Last week I looked a few articles covering global trends in Green Politics, this week I’m going micro and discussing a couple of stories about local Green.
Florida is going Green from the Ground Up. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection has launched an initiative that “provides the lodging industry with free technical assistance, encouraging hotels and motels to adopt cost-saving “green” practices that reduce waste, conserve natural resources and improve the bottom line.” My home state of Florida is a hotspot for tourists so this imitative could be a huge step towards Green if the lodging industry participates in this initiative.
Gwinnett County, Georgia is getting serious about recycling by imposing a $500 fine for those who don’t separate recyclables from trash. It is good to see my last state of residence taking such a strong step towards Green. I for one support punitive measures, if and only if the government has made things relatively easy for citizens to be Green. In this case it is warranted because you can't get much easier than curb-side recycling.
As for my current locale, after living in Gainesville, Fl and Athens, Ga, where curb-side recycling is the norm, it’s sad to live in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, where not only is curb-side recycling not available but you can’t even recycle glass anywhere in the county. And Hattiesburg is a freaking college town! Imagine the rest of Mississippi. Not to be too hard on my new home, but we have a long way to go.
What’s going on in your local areas? What needs to happen?
Local Green
(Side note: It's snowing, I mean full on snowing, here in Mississippi today. Crazy.)
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10 comments:
I'm pretty lucky. My little city, The Colony, part of the Dallas-Ft. Worth metro area, has an awesome recycling program. They give you two heavy-duty trash receptacles, one for recycling and another for the rest. Curbside takeaway of course.
At my last residence, in Addison (also part of DFW), we lived in 5-story apartment building, so we had to carry our recycling down to the parking garage on the first floor, which wasn't too inconvenient.
Even in little Auburndale there is curbside pickup. My mom keeps a red wagon out in the garage with smaller trash cans in it. One can for each plastic, paper, aluminum, and glass. Makes it really easy to just wheel the recyclables out to the curb.
No recycling in LA (Lake Alfred), but Polk City has got it, so go figure.
On item #1, I think if business owners are made aware (free technical assistance) that these changes can and will impact their bottom line positively, they will begin to adopt them. I like Mike's experience from Italy where the hotel rooms had a switch (or twist-timer) that powered down the room when you weren't in it. Think of how many times you check into a hotel, crank the air down as low as it will go and then go out for 14 hours only to come back and it's so cold you're nipples get hard.
On your side note: So much for global warming, huh?
Yeah, it's friggin cold in Dallas! global warming is a myth! It's global WEIRDING as Thomas Friedman calls it. Cold then hot, wet then dry.
Anyways, about the hotel air-conditioning thing, I get giddy just thinking about how cold I can get the room while I'm gone. I love when I wake up in the night shivering and have to turn it down. That's awesome. It's not so eco-friendly though, so yes, the system that I experienced in Italy is far superior. You had to slide your room card into the slot to power your room. No card, no power.
maybe the guy who lives in Hattiesburg, MS could go down to his local city council meeting and try and get the city to initiate curb side pick-up and glass recycling. this is a good time to do this too because supposedly obama is going to sending money to state and local communities for various projects that will be environmental and create jobs. the city of hattiesburg could create jobs and help the environment. i bet this guy could even get some of the local college professors to go down to the city council with him and there are probably some who are really knowledgeable on the subject.
Throwing down the ole' gauntlet eh Anonymous? I'll accept your challenge. I visited the official city website for Hattiesburg (www.hattiesburgms.com) and while it does not list when the next City Council meeting is, based on the archived agendas it is usually mid-month. I should be able to research and come up with a proposal for the February meeting. I'll be sure to report what happens here at The Greeniuses.
On a side note, how do you know you are living in the Bible belt? When this is the City Council's agenda:
PROPOSED AGENDA
HATTIESBURG CITY COUNCIL
6:00 P.M. DECEMBER 16, 2008
I. Call to Order
II. Call to Prayer and Pledge of Allegiance
III. Agenda Order
IV. PRESENTATION AGENDA
V. POLICY AGENDA
1. Take from the TABLE and APPROVE or DENY to adopt the Ordinance for the petition filed by Wesley Laughrey, owner, to change the zoning classification of certain property located at 128 […]
Yes, you are in the deeeeeeeeeeeep South brother. Good luck at the meeting. Let me know if you need any help.
I guess that puts me on the clock in LA (Lake Alfred). Good thing I know the (soon to be former) mayor, Ed Smith. He was my history teacher in Middle School and I called him an idiot in class. I'll let you know what happens.
Good to hear Trevor! A little competition between us will motivate me even more.
Time to put MY money where YOUR mouths are...
Here's my offer: I will buy dinner at a restaurant of your choice for the first person to attend a council meeting and get recycling on the agenda in your name.
You want steak & lobster, you got it. Buki, I hope you win b/c you're a vegetarian and tofurkey doesn't cost as much as surf & turf.
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