THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, May 10, 1996 TAG: 9605100004
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A14 EDITION: FINAL
LENGTH: Medium: 70 lines
Virginia Beach has taken a huge step backward by discontinuing curbside recycling.
The schools are doing an outstanding job of teaching the children the need to protect our environment, and the children are, in turn, educating their parents and neighbors. Ending curbside recycling is certainly sending the wrong message to our children.
While I have never considered recyclables ``garbage,'' I would hesitate to fill my car with these items and drive them to a center. On occasion I have taken newspapers to one of the current centers and was nearly overcome with the stench of garbage and had to force the papers into the bin, as it was already full. There were dirty bottles and broken glass everywhere.
I would happily pay several dollars a month for the convenience of curbside recycling.
I recall that several years ago when I lived in Richmond, we had to pay a private company approximately $15 a month for garbage pickup. So when I moved to Virginia Beach and had city garbage pickup and curbside recycling, I thought I had moved to a city with a vision.
Wake up, City Council! Most of residents will take the step backward with you: They will dump their recyclables in the garbage to be taken to the landfill.
Let's keep Virginia Beach a city with a vision. Explore other alternatives for recycling before implementing this ill-conceived plan.
PAM MONAHAN
Virginia Beach, May 1, 1996
I support Virginia Beach City Hall's move to end curbside recycling, since it was of no benefit to me. I live in a condominium neighborhood, and SPSA will not do curbside recycling in our area.
Come to think of it, I do not get the benefit of any city services; trash collection, snow removal or street repairs. We members of the condominium association must pay for these services ourselves, even though we are taxed and should have these services provided.
So I and all of the condominium-association neighborhood residents within the city, have not lost anything. The saved tax dollars could be put toward a project that will benefit all residents, not just a selected few. If other residents wish to have curbside recycling, let them pay for it personally and not use my tax dollars for a project I cannot be part of.
The same ought to hold true for all city services, such as trash collection. Only the residents able to use the program should be charged
ALAN ALTO
Virginia Beach, May 6, 1996
Curbside recycling is an effective and convenient method of conserving energy and natural resources and easing the burden on our rapidly filling landfills. By ending this program, it is unlikely that Virginia Beach will meet the Environmental Protection Agency's recommendation that 25 percent of all household garbage be recycled. If the majority of Virginia Beach citizens use the drop-off centers, air pollution will increase due to all the additional automobile trips. The combination of the chemicals in automobile exhaust and moisture create acid rain, which is detrimental to our waterways, forests and bridges. What is an environmentally concerned citizen to do?
If the current curbside recycling program is inefficient and costly, then the system should be evaluated and improved, not abandoned. The cost of abandoning curbside recycling is far greater on a global level than the cost saved on the local level.
ELLYN S. MEAD
Virginia Beach, April 30, 1996 by CNB