Why We Want a Change in Our Waste Hauling Contract What we want: new residential waste hauling contract that includes curbside recycling, a yard waste recycling program, and a pricing structure that encourages all of us to think before we throw stuff away.
This is why: * Curbside recycling makes it easier for people to do the right thing and has been proven to increase recycling and decrease trash going into our landfills * Unit based pricing is fair - if you put less in your trash can each week, you pay less. Obviously, this reduces the amount of trash as well. * Yard waste recycling would significantly reduce the tonnage of waste that we are paying to be hauled off this island and would provide a valuable service to citizens interested in using recycled yard waste. * If we expect our local businesses to recycle we must provide curbside pickup for them and not continue to rely on volunteers to do this. Since commercial curbside recycling pickup is not possible without residential, residential curbside recycling must be approved. * Finally, we must keep monthly rates reasonable for everyone. The most obvious way to do this is to reduce trash pickup to once a week for residential customers as it is done around the country. Seven coastal Florida counties south of Cedar Key were surveyed this past week. Seven of seven have curbside recycling, and five of seven have once a week pickup. Six coastal cities were also surveyed. All had curbside recycling, and half had once a week trash pickup. (Of course, we could keep twice a week trash pickup and add curbside recycling - but this would undoubtedly be more costly to our residents and might not do as much to change our just-throw-it-away habits.)
The status quo is not acceptable. If the commissioners are going to promote Cedar Key as an island community that cares about the environment, then they need to vote in change that help us all increase recycling and decrease trash production. Call, email, or write your commissioners (see contact information below). Be sure to direct your message to all five commissioners. (If by letter, you may simply drop off five copies of your letter at City Hall, asking that the copies be placed in the Commissioners` boxes.) Cedar Key City Commissioners - February 2010 Commission Name Phone Number Email Address
Sue Colson 543-6648 SueColson@bellsouth.net Heath Davis 543-9493 hdavis@drummondbank.com Scott Dennison 543-6313 dsdennison@bellsouth.net Gene Hodges 543-5707 No email Pat O`Neal 543-5164 Pat.oneal@bellsouth.net | 
