Not the Cleanest City on the Planet

Outsiders are always hating on Boston. We’re not fashionable. We don’t donate to charity. Our football team cheats. We bristle at these accusations, but apparently we do have some areas in which we could improve.

The cover of today’s BostonNOW trumpets that Boston sucks at recycling, with the salacious and attention-grabbing headline “Boston lags in recycling.” The follow-up is even more riveting, and grammatically ridiculous. (Maybe we should improve our free dailies while we’re at it):

Officials say they are trying to improve, testing program to make it work

But the data they link to is pretty damning. Boston proper recycled only 12 percent of its waste in 2006. This is a pretty shameful display from the Prius-driving, Inconvenient Truth-watching liberals the rest of the country sees us as. Billerica recycled at a 17 percent rate. Billerica, people!

It also seems that once we’re done taking out our trash, we don’t wash our hands.

Overall, Denver scored the lowest, with Portland and Philadelphia close behind. Los Angeles finished second, with Phoenix, Washington D.C. and New York City rounding out the middle. Boston ranked 21st out of 25 cities. . . .

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention proper hand-washing is the single most important thing individuals can do to keep from getting sick and spreading illness to others.

We really are dirty liberals. And for God’s sake, people, wash your hands. Especially those of you who ride the T with us.