There is an international pandemic. Most businesses have closed down, and people are locked down at home. We are valuing our essential services more than ever. There are notices on some wheelie bins thanking the waste collection and recycling services.
This week after the Easter bank holidays the recycle collection (green wheelie bins) will be one day late..
Our green bin (recycled waste) was fuller than usual and I would think that could be the case with many households. Household Waste Recycling Centres are closed until further notice so that adds to the pressure.
Our local district council, VWHDC (Vale of White Horse District Council), have offered some guidance because of coronavirus. Like all services there have been some staff shortages due to illness and self-isolation and to manage this staff have been redeployed and agency drivers brought in to help.
As a result, there is the chance crews might not complete all of their daily rounds. VWHDC says ‘If the bins in your street are not emptied, please leave them out for up to three days (including weekends) and we’ll try to catch up. If still not emptied, bring them back in and we will empty them on the next planned collection day.’
VWHDC have suspended some non-essential services. This could change further as the lockdown has been extended for three more weeks.
Central government guidance is that ‘Residents with symptoms of Covid-19 should double bag any discarded tissues and other waste and leave for 72 hours before placing them in their main black rubbish bin.’
Like many areas, the ‘Workhouse Estate’ (Abbott Road, Thesiger Road and a bit of Oxford Road) has started a thriving What’s App Group with lots of sharing of ideas and practical help. They are also keen to show the key workers how much their efforts are appreciated – apart from the Thursday clapping they have a banner at the top of the road and this message for the bin men at the other end.
Thank you to someone from the Workhouse Estate for the first and last pictures.
Does anyone know whether recycling centres are still operating? I’ve started ensuring that each bin I put out is full regardless of whether materials are recyclable or not, in case collections are suspended. Sad but necessary at this time.
Please forget the above – I’ve just found the VWHDC update. Worth reading in full:
http://www.whitehorsedc.gov.uk/news/2020/2020-03/waste-service-update
There’s another group of people that we take for granted. Some years ago, I was in Naples – only briefly, but it reminded me how important refuse collection is.
I wonder when this is all over whether we will readjust financial rewards to reflect our indebtedness to people who keep us healthy and safe, who teach our children, who care for the lonely and sick. Will it still be acceptable to pay somebody millions of pounds for playing football, or for having the fortune to be photogenic and to make a living as a film star?
I think football and films contribute to the pleasures of life, but they are not essential – or are they?
Alas, PPJS, past experience has shown that outpourings of support for nurses, doctors and the like rarely if ever lead to any sustained changes in attitude or financial reward once the crisis is over. I wrote this (with apologies to Rudyard Kipling)
I went into the hospital to begin my nursing shift
But there was very little in the news to give my mood a lift.
Numbers have gone down again, morale and pay is low
When the monthly salary comes in there is little left to show.
O it’s “Nursey this, an’ Nursey that, keep Nursey on low pay ” ;
But it’s ” Thank you, Sister Atkins,” when the virus comes to stay.
When The virus comes to stay, my boys, the virus comes to stay.
O it’s ” Thank you, Sister Atkins,” when the virus comes to stay.
I went into theatre as professional as could be,
But spent last night at the food bank to get some grub for tea
It’s hard to focus on patient care when you’re worried about the rent
Cos when it comes to nurses’, lord, there’s little can be spent.
For it’s Nursey this, an’ Nursey that, but it’s the taxes we despise”;
But it’s “round of applause for Atkins ” when the virus is on the rise
when the virus is on the rise, my boys, when the virus is on the rise
O it’s “round of applause for Atkins ” when the virus is on the rise
So stand on your doorsteps to appreciate us and raise a hearty cheer
Cos when the wards are deadly you’ll still find us in here
The last time we were applauded it was the mps raised a shout
When our pay rise came before them and they proudly voted it out.
For it’s Nursey this, an’ Nursey that, be sure to do what’s right! ”
For it’s ” Saviour of ‘is country ” when the Pandemic starts to bite
An’ it’s Nursey this, an’ Nursey that, an’ anything you please;
But ‘Nursey ain’t a bloomin’ fool – you bet that Nursey sees!
I agree…and would welcome a paradigm shift in how we ‘weight’ worth in society.
I agree….’footballer’ on 1000s a week = distasteful.
Nurse/waste collector etc on 400 a week = disgusting.
However, wishing to square that circle is one thing, but practically?
The government pays for the nurses etc… The “FA”(?) pays the football player. They are as disconnected as apples and stairs…..
Is it that footballers should get 1000s a week and we should pay more tax to allow the nurses to get 500 week?
Or…is there clearly enough money in ‘the system’ already…and somehow it needs redistributing?
I dont really understand why people who (rightly) highlight the way nurses and care workers are underpaid, always seem to choose footballers as the comparator.
Frankly, I think footballers provide quite a lot of entertainment and by and large dont do that much harm. Perhaps hedge fund managers who are using the virus as good ‘investment opportunity’ (look up Rees Mogg’s company for example) would be a better comparator.
because “hedge fund manager” has no meaning. no context. no weight….because most people aren’t aware of ‘hedge fund managers’.
But even those (like me) with no interest in sport have a fair idea what a foot ball player is….
it isn’t about entertainment value. It’s about the cloying amount of money that some are presented with and the inequality we in society are prepared to allow.
I really feel a nettle could be grasped here, should we choose to grasp it.
Alas, I feel that in a few months (or whenever our immediate ciris) passes…we willbe back to where we were.
I can completely agree with you about inequality, and fully support that some professions such as nurses, care workers, social workers, are underpaid.
I just think the comparison with footballers is pretty irrelevant. They are paid by totally different people.
If you are making an ethical point, then you should point at well paid people who make a negative or selfish contribution to society, like currency speculators, betting companies, predatory property developers, etc
If you are making a case about moving resource from one group to another, then big businesses paying little uk tax like amazon and facebook may be better targets.