For those of you in Toronto, I encourage you to vote here and have your voice heard. The new garbage/recycling "containers" (billboards) are absolutely ridiculous.

As if the last set of garbage cans weren't bad enough. It was basically a gracious offer by a private company to offer these "multifuncational containers", and in exchange they were allowed to sell space for ads in the front and back. Funny thing was, within no time the backs kept staying open, and you could never fit anything in there b/c it was jammed full. And who likes touching the dirty flaps to get your stuff in there either?

So the latest design is a 7-foot billboard with mini garbage units on the side. Better yet, let's have them electric powered so they can use even more energy that we desperately need - You have to make sure that you can see L'Oreal's newest hydrating imulsifying daily conditioner with papaya and ginseng extracts at 3AM. What's worse is that the billboards are pependicular to the sidewalk, to ensure maximum brand visibility from pedestrians and cars. Now there's even LESS room on the crammed sidewalks. For some of them (e.g. one on Danforth/Pape) putting your garbage on the other side of the billboard means that you'll have to walk ONTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. Oh, and already it was overflowing w/garbage.

Nice.

What started out as an average and spacious green wire garbage can turned into a faulty silver clunker w/some advertising, and now it's become a massive billboard with a few containers on the side (apparently for garbage). After seeing this monstrocity I began to miss the silver shit boxes. Those ads looks MUCH smaller compared to these new ones.

Check out the Toronto Public Space Committee who are helping in the fight for more public space, free from privatization. Step-by-step we're losing our public space; Imagine these 7-foot billboards popping in 5 or 10 years ago. I would never have happened..

If anything, please go and fill out the form and have your say! Luckily these won't be on every block, as apparently "regular" cans will also be made w/o advertising. I don't know what those looks like, but let's hope they're good. But make sure you still write, or else city council will pass this and these things will only grow in numbers and stay permanently!

Take care,

RE

"eat drink and be merry"