Alright, let’s talk about this bottle law thingy in Vermont, the one they call “beverage container redemption.” Don’t go getting all fancy on me, it just means getting your money back for your empties.
You see, them big companies, the ones making all that beer and soda pop, they gotta pay you back a little somethin’ when you bring them bottles and cans back. It ain’t much, just a few cents, but hey, it adds up, you know? Like my grandma used to say, “Every penny counts, especially when you got a lot of ’em.”
What kind of drinks we talking about? Well, mostly it’s beer, you know, the kind your grandpa drinks while watchin’ the game. And that fizzy stuff, the soda pop, the kids are always guzzlin’. Oh, and that fancy water they sell now, the mineral water, that’s in there too. If it comes in a bottle or a can, and it ain’t milk or juice, chances are you can get your nickel back.
Now, I ain’t no lawyer, but I heard tell these companies gotta register all their bottles and cans with the state. That way, they can’t be cheatin’ us out of our nickels. The government, they keep an eye on ’em, make sure they playin’ fair. It’s all part of this “Bottle Bill Law” they got.
- Beer: Yup, your regular ol’ beer, and that fancy craft beer too.
- Soda Pop: All that sugary stuff the young’uns love.
- Mineral Water: The water they charge an arm and a leg for, go figure.
So, where do you take these empties? Well, some stores, they take ’em back. You just bring ’em in, and they give you your money. But there’s also these places called “Redemption Centers.” That’s where they take back all sorts of bottles and cans, They got machines that count ’em up for ya. Easy peasy. They’re supposed to take back all cans and bottles with the Vermont 5-cent or 15-cent thingy on ‘em. Don’t you go bringin’ in no bottles from New York, they ain’t gonna take them.
Now, I heard some folks complainin’, sayin’ it’s too much trouble. But I say, it ain’t no trouble at all. You drink the stuff, you bring the bottle back, you get your money. Simple as that. And it keeps the roadsides clean, don’t it? Nothin’ worse than seein’ beer cans all over the place, makes the whole town look trashy. Plus, they say all the glass gets recycled, goes right back into making new bottles and such. That sounds good to me.
And get this, the government, they want folks to be bringin’ back more bottles. They’re settin’ goals and all, talkin’ about 75% by 2026. That’s a lot of bottles, I tell ya. They want everybody to be doin’ their part. It’s good for the environment, they say. Keeps the trash outta the landfills, I guess. I ain’t no tree-hugger, but I like a clean town as much as the next person.
And they are even thinking of changing the rules a bit. I heard they are talkin’ about it down at the town hall. Some new bill or somethin’. H.158, I think they called it. Probably just gonna make things more complicated, if you ask me. But maybe it’ll be for the better, who knows?
Anyway, that’s the gist of it. You buy a drink, you pay a little extra, you bring the bottle back, you get your money back. And the world stays a little bit cleaner. It ain’t rocket science, folks. Just common sense.
And another thing, them beverage companies, they gotta pay three and a half cents per container to whoever takes them back. I guess that’s how the redemption centers make their money. It’s all a big circle, you see. Money goes around and around. And we all get a little somethin’ out of it.
So next time you finish that soda, or that beer, don’t just toss that bottle in the trash. Take it back, get your nickel, and do your part. It’s the right thing to do, and it puts a little jingle in your pocket. And that’s never a bad thing, now is it?
Tags: [“Vermont”, “Bottle Bill”, “Redemption”, “Recycling”, “Beverage Container”, “Deposit”, “Environment”, “Law”, “Money”, “Cans”, “Bottles”]
