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Recycled pieces may be falling into place

Published 12:28am Sunday, September 23, 2012

Literally for years the Green Alliance has been ranting on the need for recycling in the area.substances

Yes, yes we know that for years there have been different forms of recycling going on.

Yes, yes the Green Alliance has even written articles on different types of “soft recycling” that have been available; and yes we certainly know that we are the proud home of one of the largest paper recyclers in the region and are proud and appreciative of the different public outreach programs in which they have participated.

Yet to a certain extent many of these efforts are akin to that iconic, Super Bowl ad showing some poor cowboy trying to herd a bunch of uncooperative, mindful cats.

Thankfully through the leadership of David Gardner many of those mindful, willful cats are getting in line and working together.

A prime example of this would be the opening by Travis Brown of a drop off recycling center just north of town in Washington. The Concordia Metal drop off center is located at 801 U.S. 61 North.

Their business hours are 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Currently along with non ferrous metals they will accept cardboard, office type paper, magazines and books.

Soon they also hope to be in the position to handle newspapers and plastic. For the area this is a major step forward!

There is still much to be done. Public education and awareness is key to the success of any sustainable community recycling program.

Curbside pickup, perhaps the holy grail of any recycling program, is successful only through community participation which starts back with education and awareness.

While there are many decisions to be made and questions to be answered, for the first time in years our community does have the beginnings of a recycling mind set.

In fact, we may even have the makings of a “perfect storm.” With the start of a drop off recycling center, the city and county waste removal contracts coming up for renewal, significant state grant money available for the development of recycling programs, the continued cooperation of the various groups interested in recycling, and the commitment of our city and county leaders this recycling dream can be achieved.

For now those of us interested in supporting the recycling movement can help move the movement along by supporting the newly opened recycling drop off center just north of town at 801 U.S. 61 North.

I really do think I see more of those cats getting in line.

 

Steve McNerney is the president of the Green Alliance.

 

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  • Anonymous

    “Public education and awareness”. Lefty-speak for propaganda and social pressure.

  • Anonymous

    This is great!

  • Anonymous

    After all those years he mentioned and no progress? We need to get the convicts to recycling the litter along our roadsides. I picked up 3 trash bags full yesterday in about 1/8 of a mile. Lots of aluminum cans and some bottles, let incarceration pay for itself. They still have not espoused putting a tax on take out containers of food or drink, proceeds to be used for litter removal as in CA and other states.

  • Anonymous

    Practical answers are not the answers they are looking for. They do not funnel cash and influence in the right directions.

    This is about bottles and cans that don’t make it to the roadside as litter. This is about finding a way to to turn those into money for a connected few at the expense of everyone else. It can’t be done without coerced labor and additional fees, otherwise I’d have no problem with it. Think of all the grants McNerney’s non-profit will miss out on, also, if the city/county doesn’t adopt a recycling program. Non-profits are big business. There are numerous non-profits around my office that essentially exist on grant money. Shiny new Lexus’, Mercedes’ and BMWs litter the parking lots.

    I’m hoping the drop-off sites pay people for their non-ferrous metals as aluminum, copper, brass, etc. have value. When economic incentive exists to recycle, it makes sense. When there is no economic incentive, it doesn’t.

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