28 Things Forbidden Inside California Trash Cans

If you're fed up with California's over-the-top recycling standards...

you're not the only one, friend. On one hand, you know it's the right thing to do, but at the end of the day, everything you're juggling in the other hand has you too exhausted to care. The last thing any of us needs is another tedious chore on our to-do list.

But in sunny, eco-friendly California, separating your trash isn't an option. It's the law. Did you know the Golden State mandates waste separation for both households and businesses?

Dear California, we're just not that into recycling...or you.

ICYMI: California cares about the earth a lot. Like, a lot-a lot.

No one comes between California and its fight against climate change. It's the big kahuna of environmental stewardship. Reducing waste, beefing up recycling efforts, slowing toxic greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to the erosion of the Ozone Layer—that's all in a day's work for California.

That's cool. But it would be even cooler if the state devised a way to involve us, the average joes with families to feed and bills to pay, less. As little as possibly, actually. Think about it. Separating trash makes California's top 10 concerns, whereas as with us, it doesn't even break our top 50.

Fact: we're content with underachieving when it comes to recycling. 

We prefer it, actually. Honestly, we're not even half-assing at this point. Between kids, work, errands, cooking, cleaning, and the 20 minutes we have at the end of the night to shower, floss, and put ourselves in a medically-induced coma, we have no ass to give, California. Ask our spouses.

Our environmental stewardship maxes out at separating paper, cans, cardboard boxes, and glass bottles from normal, old-school trash like slimy bacon packaging and food waste.

If, however, you're the kind of Californiana who's willing to go above-and-beyond for Mother Earth, check out the gallery below.

Scroll for 28 things forbidden in California trash cans.