[BowBun]

I agree with your second statement. I've never known anyone in the US that is employed+housed that keeps their bottles for returns.

On the other hand, in Belgium it's pretty normal to keep your case of empty beer bottles and return them at the grocery store when you go the next time.

There's definitely something cultural at play. I wonder if the strong capitalistic ideals in the US make it seem like a low-return effort or if it's looked down upon like going through trash. We also simply waste a lot of things in the US (food, throw-away culture, fast casual clothing, disposable electronics), so it may just be an extension of that too.

[dunham]

We always saved ours and returned them when I was a kid in Michigan - they were about 10 cents each and were returned to the grocery store where you bought it. I also remember we once had a teacher in high school tell us he made $1000 picking up cans, and a smart-ass kid asked if he reported that on his taxes.

But this varies a lot state-to-state. In San Francisco, it seemed to be the poor with carts picking up cans. (And the recycling company wanted you to report people for digging through the bins.) I think the deposit was rather low there and had no idea where you can return them to.