I read about the efforts Seattle is making towards recycling, and was impressed.  And at my age, it takes a helluva lot to impress me.  It seems Seattle is now recycling 44% of its waste, as compared to a dismal 30% of other American cities.

Their approach is rather hi-tech. Garbage and other items such as yard waste and branches are neatly piled and covered with a space age material that allows air in, but keeps odor out. There results is a mountain of loamy compost sold by the bag at garden centers throughout the Pacific Northwest by Cedar Grove Composting.

Now, Seattle is making food waste yet another mandatory recycling ingredient in its already long list.  The recycling of food scraps will become mandatory in 2009.  Another container will sit beside the curb for this.

One area of concern for Seattle has been the recycling of cardboard and paper.  It just wasn’t worth it for citizens of the city to deal with it.  Now Seattle has  turned that corner by banning paper and cardboard from nonrecyclable garbage.  They have found that recycled paper and carboard is worth $90 a ton, and now feed the Chinese need for recycled paper products.  If you think a ton is a lot, consider that packaging amounts to a great deal of waste.  The average American throws away 4.6 pounds of trash daily.  do the math…

We have to think that Seattle should be an example for every American city.  It is good to see a city do its share for going green.  With that, a tip ‘o the Allnut hat to Seattle, recycle kings of the West.

Peace,

Charlie~

Popularity: 20% [?]

Welcome back!