[Announce] Re; Wanted: Ideas!

[Daniel W. Van Riper]

One more thing, about item #7 below.  The City used to pick up  
household food scraps separately until the 1970s, which were sold  
primarily to pig farmers.  Then new regulations to combat trichinosis  
came in.  The City was told they had to buy a cooker to sterilize the  
food waste before selling it.  Rather than buy the equipment, they  
chose to stop pick up of food scraps and let it all go to the  
landfill.  Surely this could be looked into again.

As for item #2, if we severely cut back on suburban auto traffic and  
create a walkable, bikable City, then maybe we can save on auto  
traffic signals and other equipment.  Big time.

-Dan VR


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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