Get the Ricochet app
Ricochet will work fine in a browser on your mobile devices, but for the best experience please download our app.
I’ve been fortunate to travel all around the Far East. I probably miss a lot of profound truths that come from travel, but I am quite skilled in noticing trivial things. In my experience, the countries I’ve visited with public trash cans had MORE trash on the ground.
About 7-8 years ago, I lived in Hirakata, Japan for one year. Early on in that stay, I took an overnight bus to Tokyo and booked a city tour, including all the hot spots.
On the morning of the tour, having just finished a banana, I noticed something about Japan: there were NO public trash cans. (And Japan is spotless, mostly.) I was thinking I was going to spend the entire day carrying a banana peel around. Eventually, I left it on the sink in a public bathroom.
When I moved to Korea, it was one of the first things I noticed. There are no public trash cans. (Korea is not spotless, but reasonably clean. You do see public littering.) But things are changing, almost overnight, as they tend to do here. (And it’s election season.) Look at these babies:
(Note how the curb is paved with smooth stone. It’s slicker than ice any time there’s moisture.)
Discussion (48)
To read this bio, please join Ricochet.
Somebody wondered about that later, I am sure.
CONTRIBUTOR • CHARTER MEMBER
To read this bio, please join Ricochet.
A good anecdote and a smart micro-travelogue!
To read this bio, please join Ricochet.
But nothing like what they did in "9 to 5."
To read this bio, please join Ricochet.
I even felt a little guilty for doing it.
To read this bio, please join Ricochet.
Thanks for reading. More coming.
You're seeing five of 48 comments. Sign in, or join for just $5 per month, to read them all and add your own.