Let me break it down for you: I hate when people litter. HATE IT. To the point that I have become engaged in verbal/semi-physical altercations over it. (I once threw an empty cigarette box back at a woman who threw it out of her car window and hit her in the head with it.) So it was with interest that I noticed Philadelphia has begun installing luxurious new public garbage cans with semi-enclosed tops designed to, you know, actually keep the trash inside, instead of having it blow all over the street.
Here's the rub: emblazoned on the side of the cans (bins? They're rectangular, if that makes a difference) is this snappy slogan: "Litter Looks Better Canned."
Umm... What the hell kind of slogan is that? What does that even mean? By definition, isn't litter trash that's NOT in a can? So before you put it in the can, isn't it just trash? Are we supposed to throw it on the ground first and then put it into the "litter can"? Who the hell calls it a litter can, anyway? I've heard trash can, garbage can... no litter can. I did a Google search and found some site from Canada referring to litter cans - THIS AIN'T CANADA.
Am I missing something? Is this a play on words that I'm not getting? There used to be a store here called "2 Good 2 B Shooz" which has been out of business for like 3 years but which just the other day I realized must be a play on "Too Good to be True" - which still makes no sense, but at least it's a recognizable cliche.
Help me to understand.
that slogan is absolute rubbish!
ReplyDeletei always felt the same about the "put litter in its place" slogan. It's not litter if it's in a trash can... so are they saying to put trash onto the road sides?
bottom line... don't mess with texas, and use litter boxes. i haven't slept in 3 weeks.
What about the poetry of a plastic bottle pushed by the wind on the pavement of an empty street, on a lonely, dark winter evening? A single lamp post lights the scene and Ry Cooder's slide guitar plays in the background? Wouldn't that do it for you?
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