Recycling cans and bottles for a living. Walking 45 minutes for an extra penny

[Liberal_in_LA]

Hauling Cans and Bottles Through Brooklyn, for a Hard-Earned Extra Penny



Standing in the shade of the McDonald Avenue El in Brooklyn, John Culpepper was a good 45-minute walk from home, but he nodded at a sign dangling from a driveway across the street:

Aluminum cans at the Thrifty Redemption Center in Brooklyn, which accepts them from scavengers for six cents each.

Recycle Cans Here for 6¢

“That’s why I come here,” Mr. Culpepper said. “Normally, it’s 5 cents a can.”

All that way for an extra penny?

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The extra penny is not the lure of Thrifty Redemption for Frank. He goes there because he can unload all his empties at one place. Unlike many supermarkets, Thrifty does not limit how many it will redeem in a day. “I don’t take the extra penny. He’s got to eat, too,” Frank said. “I like that you can bring as many as you want.”

Vincent Cristallo, who runs Thrifty but is not the owner, says the business counts on getting as many bottles and cans as it can. “They don’t need to go into a supermarket and have people yelling at them,” Mr. Cristallo said. “We treat them like human beings.”

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Laid off two years ago from food preparation at La Guardia Airport, Mr. Culpepper, 35, said he had turned scavenging into a full-time job paying $400 most weeks, more on holidays. That goes toward the $1,159 rent on the one-bedroom apartment on Ocean Parkway where he lives with his wife and their 2-year-old son. He also does part-time work as a porter in his building, mostly for the stash space.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/27/nyregion/bottle-and-can-scavengers-in-brooklyn-make-every-penny-count.html?_r=1

[Crazy Dave]

1. I haven't rented in a while so...

$1,159 a month rent for a one bedroom that I'm assuming is not in a fancy, deluxe apartment sounds obscene to me.

[Liberal_in_LA]

3. New york rents. Just a little cheaper in Los Angeles.

[Warpy]

4. It buys you a pit, even in the outer boroughs

Every once in a while, I check to see what my last slum apartment in Boston is going for. It's over $1500 by now.

[Liberal_in_LA]

6. weird to watch people pay 2 million for crappy NY apartments on reality show

[Warpy]

2. I see one of these guys coming through the neighborhood, I give him

whatever cans I have saved up.

Unfortunately, we didn't get a bottle bill here, so bottles don't have a refund. Back in the really bad old days, I had many a supper financed by 2 cents apiece for glass soda bottle returns.

[dixiegrrrrl]

7. Back in the late 50's, we kids used to sell pop bottles so we could see a movie.

I wanna say the recycle was 5 cents a bottle, I could be way off base.
I just remember the bottles were hard to find, but worth it.

[Warpy]

10. Two cents a bottle

and it helped hungry people and bored kiddies until all those plastic bottles came in.

[dixiegrrrrl]

11. Thank you.

That does ring a bell.

[Booster]

5. Wow. This brought tears to my eyes. What has become of my

country?

[Zoigal]

8. We always have quite a few people going through our recycle cans

when we put them out to be picked up. Usually put all the
cans, etc on top to make it easier for them. If they really look
like they need it i take out a few dollars to them. They are always
most appreciative.....z

[KansDem]

9. Back when our neighborhood began using recycling bins placed at the curb.

I noticed one collection day before the trucks came by, a car pulled up and parked. A man, woman, and what appeared to be a teen girl got out. He went one way and the women went the other. But they were scavenging aluminum cans from the bins on the street!

I thought "This is how they get their money to live on." I felt bad enough for the two adults, but was really sadden to see a teen helping. She needed to be talking on the phone with her friends about boys and doing makeup and planning parties and trips to the movies and pizza places after football games... She shouldn't have to accompany her parents through neighborhood streets to collect aluminum cans so they can get by another day.

I only saw them that one time...:(