I used to think it was us. We recycle almost every scrap of paper (some might argue I have a disorder in this area, in fact) and as much plastic and metal as possible (and we compost yard waste and long ago disconnected our downspouts from the city system). 

So, every month when I had to start finding alternate ways to move our recycling along to the next step in the process because our city bin was packed tight, I figured it was my OC recycling issue.

But then a neighbor returned from Florida in spring and within a couple weeks asked if they could put recycling in our bin. Funny, I said, I was going to ask you the same thing. When they're gone, I often put our excess in their bin because it solves my problem and they're happy because it helps make the house look lived in. When they're here, I don't have that option.

Last week, I was chatting with our trash collector and even he said it doesn't seem like a monthly pickup of recycling is enough. He sees bins overflowing all along his route and often has to clear stray recycling off the ground in alleys.

I probably shouldn't suggest more frequent pickups because it will likely only lead to more taxes or taxes "camouflaged" as fees, which will only test my resolve for city living, but maybe there's a happy medium, like a pickup every three weeks instead of monthly.  Or perhaps neighborhood overflow bins could be installed.

We have a pretty small household -- dogs not included -- so I can only wonder what, say, a family of five does with its recycling on a monthly basis. If by week two they have to throw it all out with the trash, and if trash collectors have to clear bags of recycling off the ground in alleys in order to maintain cleanliness, can we really claim to be recycling?