| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Annab |
Posted - May 27 2008 : 3:49:46 PM
I normally wait to write in the mornings and want to keep things lighthearted for the most part. But after what I just witnessed, this just couldn't wait.
We live on a dead end dirt road with only 4 houses. Three are occupied, one is in the process of being restored although judging from all the garbage lying around, you wouldn't think so.
You have to understand, this homestead went untouched for more than 15 years, and was basically the family dumping ground. A lot of the stuff dates back to the 40's. There is one large barn and a smaller out building, all of which are floor to ceiling in mostly unusable JUNK! I have plundered through a lot of this stuff over the years and found good treasures suitable enuogh to donate to our Habitat For Humanity thrift store.
The house is being remodeled now by kin of one of the sons, but in the process of all this, the guy isn't using a roll off box whatso ever!! By law he has to have a port a pot, but no suitable container for trash. Go figure So this essentially means all the old garbage is being piled up with all the new. Days when we get wind storms, we get some of the garbage in our field. One day it made me so mad, I took some of the garbage and crammed it into the guy's (unused) mail box.
What got me tonight was the pile this guy has been burning ALL FULL of burned plastics and synthetics---even a vinyl chair!!!
I wanted to just cry  
Another neighbor reported he smelled something like burning tires last weekend and saw black smoke. Both hubby and I had to work and didn't smell anything by the time we got home.
Let me tell you, if this happens again this weekend while I am off, I WILL call the cops! Nevermind the environment for a minute, but I tend to get bad mirgaines from bad smells just like this.
I'm no off the deep end environmentalist, but this kind of ignorance just kills me
Thankfully we are surrounded by all kinds of trees, so pity the trees and hopefully they can do their job and clean the air on our road.
And lastly, we do have good neighborly relations with this guy and his wife, but he is old school. So since I am a white girl from the North I don't have much clout in these here parts. |
| 9 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Annab |
Posted - May 28 2008 : 4:21:55 PM
Thanks for the sympathies ladies.
I have ranted a bit to folks at work too and just feel like heaping ashes on my head. If we could see waht a huge undertaking this project is, I really wouldn't know where to start either. I think the man has been working on the house, and his city slicker wife has been cleaning the out buildings for something to do. Talking to her, I get the feeling she dosn't want to move and leave her friends behind. I saw where she salvaged some old tyme flower vases and stuff like that.
Remember, this mentality goes with the older generations who let the piles of garbage accumulate behind a homestead for YEARS!
Old piles are one thing, BURNING piles of plastics and such.....NO THANKS!
Hubby just had a brilliant idea. This man has been dealing with the local building inspector all along. Rather than create bad blood by calling the cops, which I'd rather not ...I'll just make a friendly phone call to the building inspector...like tomorrow morning.
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| bohemiangel |
Posted - May 28 2008 : 11:54:09 AM
POOP my post didnt post. I basically said call the cops or do whatever you think needs done. The guy is a nuisance to the earth and you! Thank god for people who care like you XOXOX
**~~Farmgirl Sister #60~~**
"... to thine ownself be true."
http://ligonierfarmgirl.blogspot.com/
http://liggygirl.blogspot.com/
http://liggygirlslonggreen.blogspot.com/
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| kissmekate |
Posted - May 28 2008 : 11:27:52 AM
There ya go,hon. Play up to his neanderthal tendacies-be the sweet and helpful neighbor, and play on his sympathies with the "we had to rent a dumpster..." that Jonni suggested.
You should also be able to call him into the cops/proper authorities without leaving your name or phone number. Also, your local police/sherriff's office probably has a non-emergancy number to call.
Don't miss out on a blessing, just because it isn't packaged the way you expected. ~MaryJo Copeland |
| KYgurlsrbest |
Posted - May 28 2008 : 05:52:21 AM
You'd be surprised how many folks have no idea about regulatory issues....still, even after all we know about toxins in the air and water. My little neighbor next door (she's 89), had the EPA fine her $500.00 plus $100 per day until she cleaned up the dumping that her family put on their little subdivision lot over a period of 20 years or more. They just didn't think that they could send this stuff through the garbage, so they tossed it over the hill. Sadly, she resented the EPA, and never took responsiblity for her part.
I like Kathie's idea of approaching these folks with some "helpful" ideas about the regulations in your area...maybe even flub it a bit by saying, "yeah, it's rough--when we remodelled our bathroom, we had to rent a dumpster but in the end, it was really so much easier!!"
