I don't think the US has a compost awareness week, but I'm excited about a new waste program in Salt Lake City this spring. Our curbside recycling (paper, plastic, cardboard -- glass must be taken elsewhere) has been going strong for about 15 years, but this year, something new was added. City residents were given the option to have a yard waste curbside recycling bin as well. Now, for the same price I paid before, I can have a smaller trash can (I only produce one small bag a week these days), my big blue plastics/paper recycling bin, and a brown bin for grass clippings, leaves, branches, and other yard waste that can be recycled into organic fertilizer. (I put in veggie tops and peelings as well.) This means that even people who are too lazy to have a composter in their yards can lessen what's in the landfill and recycle yard waste easily. Isn't this fun? And, are you ready for the reason? This had to be done because the paper/plastic recylcling was so successful that the city dump has been losing money! Now they can re-coup their lost funds by selling the recycled organic mulch. (of course, folks who compost still make their own for free -- this is for lazy people like me). Everybody wins. Just thought you'd enjoy hearing some good news. Pass it on; maybe some other city councils will think "Hey, we can do that!"
Papaerback writer - sounds like a great idea, I've heard of something similar somewhere. I think they should set it up here because composting is difficult if you don't have a garden, not so much how to compost, but where to put it once its made...
Yes, Salt Lake is more suburbian than Edinburgh. I'm glad you were pleased with the news, and yes, I'm sure SLC is not the only place doing this. I remember visiting Denmark in 1981 and seeing curbside recycling (although I can't recall whether or not it included yardwaste) for the first time.
I don't think the US has a compost awareness week, but I'm excited about a new waste program in Salt Lake City this spring.
ReplyDeleteOur curbside recycling (paper, plastic, cardboard -- glass must be taken elsewhere) has been going strong for about 15 years, but this year, something new was added. City residents were given the option to have a yard waste curbside recycling bin as well. Now, for the same price I paid before, I can have a smaller trash can (I only produce one small bag a week these days), my big blue plastics/paper recycling bin, and a brown bin for grass clippings, leaves, branches, and other yard waste that can be recycled into organic fertilizer. (I put in veggie tops and peelings as well.) This means that even people who are too lazy to have a composter in their yards can lessen what's in the landfill and recycle yard waste easily.
Isn't this fun?
And, are you ready for the reason? This had to be done because the paper/plastic recylcling was so successful that the city dump has been losing money! Now they can re-coup their lost funds by selling the recycled organic mulch. (of course, folks who compost still make their own for free -- this is for lazy people like me). Everybody wins.
Just thought you'd enjoy hearing some good news. Pass it on; maybe some other city councils will think "Hey, we can do that!"
Papaerback writer - sounds like a great idea, I've heard of something similar somewhere. I think they should set it up here because composting is difficult if you don't have a garden, not so much how to compost, but where to put it once its made...
ReplyDeleteYes, Salt Lake is more suburbian than Edinburgh.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you were pleased with the news, and yes, I'm sure SLC is not the only place doing this.
I remember visiting Denmark in 1981 and seeing curbside recycling (although I can't recall whether or not it included yardwaste) for the first time.