Okay, so I’m sorry to feature an out-dated chart, but it was the best one I could find. I was truly inspired when I learned that over 7,100 US communities have implemented Pay-As-You-Throw Programs. It is estimated that since their implementation, an average of 6 million tons of waste have been saved from landfills each year. Most communities have shown a 25-35% reduction in solid waste. The bonus of all this is that nearly 4 million tons of Greenhouse Gases have been saved! Very inspiring, don’t you think? Does your community Pay-As-You-Throw?
Sources: Body + Soul Magazine, http://www.epa.gov/payt/
In St. Paul, we pay for our own trash service. I’m not sure it’s necessarily “Pay as You Throw” because we just pay for our trash cans and no one weighs it or anything. But my dad decided a few months ago to try and cut down the size of his trash can (and his cost for service) and has found ways to recycle or compost about 60% of the trash they’d been tossing at my parents’ house. Sure, my dad looks a little nuts digging through the garbage to police what ends up there, but he’s saved a ton of money…and garbage.
Cool story, thanks for sharing. I’m way impressed. In Manila they only recycle cans and newspaper. Very old school…
We actually now have green waste pick-up in San Ramon (and other areas in the East Bay & the city). Each week food scraps are collected in what used to be just a grass/tree trimmings collection bin. If you can compost it, it goes in the bin. I haven’t heard yet what type of effect it has had (very, very new), but hope something will be published soon.
We were already composting when the system was implemented (now using only green waste bin since we are moving soon), and when we became uber-serious, we found that our trash dropped to about 1.5 bags per week. We recently traded in our old garbage can, and have the smallest available size for pick-up. It isn’t weighed, but we pay far less than we would with a larger size. So, probably not exactly the same thing, but we pay the least amount possible for pick-up and have next to no garbage each week (cloth diapering helps!).
Wow- rock on! That is so cool…
Yikes!! Realized I don’t have your email…2 things — one…we should do coffee soon! I’m finally starting to sort out Manila. It’s been crazy, but by the time the car gets here (Around April 10th) I should at least be able to find the big things.
Second…you seem to know a lot about cameras and such…my sad little cheapo camera bit the dust and I’m investing in a good one. Well…good from a point and shoot perspective. What do you think about this: http://www.digitalcamerareview.com/default.asp?newsID=4103&review=canon+powershot+sx20 I’m really interested in your opinion!!