Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Advice re an Owners Excessive Recycling Acquisitions

[Sharon Villines (sharon]

> On Apr 11, 2022, at 9:34 AM, rebecca.selove <rebecca.selove [at] gmail.com> 
> wrote:
> 
> We would be interested in knowing how other cohousing villages have handled 
> the problem of a home owner storing an excess of "could be recycled" 
> materials in the  common-house and on common land. 

We have a policy that nothing can be stored in common spaces without 
permission. So if someone wants to store a sofa until someone picks it up, they 
have to ask and given an indication of when it will be picked up. 

Annually two or more people sort out the basement and other spaces as necessary 
to remove anything that doesn’t appear to be community property. Sometimes 
people move out without realizing they have left things behind.

Things are put in the breezeway and the community is notified that they will be 
sent to thrift shops or the dump in 2-3 days if no one claims them.

Recycling is another animal. We have several waves of residents with strong 
feelings about anything that can be reused — even taking things out of the 
dumpster and placing them on the Take It or Leave it table (TIOLI). Also having 
more of those green plastic trash canisters than we need. Wanting to save every 
cardboard box that passes through. With the huge increase in deliveries in the 
last 2 years, this reached crisis proportions. 

Counseling works for periods of time. Some people think empty space is wasted 
space and reasoning is required because they often see their actions as saving 
the planet. If we saved everything that residents discard, particularly when 
they are moving out, we could fill the CH wall to wall very quickly.

In all fairness our most avid saver also arranges for the transport of large 
items and car loads of stuff to various charity shops and salvage places. No 
easy task because they are all very picky about what they will take. Also sorts 
the recycling bins so the recyclers will take them and keeps up with changing 
requirements.

Sharon
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Sharon Villines
Takoma Village Cohousing, Washington DC
http://www.takomavillage.org