January 27th, 2011

[polldaddy poll=4455992]

My neighbourhood in Kitchener was recently added to the Region of Waterloo’s Green Bin waste program and we’re very pleased to be able to take advantage of its benefits. The menu of kitchen leftovers that can now be diverted from the garbage bag to become a usable garden/yard product is exhaustive. Our home may eventually be putting out items destined for the landfill only once every other week. I’m not sure the majority of homeowners on my street feel the same way.

My daughter and I have done informal green bin counts on the last couple of pick-up days. There are 65 homes on my street – counted courtesy of a Google Earth image!! This week, of 50 homes with garbage placed out on the street, only 11 included green bins. There’s certainly no statistical certainties based on this survey, but it does represent the general state of things we’ve been observing week-to-week. Perhaps some homes only need to put out the Green Bin every other week. Perhaps some don’t care or can’t be bothered.

I’ve heard comments that it’s smelly and messy, that you have to pay for the liner bags, that it’s just a pain to add another level of sorting. I don’t have a problem with any of those complaints. However, I don’t believe the Green Bin program does much to encourage conservation and waste reduction. While it may be successful in diverting tonnes of waste from the landfill, that waste is simply being dealt with in another manner. A “greener” solution would be to be for each of us to reduce the volume of what goes out to the curb in the first place in the form of recyclables, compostables, and garbage. I’m not confidant that enough people are willing to make that effort to make a difference, but in the mean time I’d be happy to see a greater number of Green Bins out on the street on pick-up days!!

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Survey – Do you use a Green Bin?