Have you got the bottle for it?
An unofficial empties-collectors' guide to Helsinki parks
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Helsingin Sanomat went out into the parks of Helsinki on Wednesday 29th July with a view to checking out who was there and how the "beverage container recycling" process was going.
The parks tested are shown on the map attached to the main article.
17:25 Esplanadi - Esplanade
Age structure: 1-70 years
Tourists, families with kids, pensioners
Hundreds of people
Three collectors in action
A main thoroughfare (links Market Square and core downtown area); plenty of services to hand
Nearest store for returns: S-Market, Kaartintori
Bottle turnaround speed: 18 minutes
18:00 Vanha kirkkopuisto - Old Church Park, Bulevardi
Age structure: 15-25 years
Alternative youth
Roughly 100 people
Four collectors in action
Sheltered, with a good deal of passing traffic, in downtown area
Nearest store for returns: Valintatalo, Annankatu
Bottle turnaround speed: 1 minute 35 seconds
18:40 Sinebrychoffin puisto - Sinebrychoff Park, Bulevardi
Age structure: 20-30 years
Young urbanites, South Helsinki hipsters
Around 300 people
Twelve (12) collectors in action
A popular and peaceful spot for hanging out and picnics
Nearest store: S-Market, Bulevardi
Bottle turnaround speed: 7.7 seconds*
20:10 Alppipuisto, Alppila
Age structure: 20-30 years
Young urbanites, skateboarders, hippies
Approx. 50 people
Two collectors in action
Hang out spot that can occasionally get rowdy and restless
Nearest store: Alepa, Porvoonkatu
Bottle turnaround speed: 20 minutes
21:25 Hietaranta - Helsinki's most popular public beach
Age structure 15-20 years
Young sun worshippers, immigrants, sporting types
Roughly 50 people
Nobody collecting empty bottles & cans
Hangout spot for the younger crowd, popular beach in warm weather
Nearest store: Alepa, Caloniuksenkatu
Bottle turnaround speed: more than 20 minutes
Helsingin Sanomat / First published in print 1.8.2009
*Translator's Note: I'm not sure if this number is to be relied upon with stopwatch accuracy, but the message is clear - empty bottles vanish here faster than snowballs on a barbecue.
More on this subject:
 Bottle collectors do battle in Helsinki parks
As much as 90% of returnable cans come back
Helsingin Sanomat
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