Farmgirl Sister #80, thanks to a very special farmgirl from the Bluegrass..."She was built like a watch, a study in balance ... with a neck and head so refined, like a drawing by DaVinci"...
NY Newsday sportswriter Bill Nack describing filly, Ruffian.
http://www.buyhandmade.org/ |
| mima |
Posted - May 28 2008 : 05:36:54 AM
Wow!!! i feel for you! Hope You guys figure out a solution! kathies suggestion is great! maybe talk to him nicely first and then if he's unrespnsive-go to the police!!!
"No pessimist ever discovered the secrets of the stars,or sailed to an uncharted land or opened a new heaven to the human spirit." Helen Keller
http://www.thebodyshopathome.com/web/dcole1 |
| Kathie |
Posted - May 28 2008 : 05:15:47 AM
You know you basically said it all right there yourself.. he may very well be ignorant to alot of what he's doing Anna..
This may be his very 1st Project.. He may not know there are resources out there that could be beneficial to both himself.. his neighbors & the environment! Some of the things he may be able to call some old guys in to come scrap out for him & this won't cost him a Penny.. & they may be willing to haul off some of the other junk just for free for being able to take some of the better stuff.. (ie.. some of the tin or metal or aluminum or copper that they can get to..)
He may not realize that by living or having a certain Zip Code he is entitled to actualy take things to the dump for free a certain amount of times per month type deal..(our counties do this) such as those big old furniture pieces....
He REALLY may not KNOW what a Great Deal & trouble saving thing having a roll off dumpster would be!
But being younger.. he truly just may not know he has resources like this accesible to him..
Or that having the experience of neighbors around him would be benificial to him either..
But.. calling the Police out will probably only cause bad feelings with a neighbor who as you said is just trying to correct a very old situation that He himself had NOT created.. & 911.. is definatly not to be used for That regardless of how irritating it gets.. unless it is truly an emergency
anyway.. & at this point.. it's just a frustration on your part..
& I'll bet he doesn't even realize that he's done anything to upset you..
Since it sounds as if you've just allowed yourself to sit & stew over all these things that are now compounding into this huge pot..
My oppinion is to approach him with some suggestions on what may be helpful in his renovation ..
Just some thoughts..
Kathie..
Farm Girl Sister #29
"In a World Where You Can Be Anything, Be Yourself.."
www.nitegardener.blogspot.com
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| Annab |
Posted - May 28 2008 : 03:19:58 AM
Yea, in that regard I miss CA.
When we remodeled out bathroom and rented a dumpster, the company charged a flat rate. When it was full, we called and they brought a new one. That whole process was truly cathartic.
I may find and photocopy an ad for these dumpsters, include a polite note (signed by my husband) and leave it taped to the door.
But I'd seriously much rather call the cops to drive the point home.
I just hate having to call 911 and tie up lines that could be used for saving someone's life.
Oh, and this guy is just a weekend warrior. So he shows up on Thursdays and stays until Staurdays. I commend him for fixing the house by himself and it looks tons better than inthe old uncared for state, but lets be considerate of others too! |
| shepherdgirl |
Posted - May 27 2008 : 5:28:08 PM
Oh Boy! If that guy was doing that here in California, he'd not only have the cops all over his backside, but the environmental protection agency, and probably a DOZEN OTHER agencies!!!
Ca has EXTREMELY stict environmental laws. Even though we live in the country we cannot burn ANYTHING at certain times of the year without a permit. (and even then, it must be in small amounts and confined to a burn barrel. Anything larger than that requires a permit) We can't burn our ditches around our pastures either, even if it IS a designated burn day without a permit. If you get caught, the fines are HUGE!!!!
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. ~~ George Carlin |
| catscharm74 |
Posted - May 27 2008 : 4:30:38 PM
I am so sorry Anna. My grandfather used to do the same thing until the fire company cited him and shut him down. He burn paint, vinyl, cloth, metal, etc..you name it, he burned it. He was too cheap to take it to the dump, even though there were 2 free days a year. It was disgusting and he ending up burning down a nice big pine because he wasn't careful.
Where my parents lived, they didn't have trash pick, so they burned papers, composted food, collected the tins to take to the dump. I am sure they could spend a few $100 for a large dumpster to be placed on the property for 3 days. That is what we did for my grandmother's house.
Heather
Yee-Haw, I am a cowgirl!!!
FARMGIRL #90 |
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