Leave it for November

by Diana Nelson Jones/Oct 30

The city will begin curbside pick-up of bagged raked leaves next week, but this offer is good for a limited time only - through Nov. 28. Pick-up will be on your designated recycling day. The bag has to be one of those big paper ones specifically for yard waste - but it can only contain leaves.

Some among us, no matter how clear the instructions are, will put them out in blue bags or the week when those big blue trucks DON'T come, and so the regular garbage guys will take it and some of us will get all irate and say recycling's bunk. Don't be that fool. But every once in a while, the city screws up.

In fact, one recent recycling week, I called 311 to report that my blue bags were gone but that the recycling trucks had not come yet. I deduced that because everyone else's blue bags were still out. I told the operator the city's sanitation department had picked them up and do you know what she said? She said, "Did you see them do it?"

How's that for cheeky? The regular garbage trucks had just picked up. I heard them roar down the alley, then I went out to let the dog..., y'know, and my blue bags were gone.

What did my helpful 311 person think?, that someone came along behind the city guys and took my blue bags so they'd get blamed for something they didn't do? Or someone took my blue bags and no one else's because mine have way better stuff in them?

I thought 311 is supposed to take our calls seriously because, of course, we're all just one Realtor away from much lower property taxes.

Except me... I'm a lifer for the city, the more inner the more better.

Anyway, go to www.city.pittsburgh.pa.us/pw/assets/09_leaf_disposal.pdf for the lowdown on leaves and locations where you can take all your yard debris year 'round.
Oh OK, here they are:
-- corner of North Dallas and Hamilton Avenue in Homewood;
-- in Hazelwood on Melanchton Ave off the 5200 block of 2nd Avenue;
-- in the West End off Steuben Street on Hassler.

Have your proof of city residence handy.