BRATTLEBORO-I just sat down to make a list of the pros and cons of our current trash/recycling/compost curbside program versus the mechanized program proposed by Casella Waste Systems. I believe it tips heavily in favor of our current program.
Almost 15 years ago, our residents were up in arms over a proposed pay-as-you-throw (PAYT) system. A townwide vote was taken and PAYT was soundly defeated. Then, over a number of years, an extensive education program and curbside pilot was undertaken. Now, Brattleboro's weekly curbside recycling and compost pick-up and biweekly PAYT trash pick-up is embraced by residents and is the envy of the entire state of Vermont (and beyond).
If the town enacts Casella's mechanized program, all that will be thrown away and Brattleboro will become "Everytown, USA." Worse than the giant, ugly totes lined up along our streets and back roads will be the damage to the environment - significant quantities of currently diverted methane-producing compostables, as well as recyclable materials, will go into our limited landfill space.
If our curbside recycling and compost services survive at all, it will become all too easy for residents to put those items into their giant totes. The driver - not leaving the cab of the collection truck because the hydraulic arms pick up and dump the contents - will have no idea what is in each of the hundreds of totes he picks up every day.
Certainly plenty of residents will make sure to separate their recycling and compost from the trash stream, but far too many will return to the simple, good 'ol days of dumping everything into one stinky container.
So I ask all my fellow Brattleboro residents who realize what a loss the enactment of this Casella program would be for our town to shout out loudly through letters to the editor and calls or emails to the town manager and Selectboard members and demand that they find a way to divert from this course Casella has put us on. Let's find a way to remain the One and Only Brattleboro, and not become Everytown, USA.
Moss Kahler
Brattleboro
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