I Don't Think We're in NYC Anymore, Part 1

The deposit levied by the state on carbonated beverages is in practice like a tax in New York City. This is because few people bother to collect and return the said containers to the store to receive their deposit. This is largely because the bottle return facilities are dirty or non-existent and primarily occupied by the homeless who patrol the blocks in “borrowed’ shopping carts. This is in start contrast to Michigan (where the deposit is double NY’s, or 10 cents) where returning large trash bagfuls of bottles and cans is an acceptable middle class activity, and just part of going to shop at a big box supermarket in the suburbs. Living in New York City for the past 9 years, I had largely forgot about the deposit since I had never returned a single can during that time.


In my office, it is a common site to see people with a big stash of their favorite carbonated drink in a corner of their office, to be returned for deposit. I also got into the practice and last night took back the dozens of beer bottles that had been sitting on our kitchen counter. I got back the counter space and knocked off a few bucks from my grocery bill. Welcome to suburban living.