City of Austin mulls over more recycling, but cost in these lean times, an issue

We hear from an article by Sarah Coppola in the Austin American Statesman that the City of Austin is considering a requirement that more offices, businesses and smaller apartment complexes recycle—but some have raised concerns about the practicality and cost.

Right now, Austin requires apartments and complexes with 100 or more units and businesses with 100 or more employees to make recycling containers available onsite and pay private haulers to pick them up. The city program covers single-family homes, some small businesses, duplexes, and fourplexes. But, the article reports, according to Rick Cofer, head of a City Council-appointed committee on the issue “The city must broaden its 11-year-old rules if it wants to meet its recently adopted "zero waste" goal of diverting 90 percent of trash from landfills by 2040.”

Austin, like other cities in the region is struggling to do the right thing in a tough economy and weak commodities market. Today’s return on useful trash is just not what it once was. But also, the city shells out substantial funds to have recycling hauled to…you guessed it…San Antonio!

Upshot…SA-town has a local plant but no recycling ordinance for apartments or businesses yet on the books. If we want to achieve serious waste reduction, what about skipping the partial-solution and building the capacity for city-wide participation? Your thoughts?

What people are saying

Some people say San Antonio won't recycle. But then there are those who say...

“I live in an apartment and I have to bring all of my stuff to work to recycle…”

“Please help us make a difference with recycling at apartments.”

“Recycling should be available to all citizens of San Antonio.”

“Living in the apt community now has simply disappointed me because they do not offer recycling. I pay for trash and i would happily pay for recycling. Seeing the 10 dumpsters overflowing with waste, and being picked up 3x a week is outrageous. We are so far behind and our children have a great lesson to learn in recycling. Please help”

“I'm a college student and I was recently given an assignment for a class I was taking to estimate the amount of stuff being thrown into the dumpsters in my surrounding neighborhood that could have otherwise been recycled. Well, after a month all I can say is that seeing is truly believing. My God, it truly is a shame that San Antonio doesn't offer recycling services to more of its residents. About 60% of the junk tossed was recyclable.”

“I spent an hour driving around trying to find a place to recycle my cardboard boxes, and I ended up throwing them in the dumpster because I could not find a place to take them. If given the chance or the incentive, people will recycle.”

What do you think?

Ease of recycling important to reduce waste stream

Hey San Antonio! Recent research published in the Journal of Evolutionary Economics by E. Brouillat, demonstrated that improvement in recycling is necessary but not sufficient to solve the issue of increased waste. Increasing the ease of recycling and extending product life will also be necessary to slow the waste stream.

Increasing the ease of recycling:
This finding underscores the importance of providing more locations for San Antonians to recycle. Just think, how much more would be recycled if the locations to do so were readily available? Help us in the support of this cause by signing our petition.

Here are 2 ways you can extend product life:
- Buy reusable drinking containers – safe plastics have the numbers 2, 4, & 5 inside the chasing arrows, Voss sells glass containers at some HEB’s, Kleen Kanteen also has drinking containers made out of stainless steel
- Buy refurbished computers from vendors in San Antonio:
Allgen Computer Warehouse - http://www.allgen.com/
All Systems Go Software http://www.asg-sa.com/

Prom Dresses to Wingtips

Beyond the usual papers, bottles and cans, a host of organizations and individuals are joining forces to keep the useful stuff of our lives in circulation and out of landfills.

Have a stroller that’s taking up space in your closet? Freecycle is a grassroots group with 7+ million members around the world that promotes the free exchange of still-useful stuff in local towns. You can post or ask for an item at a group near you at http://www.freecycle.org/.

If you find yourself with a “new or nearly new” gown, purse, jewlery or wrap, you can donate the duds that allow a high school student at Northeast ISD to attend her prom, recital or scholarship ceremony at Formally Yours Project, a nonprofit put together by the Lee High School Campus PTA.

Dell and Goodwill Industries set up the Reconnect Project to “accept any brand of used computer equipment in any condition” Just enter your zip code to find a drop off location.

And the EPA has published ways to recycle your old cell phone, batteries and charger through a retailer at Plug-In To eCycling.

Karma may be more difficult to recycle, but there’s always offering needed help to a friend.