TALKING TRASH; CHANGE HAPPENS FOR THE BETTER IN RECYCLING

Having been "raised" during the 1940's and '50's, most people who label and categorize by "age groups" would say that I'm "Over the Hill." However, I would prefer to think that I am "on top" of the hill -- and what a view! One tends to look back through the past on myriads of memories, look around everyday as we deal with present priorities, and attempt to peek into the future, curious about what our tomorrows may have in store. We are advised to live "one day at a time." Don't dwell on the past -- don't dote on the future. I believe that yesterdays are for sharing, todays are for caring and repairing, and tomorrows are those days for which we are preparing.

The view from the hilltop shouts, then echoes a repeated refrain, "change happens." Bumper stickers say it yet another way! If you've followed one of those for long, you are either shouting "yes!" in agreement, "Shame on you!" or perhaps some would pray for help for the negative attitude. Nonetheless, we all need to learn to cope with change in positive ways; agreed?

Are we "Talkin' Trash" yet? You bet! When I was a child, table scraps were either fed to the family pet, scattered to feed the chickens, or slopped to the hogs. Today many consumers grind them up in garbage disposals. Other family refuse was taken out in grocery bags and burned in a barrel. What wasn't burned up or blown out was picked up once a week by the garbage man and taken to the city dump. But names have changed! What we once called garbage is now called "waste," "junque," "refuse," "garbage," and "recyclables." The people who collect it weekly used to be garbagemen, then trash collectors, and now, sanitation engineers. The old garbage can is now a litter station, a trash receptacle, a disposal, or a dumpster. The fancy, clean-looking trucks that move through our neighborhoods today are a welcome sight compared to the "What has four wheels and flies?" trucks of the past! The city dump is now a landfill or a transfer station.

Change happens? Yes! In fact, we not only learn to live with all this talk about trash, some of us have even learned to live it! Not the huggable, squeezable kind of love, but the respect-it kind of love. Many have even been taught to teach with it. "The more ways you teach, the more people you reach!" If you are a scout leader, a Sunday/Bible school teacher, parent as first teacher, or classroom teacher, you are that resourceful kind of scavenger If you are a program administrator, we'll even help with "budget cutbacks!" If you are a concerned, conscientious citizen, you can help too! You've heard it before, I'll say it once more -- "waste not, want not," "every litter bit hurts," "help keep America beautiful." Jump on the recycling truck and join us in learning how to turn trash into treasures!

Start saving today and together we can work wonders in our world by recycling -- one piece of trash at a time!

Care to share an idea with us? Just send it in to "Mis. Kaye," Southeast Missourian, P.O. Box 699, Cape girardeau, Mo., 63701.