Italian designer rubbish
- salli443
- Dec 27, 2024
- 2 min read
Updated: Feb 17
Everything is beautified in Florence: from doorways to street adornments, and even the rubbish left out.
The bin system here is practically a science, and it works remarkably well. According to the official website:
"Along the streets, you will find five bins: brown for organic waste, yellow for paper and cardboard, blue for packaging, plastic, metal, polystyrene, and Tetrapak containers, grey for non-recyclable waste, and green for glass. The green bins are always open; all other bins are equipped with the electronic opening system."
That’s right, there are five types of bins. Make sure you don’t get it wrong, because if you have a home collection and sort it incorrectly, they’ll leave it there until you get it right.
What struck me, as a Brit used to a relatively basic bin system where it’s just general household waste, recycling, and organic, is how beautifully the Italians present their paper collection. In the city centre, it’s no coincidence that paper is placed in designer bags. People here take pride in everything they do, even in the way they dispose of their rubbish!
I may sound a bit like a Womble, but honestly, all throughout the centre of Florence, the bins left on the street are unbelievably tidy and often accessorised with a touch of colour or even designer paper bags.
One more example for good measure: -
The point is, pride is taken in the appearance of the streets, and it’s remarkable how tidy things are kept, especially given how busy the centre of Florence gets. The bin system here really works and stands as a shining example for the rest of us. It reminds us that we should pay far more attention to waste disposal and not just once or twice a week, but five times a week, to ensure proper sorting and help reduce the world’s landfill problems.
According to Nuru Lama, IFC Global Lead for Waste and Circularity:
"Waste is responsible for a full 20 percent of the world’s human-related methane emissions. And, with a potency 80 times that of carbon dioxide, these emissions will continue to wreak environmental and economic havoc if left unchecked, making it nearly impossible to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals."
At least in Italy, society is required to make a real effort in dealing with its waste. Some even go so far as to beautify the process, which is far easier on the eye when strolling through the streets of Florence.
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