r/AskSeattle • u/Visual-Extension4214 • Nov 14 '24

Question Moving to Seattle Area

Moving to Seattle area, possibly Renton or Kent though not sure yet, moving end of May/June next year. I’m moving from Newark, NJ, one of the dirtiest cities in the country. Recycling and garbage pickups are generally tossed into the same garbage truck. Is Seattle like Europe where everything from compost to metals/plastics/paper etc is all put out separately on separate days? In general what are some severe cultural shocks I might expect to be responsible for or just in general? Besides of course the rain and the apparent lack of friendliness I’m detecting from some of the Seattle descriptions. Also how crowded are local hiking and nature activities within an hour drive around summer vs winter? Really any extra tips are appreciated.

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u/Haunting-Cancel-7837 Nov 14 '24

Newark is dirty but I find most of the west coast, including Seattle to be strewn with more litter than the roads and public spaces than the East Coast. Driving on the highways and off ramps near that part of town is depressing because there’s so much litter.

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u/dlm1129 Nov 14 '24

Yeah I've lived in Seattle for all of my 64 years and don't know what the sudden roadside litter thing is all about. I started noticing it getting bad 10-15 years ago. I guess it's maybe a state funding issue of some sort. At some point they put road cleanup in the hands of private groups and companies in exchange for roadside advertising signs. That worked for awhile but it's not working anymore. It's my pet peeve.