We have a running joke, my neighbor Gregg and I.

When I happen to run into him when I am adding yet another bag of refuse to our Dumpster, I'll say something like, "I swear, we're the trashiest people in the neighborhood."

And he'll say something like, "That's funny. I thought that's what people say about me."

I don't relish the collection and the dumping of our household trash. I'm often amazed how much my children can compact the garbage in the kitchen lest they have to carry the bag to the Dumpster themselves.

But refuse is a fact of life. While I'm ever committed to improving our household's recycling efforts, it still amazes me how much garbage a family of four can generate. The only being in the home dedicated to reducing our tonnage is our dog, Boomer. He'll help himself to "leftovers" should the opportunity arise. Then there's another mess to clean up, which makes me all the more grumpy about the garbage.

A recent article in The Spectrum gave me occasion to take another view of the mounds of trash generated by my husband, our teenagers, our dog and me. It's not a sign of sloth. Rather, it's an indication of a healthy economy.

I surmise this because, according to The Spectrum article, sanitation workers are earning less money in St. George because of the economic slowdown and the sluggish real estate market.

The workers, who are paid by the weight of the refuse they collect and the numbers of homes they serve, have experienced a downturn on both fronts. Tonnage is down 10 to 15 percent for residential refuse, which translates into pay cuts for drivers of $25 to $50 a week.

Because of slowdowns in the real estate market, more homes and apartments are empty, which means fewer households to serve.

It also can be attributed to reductions in consumption of goods and, in some cases, food. "Consumption curtails, and we have really seen a change as the economy has darkened," said Jason Godfrey, general manager of Allied Waste Services' St. George division.

If holiday retail sales are down, it makes sense that there would be a corresponding decrease in tonnage at local landfills. Parents who go to just about any lengths to ensure their children get the Christmas present they really want have likely cut back on purchases for spouses, parents or siblings. Fewer — or lesser — gifts may translate to less refuse.

I had come to believe that was a good thing. But much depends on one's perspective.

One truck driver interviewed by The Spectrum was wishing for more refuse — two cans full per household. "If everyone had two cans and that's used, life would be good," said Nick Neilson.

There well may be something to studying historical garbage collections as an economic indicator. It seems to me that we had less gift wrapping and boxes to toss in the recycling bin this year. I'm not sure, however, if it can be wholly attributed to the economy or the fact that our children have moved beyond the plastic toy phase — Barbie dolls with the itty-bitty shoes that fit their itty-bitty feet and are readily lost.

Instead of buying gifts, some relatives gave our children gift cards or cash this year. That reduces refuse, too.

Driving around my neighborhood Sunday, though, I didn't see the overloaded dumpsters that I had seen in the past following Christmas. Perhaps this confirms all we've heard about sluggish retail sales this holiday season. Perhaps people are making more of an effort to recycle.

Or perhaps, they're just hanging onto their money, unsure what the new year will bring.

Marjorie Cortez, who wishes Salt Lake County contractors could pick up recycled items weekly, is a Deseret News editorial writer. E-mail her at Marjorie@desnews.com