' u LI R. .t y I R i-11'/:S
Mon~bly •
Planet SUMMER
A Pubhcat1on of the Associated Students Environmental Center Western Washington Un1vers1ty
C This ,ssue ,s pr,n/ed on 100% recycled paper
community Recycling: lndlvldual actions affecting public policy by David Sale
By f using attention on the waste of natural resources am pollution that go along with an affluent lifestyle, the environmental rrovement has forced the goverrment arrl irrlustry to address ecol03ical issues. What began as a grassroots effort by a group of students am residents of several neighlx>rhcx:rls, the Bellingham ccmrunity recycling project has ed as a bridge betv.ieen the ideas of citizens am the policies of the city gov t. It has carried local interest in recycling to the City Council am the Mayor, am rDN recycling am resource recovery are an integral part of th city's Solid Waste Management Plan. The idea of comnunity recycling grew out of a program jointly offered by What Carmun.i ty Col lege the What Solar Associa ion. The Master Conservers Program led participants to perform 30 hours of 'ty service, resulting in v.orkshops on weatherization, stonn wirrlows, solar collectors, and ways to increase co ty interest in recycling. 'l\,,,o opt.ions are r-ow available for CXXTTlll.Inity residential recycling systems: drop-off cent rs where ple can haul their recyclables, or curbside pickups in which recyclables are r ed on a r-to-door basis.
Inconvenience is the ITOst nly he rd carplaint rUX>ut recycling. A curbside pickup, ~ver, merely requires that you sort the ma.t ri ls place them in front of your house. M'.)nthl y curbside pickups scheduled in the Birchv.o::rl area, for exanple, have been very effective in this respect.
The effort was preceded by a drive to inform residents of the service. Several residents also acted as ccordinators to arrange publicity solicit volunteers. The trucks were provided by the A. S. Recycle Center, arrl in April, 1982 the first Birchwcod Neighborhcx:rl pickup generated o,,o truckloads of scrap paper, aluminum, refillable am rnn-refillable rottles, used rrutor oil arrl scrap metal. In June the Sehare neighborhcx:rl organized a silnilar system in a slightly different manner. While canvassing, volunteers asked residents if they currently recycled or if they would if curbside service was available. The survey provided a statistical record of cxmnunity interest that proved invaluable in later meetings with the City Council. Over half of these surveyed actually participated, sl'¥:::Mi.ng that a significant m.moer of Bellingham residents v.ould recycle if a structure was provided. Fairhaven arrl Southside areas also r-ow enjoy rronthly curbside service. The neighborhcx:rls a:,vered are sanewhat larger arrl include the Fairhaven business district as well . Additional cx:mnunication with the iooividual businesses arrl the Fairhaven Business Association has brought area shops am restaurants into the pr<XJram, further adding to the aITOunt of rottles am cardboard packaging kept out of the waste stream. The response fran all three neighborhoods has been encouraging. In April 1983, the three programs caroined recycled 13,SCO pourrls of paper, 144 pounds of aluminum, 69 cases of refillable rottles, several huoored fOunds of glass arrl scrap tal , as well as tin cans
am. recycled oil. At current market prices, the above figures represent aver $300 for paper, $40 in ahminum am $25 in refillable bottles. Because these figures reflect. quantities of rraterials rem:werl fran the waste stream, that nuch less m:ney nust be pa.id for collect.i.al arrl disposal. While volunteers were stinulating neighborhooo recycliDJ efforts others were working C11 City Hall. A proposal was subnitted by Dennis Smith of Western' s ..aste management program, stip.ilating that source separatiC11 arrl recycling be included as rrajor oojectives in the City's Solid waste Management Plan. A revised resolutial was aoopted by the Council whim sets out to reduce by 25 percent the existing volume of solid ..aste (plus growth) by 1996. It also earmarks up to $40,00'.J of solid waste collectico surcharge revenues to assist in neighborh:loo recycling projects. htiitional m:ney c_:pes towards the city's RecycliDJ Coordinator. The resolution also calls for increased p.lblic educatico efforts to heighten awareness am bring ITOre residents into the program. As nuch as 50% of the city's solid waste can be recycled or ccmposted, an anount which would reduce t:oth envircnnental arrl ecorx::mic costs of disposal. It currently costs $36.72 per ten to burn the waste at the Thermal Rerluctial Facility. Bellingham' s Recycling Coordinator, Philip l-brley, recently released a proposed timetable for the waste Rerluctico am Recycling Strategy, \tthi.ch will be presented to the City Council by August. In addi tico, a financing plan arrl a detailed Irrplementatico continued page J2
This Issue: Pollcles and Prospects for Whatcom county - - - - - - - - - - - - - community recycling
- Agricultural land trusts
-Fairhaven outback
- Whatcom county's economic future
-The reality of small farms
and more . ..