L.A. Anatomía

Perhaps you’ve seen the headlines?

LA residents wait weeks for trash cleanup

Illegal dumpings plagues some Los Angeles neighborhoods

And the stories usually mention the fact that probably gets most readers to cringe: The garbage includes rotting animal carcasses.

Why the scoop about the trash? Has Los Angeles hit the problems of Naples? There’s no place to throw trash but in the streets?

I don’t know. Some of the articles suggest that this tardiness in cleanup is due to the city reallocating funds to security, and I’m sure there are other reasons too. But what struck me about the story was how the residents of these illegal dumping grounds either a) call for action and receive none, or b) dump their trash in the streets without a second thought. This made me juxtapose my own pretty, picket-white suburban neighborhood. The lawns are manicured, the city provides plastic bags for dog walkers along carefully tended bike paths, and traffic light cameras guard all major intersections. And yet, despite this care of a masterplanned city by a masterplanned local government, I crossed paths with two dead birds on the same street, just feet from each other. One, I had met the day earlier. The other I met when trying to avoid the path of the earlier, albeit more smooshed, bird. I just threw up my hands.

This kind of ties in with my entry of last month about the dead duck. Obviously, trash is a sensitive, unpopular topic to discuss, and I think many people just assume someone else will take care of it. Not only in LA, but in the States. I think Americans are used to delegating the removal of unsightly blemishes like trash, tires and dead animals to other persons. Like with the dead duck, I bet many people assume the a) gardener, b) street cleaner or c) other person will take care of the problem. I also wonder if it has to do with our car culture–when driving 30 mph or more, and talking on your cell, and listening to music, and drinking coffee, and doing whatever, it’s probably doubtful people even realize there’s something on the road. That might be it. I should know because I’m a bicyclist. I face death daily.

But really, it’s just ridiculous. What will it take to get people to notice what is in their path and do something about it? No matter where they live?

On a sidenote: The literary industry is agog over the fact that the fictional, not-really real book of Love Letters by Great Men have sent droves of consumers to the internet and beyond to snatch up any book that resembles it. Maybe the sanitation industry should snatch up the opportunity to tie in their job with with the star power of Carrie Bradshaw and Sex and the City?

Trash. It’s not just reusable. It’s also fashion. (Yes. Even in the movie Carrie clarifies that it’s not just a bunch of feathers, but a bird)