This week’s Mediahuis Irish regional newspapers’ column.
Michael Commane
It’s a long time since I have been in the centre of Dublin at morning rush hour. I was taking a train to Sligo to visit someone in hospital.
The traffic was extremely light, it meant the bus got into town much quicker than I had expected. With close to an hour to kill I took a stroll up and down O’Connell Street.
Interesting observing people on their way to work, getting on and off buses, shops opening. The city coming alive. Spotted a number of new all-electric buses, discovering they have no outside mirrors, replaced by monitors in the cab.
Close to the newly restored Clerys Quarter a man was foraging through a litter bin. We got talking. He told me he was searching for bottles and cans that had the Return symbol on them so that he could claim the money due on them.
My initial reaction was to smile. Because, while I haven’t quite being doing that, I am picking up the odd bottle and can I see on the street. It’s become something of a joke I’m playing with a few friends. Mind you, I am amazed with the number I’m collecting.
Continuing to smile, I got talking to the man at the bin. He told me he is making between €40 and €50 per day on the enterprise. He explained in detail his daily route. I was surprised to hear he was making so much. I told him I too pick up the odd bottle and can.
Our conversation broadened. He has five children and is living in a hostel. He felt he had no chance of getting permanent employment because of his criminal history.
He was a tall man, friendly and polite, probably in his early 50s and poorly dressed.
I was impressed with how careful he was in keeping everything as tidy as possible. He replaced all the rubbish back into the bin when he was finished.
And with every bottle and can he is collecting he is helping make our environment a better place.
The Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu said, ‘The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.’
The Re-turn scheme began on February 1. In the first 40 days, Re-turn took back almost seven million containers – 3.4 million plastic bottles and 3.6 million cans. That left approximately 193 million containers either awaiting return or already disposed of. It is unfortunate that so many machines are out of order as it is a great scheme.
It means there’s a fortune out there to be made. And I sincerely hope the unemployed man I met on O’Connell Street at eight o’clock on Friday morning might be able to develop his collection system, even turn it into a flourishing business. Who knows? But I do know new doors always open for us and we should never sit back and languish in self sympathy. That’s so easy to do. I know.
It was lunchtime when I arrived in Sligo Hospital to visit my friend. She is unwell but upbeat and not at all interested in talking about herself. She spoke about her wonderful family and how fortunate she is to have such loving children.
It’s good for the soul to meet within 12 hours two people in difficult circumstances making the best of things and with a smile on their faces too.
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