When your trash can becomes the doggy dump

DEAR READERS >> Johnnie is still occupied with other projects. He’ll get back to your questions as soon as he can. Here’s a column from March of 2015.

DEAR JOHNNIE >> I have a question regarding my city trash container.

People walk down my alley and deposit their trash (especially dog walkers holding their “dog” bags) in my trash container.

I have been told by a city employee that this is illegal and that no one has the right to deposit their trash without the owner’s permission. Anyone doing this is literally stealing the space in my container and can be fined if caught.

This is a common practice, and I have seen it happen just driving by in other neighborhoods.

I believe people should be aware of their actions and carry their trash home where it belongs. What do you think can be done to stop this, Johnnie? — Respect Your Neighbor

DEAR RESPECT YOUR NEIGHBOR >> My first thought was a note on the trash can that makes the person using it think twice about his or her actions. That worked for me in a work refrigerator when my spreadable butter starting disappearing a dab at a time.

But I figured I should check with the expert on this, Jon Clarke, the city of Longmont’s Community and Neighborhood Resources Supervisor.

“Though this is not the crime of the century, it makes me think of a concept for crime prevention called CPTED, Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design,” he said via email.

For example, Clarke said, you could:

• Put a note on the trash can asking people to “Take it home and dispose of it” rather than using someone else’s trash container.

• Move the trash container to some other place. “It seems that this may be a (crime) of habit or convenience,” Clarke wrote. “If things can be changed around, your reader may be able to change the habit of the person that is doing this.”

• Create a sight line to the trash container so that the people doing this feel like they are more likely to be seen while they are doing it.

• Add a physical barrier that makes is easier for the dog owner to keep walking instead of using the container.

• Figure out when it’s happening and, if you feel comfortable doing so, have a civil conversation with the dog owner or trash dumper.

I hope one of these ideas works for you, Respect. Be creative and kind, and keep it legal.

My butter note included a cup and solicitation for nickels. Must have seemed too high a price for butter.