by Zoë Pollock
One reader asks:
The better question is why more municipalities don't move to a charge per bag system of curbside pickup, with free services for composting and recycling. It's a fairer system in terms of aligning charges with use, it's more environmentally sound as it encourages conservation, recycling and composting, and it saves money. In some areas a charge per bag system almost makes garbage collection pay for itself, by decreasing trash collected and creating a solid revenue stream that's based on usage. There's obviously grumbling anytime it gets implemented, but I think this system is far preferable to wholesale cutting back on garbage collection.
Another boasts:
Over here in soulless, liberal Ithaca, NY (I jest, of course), we have a pretty good system in place. We pay a flat fee for garbage pickup outside of the city limits. Inside the city limits, it's part of taxes. But that's not all. We also pay about $3.50 per 50 pounds of garbage each week. Recycling is picked up bi-weekly and is free…but it's also mandatory for aluminum, glass and cardboard. Meaning: don't recycle = fines.
My neighbors and I put out much more recycling at the curb than trash each week. And we've started composting (free classes are available throughout town, composters are for sale at the solid waste center, and most restaurants in town have "recycling" "composting" and "landfill" options when you discard your waste). We also have multiple "reuse" centers around town where you can drop your old electronics, housewares, etc. for free and purchase old ones on the cheap. You can get a lot of great construction material there if you're remodeling or building something for your kids. It took us about 6 months to learn, but now we're in love with the system. Economic incentives + social norms = cost and environment savings. What's not to love?
(Video: NPR profiles the guru of compost, San Antonio's Malcolm Beck, who has been composting since 1957.)
The Dish 