Westminster Environment "No" Action Line
Following my recent run in with Lady Fingerbottom, I decided to see if we couldn't better organise our waste and recycling. My upstairs neighbour recently ordered a very handy recycling box with lid and I was hoping to do the same.
Westminster Council proudly declares on their website that they have a 24 hour Environment Action Line, who deal with all environmental and waste related queries. I'll let you decide how successfully the dealt with mine...
"I'd like to order one of the recycling boxes with lids that you provide and find out if I can order a flip top was bin through the Council."
"Oh, sorry, we used to provide those recycling boxes but don't provide them any longer. We only do open topped baskets now"
"That's strange, my upstairs neighbour was delivered a box with lid not two weeks ago."
"Let me take your name and details and I will pass them on to the Recycling Team."
"Ok, why?"
"Because it appears they may still be available..."
"Oh, so you didn't really know whether they were available or not when I asked you?"
Silence....
"Ok, well, can I order a flip top waste bin through the Council then."
"Oh, no, you can't order a bin through the Council. We wouldn't do that."
"Why? Isn't the Council forward thinking and trying to standardise the bins people have to help introduce more efficient means of waste disposal like paying by weight or automated pickups"
"No, that would be too hard and besides people have all different sizes of bins."
"Ah, that's why then. The British seems to use 'too hard' as an excuse for many things. Is that like why other Public Goods like the Tube and Water Mains weren't maintained properly for the last century and now all need to be repair at great expense. Expense that could have been avoided with a bit of forward thinking?"
"It's nothing like that. The Recycling Team won't get back to you today, but will before the end of the next working week."
"Sure, thanks for your assistance and have a good weekend."
Click.
Wonder if I'll get my recycling box with lid...