I've been to Alaska twice. Drove lots of miles, talked to lots of Alaskans. They seemed like pretty good folks to me. Friendly enough. Of course everywhere I travel, rural folks are just about always outgoing and friendly, especially out west. Even rural California. They might act different I guess if I were a state trooper although I have to say that probably 90+ percent of the folks I dealt with in my 30 years as a state game warden were decent and friendly. I will say this about rural Alaska people, a lot of them are junk and scrap hoarders. There must not be much of a scrap iron market in Alaska or maybe the hauling distance is cost prohibitive. There are a lot of house places stacked up with old cars, bicycles, barrels, etc.
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Not many places to dispose of 'junk and scrap', in case you hadn't noticed.
You have failed to mention the grant programs (i.e.: Free money) which sometimes pays for rural clean-up efforts and recycling. Hauling tons of steel and squashed pop cans back 'outside' for recycling.
On a personal note, I have had some success 'returning' scrap copper to outside sources which were worth the time and expense. I did have a few nice solid hunks of aluminum which I mailed out for recycling one time, hoping to make a few dollars. I think I 'earned' $8 on $11 shipping. Often, the places which people disparage for their unsightliness are also often the first places people go when they need something, since it often isn't possible to drive down to a local hardware store or whatever.
