As the snow begins its big melt, all sorts of garbage re-appears on the landscape. Walking over the overpass these last few days has revealed much garbage strewn all winter long onto the ground, as well as grocery bags snagged onto tree branches like cheap plastic decorations. A fuzzy toss cushion tossed out a car window lies on the other side of the guard rail. A dirty pair of acid green men's Stanley underwear is tangled up around a dried up tansy. I yank Musti's leash. An expensive skater boy's jacket lies in a muck coated snow pile. And, of course, oodles and oodles of cigarette packages, paper coffee cups, aluminum pop cans, chip bags, chocolate wrappers, blue hairspray bottles, clear mouthwash bottles and broken glass from beer bottles and liquour bottles lie everywhere you eye rests. And down by the road that leads to where I let the dogs free, an old rusty bed spring springs to view.
5 comments:
My, how Canadians have changed!! I remember a very civic-minded society where one wouldn't see the slightest piece of paper on the ground... Are you sure that wasn't a dumping ground?? Hugs, M.
no, this is not a dumping ground, this is the grounds by Lake Superior. Some major things have changed over the last 30 years, causing garbage to accost the eyes of walkers. One was the neoliberal policies of the 1980s that caused massive cuts to municipalities. So now, x number of years later most Canadian cities but particularly small towns are suffering infrastructure debilitation and severe loss of funds for basics. Neoliberalism caused job losses, privatization of former municipal services as well as weakened unions. So, everything starts to look rundown after years of neglect.
On top of that, the rise of neoliberalism encourages extreme individualism and a who-cares attitude and the it's-not-my-problem attitude. Also, the effects of disposable society are pressing in on us, and our wasteful consumer habits that we took up so willingly for convenience are coming back to slap us in the head now.
Further, too many folks are on the internet, joining internet cultures and forgetting about civic and place-based responsibilities. Life online takes away from local engagements.
Thanks Taina, I'm learning so much! It's VERY sad to see how backward Canada has become! I can't believe it... Hugs, M.
That old rusty bed is like heteka. Almost every finnish household had heteka-beds from 1930:ies to early 1960:ies. Heteka is one of the greatest legends in finnish furniture culture.
this 'heteka' bed was also popular in Canada during those same years, I would guess. They were quite uncomfortable and, of course, very squeaky. Probably these springs were dumped 50 years ago.
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