In response to the “Let those who want convenience pay for it.” I get my kicks by going outside every Monday morning and seeing my neighbor’s trash overflowing, while mine sits dormant for up to two months. In fact, six years ago I called the city because there was a recycling fee on my bill. I would have happily transport my recycling to a walkable recycling center. Asheville informed me that I could not “opt out” of the recycling fee. I considered it a donation to the green infrastructure of Asheville. But let’s come up with a solution!
In some countries, each resident gets a set amount of garbage bags. Once they use them up they have to pay extra to get more bags, thus making the people who produce more trash pay for the service. Another solution could be that we move trash pick up to every other week like recycling. This would reduce overhead, gas, energy and maintenance of vehicles. To ensure no jobs are lost, what if we have waste professionals become waste educators who do training in school about what is trash/compost/recycling? I’m sure Asheville Greenworks would love to partner in this trash re-educational effort!
Wow — putting more money in every Buncombe County resident’s pocket during a recession, keeping jobs, educating the public, saving unnecessary waste from the landfill, recycling and composting more! Who’s in?
— Mark Strazzer
Asheville
Sign me up!