The Trashing of America... Is Iron Eyes shedding tears again?

Is it just me? Today I was walking out of Starbucks, a common off site office for me because of their free WiFi.  I had finished my drink and as I exited I started looking for the trash can. And that is when it hit me. There weren’t any! I was reminded of a recent stop at an interstate McDonald’s.  On my way in to use the restroom and pick up another $1.00 soda, I wanted to throw away some trash.  Again, there was no trashcan to be found anywhere near the entrance or in the parking lot. I’ve been looking around lately and asking my friends about this in a sort of unscientific research.  Here’s what I am seeing. Some of America’s largest food retailers are slowly but surely eliminating outside trashcans.  Years ago I managed in the fast food business.  As a young guy working for Carl’s Jr, I emptied many of those giant outside trashcans.  It was not fun nor was it easy.  But Carl, yes that Carl, I knew him and his kids, insisted that we empty them everyday to keep the parking lot clean and inviting for our guests. All I can figure out is that today’s generation of food retailer big shots have loaded in some kind of algorithm and determined that they can save a buck a day in labor costs for every trashcan eliminated from outside their stores. Pretty short-sighted if you ask me. Many folks of my generation will remember Iron Eyes Cody in the old commercial saying we can stop pollution.  One of the biggest helps in that battle was easy access to places where we could dump our trash. Are we moving away from that ideal in an effort to save a few dollars? Sadly, I am afraid it looks like we are.  But hey, those companies will see a better bottom line and Americans will too in their stocks, mutual funds and retirement accounts. Even if we are once again shedding tears at the sight of trash blowing across the American landscape.