair to say that the look of our city would be better off if there were no plastic trash receptacles on our sidewalks ever.  But that's not realistic.  Still, the ugly plastic cans seem to keep popping up all over, especially in my neighborhood around 6th and State, as it seems like there are no rules regarding their placement or a limit to the number left out for all to see and walk past.

339 State, with alley access

This trash receptacle on the sidewalk in front of 339 State never leaves the sidewalk.  Ever.  (Actually, a few weeks ago I noticed that it was in the street for a few days.)  The house is an Air BnB.  It is a code violation to leave your trash cans at the curb 12 hours after they have been emptied and 12 hours before pickup.  339 State has access to the alley, just like everyone on that block of State.  But the owner opts to leave their can (usually there are two) at the curb and our Code office apparently doesn't give a hoot.

No one has lived here
for years

Then there's 523 State, a house that is gutted and has been vacant for at least two years.  Sometime early last year the two plastic trash cans showed up in front and they are there all the time, sometimes directly in the middle of the sidewalk.  No one lives there, the house is rarely being worked on, there is access to the alley, and yet there are two trash cans in front 24/7, serviced weekly by the trash hauler.  What would Code Enforcement have to say about this if they bothered to have a look?

It's a restaurant, these cans
fill up fast

Then there's Governor's on 7th -- two days ago they had 4 full cans out on their sidewalk.  Today there were three.  One side of their building is along the alley, where they have their used grease bin.  Given how much trash they produce, it would be nice if Governor's found some space in the alley for a dumpster, like all restaurants use. 

A common sight on 7th

Across 7th street it's even uglier.  Those 6 cans appeared a year or so ago and they remain 24/7 IN THE STREET.  The alley is right there, with trash receptacles AND A DUMPSTER at the building's side.  How much garbage does the building create?  Why won't the property owner keep their colorful, plastic trash cans in the alley?  Because no one is telling them to do so.  Why do they leave them in front where they are more conveniently located for the tenants?  Because they can!  Imagine if we all did this and nobody at City Hall cared.

Imagine, also, if many of the beloved old photos of Hudson included plastic trash receptacles in front of the buildings and on the sidewalks.  As few as one, as many as six, some overflowing with trash with tops wide open.  Of course, this is a preposterous notion.  So why is it acceptable and the norm now? We have lost our aesthetic sense of decency for our surroundings, I think, and become inured to the scourge of plastic and garbage.  So much garbage, so much plastic, you can't hide it anymore; just leave it out on the public rights of way, also known as our sidewalks.  And so, we ignore the colorful plastic cans full of trash and think nothing of walking around them when they are in our way on the sidewalk or in the street.  Why even complain?  City Hall ain't gonna do nothin' about it. 

A rare sight on Warren
(no alley access)

1950's Hudson, when private trash cans
found permanently on the sidewalk
 would not have been tolerated