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AIR DATE: January 30, 2013
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Republic Services wants to reduce your trash pickup. The company has proposed decreasing trash pickup to once a week, and improving recycling service in exchange. The idea rubs some people the wrong way, but the company says the move will increase recycling rates.
Experts weighed in on how trash service can change our habits and affect wastefulness. Our discussion yielded some provocative trash facts:
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According to Jeremy O’Brien of Solid Waste Association of North America, Las Vegas' practice of collecting trash twice a week is unusual – most communities have once weekly pickup.
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“Garbology" author Edward Humes says Americans generate over 7 pounds of trash a day, compared to 2.2 pounds per resident in Japan.
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Humes says we make twice as much trash today as we did in 1960, and the biggest component in the trash mix is packaging.
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Walmart has calculated that if they reduce their packaging by 5 percent, they can save over $3 billion a year.
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Tara Pike of Rebel Recycling says Nevada had a goal of 25 percent recycling by 1995, which it still hasn’t met in 2013.
Can Las Vegas do better with recycling? Listen to the interview and share your thoughts.
GUESTS:
Bob Coyle, Vice President, Republic Services
Tara Pike, Director, Rebel Recycling
Jeremy O'Brien, Director of Applied Research, Solid Waste Association of North America
Edward Humes, Author, Garbology: Our Dirty Love Affair with Trash
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I would have to quess that yiou are in favor of continuing to pollute our desert also. EVERY MAJOR CITY IN THE SOUTHWEST DOES once a week THIS. IF YOUR TRASH STINKS, STOP WASTING FOOD ALSO !!
J Downey –
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Well said Tom, whats to say that when the once a week program is implemented Republic wont raise prices? Or refuse to take large items, or worst charge more for anything outside containers, as far as I know Republic is only offering extra containers during the pilot program,once it is voted on they only supply one container for trash and one for recycle
Angel Sandoval –
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I'm still fairly new to Las Vegas. I moved here last July in the intense 120 degree weather that I was unaccustomed to coming from western Ohio. I found this article interesting in that my grandparents neighborhood has been the only place I've been to that had recycling services and I remember most people took the time to separate their trash.
In your argument, your main point seems to only be that keeping a little extra trash would smell bad in the summer heat. I'm sorry to say that Las Vegas in general smells horrible if you haven't noticed and not just in the summer. It may be because you've lived here longer and are accustomed to it. Much of your garbage is probably recyclable material anyway unless you throw away a ton of food and then you could probably compost that.
lastly, I would like to say that people wont recycle if the option isn't available. I understand that this is Sin city, but come on you really have to give this idea a chance to spread. Something like this could change the culture of people living in las vegas. You can't discount a good/great idea just because your trash might stink.
Steven –
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Recycling our natural resources.. GOOD
polutting a hole in the desert... BAD get it ! . you must be one of the "WASTERS " .
J Downey –
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Hey thanks for sticking up for the little man, we are victims of a monopoly here so is basically going to come down to government council and their vote, they are going to decide on what is best for you and I,when all is said and done, they are going to side with the Corporate giants that contribute huge sums to their campaigns, I think they call it the New Democracy
Angel Sandoval –
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They take almost everything in plastics, except cellophane. :-)
Laura –
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We have the same problem. Our sorted recycles are only picked up twice per month. By the time the truck gets to our place,the wind has scattered everything around. Then there is a big rush to put everything back in the three little boxes. If we had one container with a cover as is provided for every day trash, our lives would be easier indeed. Plus we could us much less junk mail from the post office and packaging from the grocery stores. I am happy to hear that some businesses such as Wal Mart is leading the way.
Norma Price –
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They do have a few containers in some complexes for recycling, just check with your Rental agent
Angel –
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Why dont u put out additional cans of recycle, Recycle will service those cans as long as they are labeled recyclables
ANGEL –
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Ditto to that, let customers decide, what is the saying? If its not broke dont fix it
Angel Sandoval –
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Maybe you could install a garbage disposal?
Barbara –
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Stop wasting foor and you wont have that problem !
No problem with once a week in EVERY OTHER SOUTHWESTERN CITY !
J Downey –
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