yes we can(s)

there is one littering i allow myself here in rio: empty cans. i don't throw them just anywhere on the street, but i place them somewhere on a ledge, on the side of the pavement or -preferably- near a waste bin. it is guilt free littering as empty cans are worth a tiny little bit of money. minutes after leaving them behind on the street someone carrying a huge plastic bag will come along to pick it up and add it to his/her collection. these can collectors can make a living of this, but it does not pay well; a quick look at the way they are dressed gives this away.

one thing i do not understand is why most people insist on throwing their cans away in rubbish bins or in their household trash. the can collectors will dig in piles of rubble looking for their low value gems, cutting open bags, making themselves and the pavement dirty.

but now here's a dilemma i am facing: should i stick to my -supposedly- more social disposing method? or should i also throw my cans in the rubbish bins, thereby at least rewarding the collectors for their dirt digging?

of course i think it would be nicer if the can collectors do not have to look for their income in my waste. but as long as other people think (or at least behave) differently, shouldn't i join this dumb majority?

a third option would be to collect all my own cans and then with the money i make of that pay, let's say, health insurance or schooling for one of the can collectors.
i would need an awful lot of cans for that though... quickly, let me get myself a beer from the fridge!

trying to do the right thing is never easy.