The Difference of a Nickel
New York, like Michigan, has a bottle recycling law. New York’s bottle deposit is 5¢, while Michigan’s is 10¢. I don’t know anyone in Michigan who doesn’t save her bottles and return them for the deposit. So far, in New York, I haven’t found anyone who does return the bottles. Many people just throw them away (especially while on the go), and those who don’t usually just hang them in a bag on the gate for less fortunate folks to pick up. Are Michiganders cheapskates? Are New Yorkers just not as thrifty, or just more generous, or lazy? Or is that additional nickel significant enough to change behaviors almost universally?
October 27th, 2005 at 5:12 pm
I think it’s because New York has fucked up nickels with rat-monkeys on them.
October 28th, 2005 at 10:52 am
The decision calculus has more important factors than the refund differential between Michigan & NY. I dare say that even if the refund was .15/can, people wouldn’t bother.
Michiganders tend to store cans in their houses/apartments until they have enough to justify driving them back to the store in a nice big car trunk.
New Yorkers have neither the space, nor the vehicle room (who has a vehicle?) to bother taking cans & bottles back.
October 28th, 2005 at 12:00 pm
So the true test would be to ask some up-staters whether they bother.
October 30th, 2005 at 3:57 pm
I’ve been noticing the same thing here in Portland, where we too have a 5 cent deposit. In this household of michiganders, we have become unwilling to take back the bottles. Rather, I should say less-willing. So, maybe the 5 cents is a big difference.
but then again, maybe it is in part due to the lack of sales tax. Things seem cheaper.. and, who wants to take bottles back when it feels like you’re getting half what you should?
hmmm