[Announce] Re; Wanted: Ideas!

[Daniel W. Van Riper]

I've heard the stats. before on how much Albany waste goes into the  
Pine Bush Dump.  Utterly shocking !  Why is anyone tolerating this ?   
Cut out Allied Waste.

Make the suburban dump contributors take care of their own waste  
again,  Then watch them feel the pressure from their  residents to  
get smart with re-use

and re-cycling.  Then watch Albany feel forced to actively think  
about real fiscal soundness.

											John Wolcott




On Jun 30, 2007, at 11:30 PM, Daniel W. Van Riper wrote:

>
>
> Remember, only 9 per cent of the garbage tossed onto the "Landfill"  
> comes from City of Albany households.  The other 91 per cent comes  
> from other municipalities and corporate haulers.  Better  
> enforcement of regulations is admirable, and more recycling can  
> bring in more revenue, but such measures will not reduce the size  
> of the pile by very much.  Indeed, it will only create a bit more  
> more landfill space that can be sold to outsiders.  We need to  
> radically transform the whole system, not try to modify it slightly.
>
> Corporate dumpers should be held to the highest standards, no  
> argument there.  The reason they are not held to high standards is  
> that there is a serious glut of landfill space.  In their 2004  
> annual report, allied Waste bragged that they owned 36 years worth  
> of of landfill space:
>
> http://www.albanyweblog.com/2006/10-Oct/10-22-06.html
>
> That doesn't include contracts with municipalities.  Allied doesn't  
> need our "landfill," Jerry Jennings needs Allied to balance his  
> budget.  Thus, the City is not in a position to scare off  
> contributors to the trash pile by holding them to a higher standard.
>
> As for saving electricity, in the past, municipalities like Albany  
> made flat low rate contracts for power during the night, so that it  
> didn't matter if the streetlights were on or not.  This was because  
> there's a big surplus of electricity at night, when demand is very  
> low.  I know this was still true about five years ago, who knows  
> what the power monopoly has negotiated with the City since then.
>
> -Dan Van Riper
>
>
> On Jun 30, 2007, at 12:57 PM, Lynne Jackson wrote:
>
>> Sally,
>>
>> Here are a couple of ideas-
>>
>> Eliminate or reduce the number of street lights throughout the  
>> city – for example on Washington Ave Ext there are way too many  
>> and unnecessary street lights. There are almost 100 street lights  
>> between Fuller Rd and Rt. 155 and by reducing this number in half  
>> the city would reduce its carbon footprint and say money. Private  
>> area lighting (PAL) costs the city approximately $100 per year per  
>> street light.
>> The installation and construction of traffic signals in a typical  
>> intersection cost in excess of $100,000. Why is it necessary for  
>> this city to have such elaborate traffic signals that hang so high  
>> in the air. Look at most major cities (NYC) and you will see that  
>> traffic lights are simply mounted on existing street lamps or  
>> power poles or small low impact poles.
>> Why does the city pave and put in new curbs and sidewalks on a  
>> small dead end street that contains only two homes in Washington  
>> Park near State St. Estimated cost $250,000.
>> There is existing city ordinances to fine residents who violate  
>> the required recycling regulations for failure to separate their  
>> trash. Has the city ever enforced this regulation? Think of the  
>> money that could be generated by this and the positive impact on  
>> recycling.
>> Clear plastic bags should be mandatory of all resident's trash –  
>> how else can you determine what is being thrown away.
>> Recycling bins (plastic, newspaper, etc) should be installed  
>> throughout the downtown area. Additional revenue could be achieved  
>> by recycling these products.
>> Food scraps should be separated from regular trash and composted.  
>> This product could potentially be packaged and sold to generate  
>> revenue.
>> Households should be limited to 1 garbage can of trash per week.  
>> Anything additional would require a sticker available for purchase  
>> from the city at $5 each. Along these lines the city continues to  
>> pick up computer monitors when left curbside – these items should  
>> require a special sticker. Residents are supposed to save these  
>> types of items for hazardous waste days but there is very limited  
>> participation by residents.
>> The city should begin recycling plastic products marked 3, 4, and  
>> 5 (currently only 1 and 2 are accepted).  Properly administered  
>> this could be revenue neutral and reduce filling valuable landfill  
>> space.
>> Commercial haulers are required by law to separate their trash,  
>> however there is little or no enforcement of this at the landfill  
>> site. At the landfill entrance the sign indicates that yard waste  
>> is not allowed, yet it is a known fact that commercial haulers  
>> intermingle this with the regular trash. Fines should be levied on  
>> a regular basis to address this issue.
>>
>> Thanks for your efforts.
>>
>> Bob Dorkin
>>
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