I first became an earner at the tender age of six, jumping into a new and largely untested field that paid cash, had flexible hours, and sparked political controversy across the nation. In short, I began to collect empty bottles and cans and exchange them for nickels. That was in Massachusetts, where consumers began paying a 5-cent deposit on all carbonated beverage containers in 1983. Instituted as an environmental measure, the "bottle bill" aimed to encourage recycling and reduce trash at ...