Recycling proponents declare victory
This post was written by John Bennett
November 27, 2007
The e-mail from Stacey Kronquest arrived last night and a story in today’s Savannah Morning News and a report by WSVH’s Orlando Montoya confirmed the news. Curbside recycling is coming to Savannah.
Recycling opponents around the country have been very successful in pushing the notion that recycling should pay for itself or even generate income. Yet the same requirement is not imposed on other government services. Do we expect city streets to turn a profit? Of course not.
Nonetheless, I think curbside recycling will produce a financial benefit for the city. Visitors from other communities are often surprised when they learn that recycling is not offered in Savannah. While I doubt that many people would decide to leave town or elect not to move here because we don’t offer it, curbside recycling serves as an indicator of where a city falls in the spectrum of sustainability. The lack of curbside recycling is a big red flag for green folks. If they are considering moving themselves or their businesses here, the fact that we don’t currently offer recycling pickup may tell them all they need to know about Savannah.
How important are a community’s sustainability practices in attracting new residents and businesses? A story in this morning’s USA Today may provide some clues. “Job sites go green to please workers” finds that, “a growing number of employers are going green, putting greater emphasis on reducing their impact on the environment.”
A survey conducted by Adecco, the story reports, found that 33 percent of employees “would be more inclined to work for a company that is environmentally conscious.”
Can we make a similar assumption that 33 percent of people would be more inclined to live in a community that is environmentally conscious? It’s an important question for a city that the U.S. Census says is losing population.
Posted in Recycling
November 27th, 2007 at 11:05 pm
No matter how the petitioners try to spin the news, it was by no means a “victory” for them. Recycling was inevitable with or without the political maneuverings of McMasters or Kornquest. I’ve noticed a growing number of “greener than thou” types blowing their horns around town over this topic. On the other hand, curbside recycling was and is in the cards, MUCH to the credit of Mayor Johnson and Michael Brown. One lame referendum drive may have even placed into question hundreds of thousands of dollars in grants for the City.
Sorry to poke a hole in that green balloon. That it comes in many shades is why I can honestly say I support curbside recycling without spinning it as a “victory over City Hall”, which it most certainly was/is not. On a parting note, I’m not sure how encouraging population growth is necessarily a big plus for Savannah anyway.