Kermit the Frog once famously sang, "It's not easy being green." But the legendary character obviously never lived in Sundre, where being green actually became much easier last summer.
Kermit the Frog once famously sang, "It's not easy being green."
But the legendary character obviously never lived in Sundre, where being green actually became much easier last summer.
At no additional cost to taxpayers — thanks to grant funding as well as reduced tipping fee costs of transferring less waste to a landfill — municipal officials were able to roll out blue recycling bins to all the homes in town. The service complemented the existing compost and garbage program.
Since the carts were distributed throughout the community, the vast majority of residents have been dutifully and diligently participating in the program.
Jim Hall, operations manager, informed council during its Jan. 23 workshop that about 95 per cent of Sundre's residents use the recycling carts regularly, a figure that he largely derived simply based on what he saw driving up and down local streets since the program was introduced.
Hall told the Round Up he was amazed by the number of blue carts he sees along the municipality's curbs on pickup days.
On average, his family of four, with two cats and two dogs, produces enough waste to fill the garbage container about three-quarters, the compost cart about half full since they mulch their grass clippings, and the recycling bin usually fills up.
"It's quite full but it fits the three-week schedule," he said about the blue cart.
Town staff recently compiled the results of a November survey that aimed to determine how satisfied people are with the service and whether they have any issues or suggestions to improve the system.
While residents largely said they are really happy with the service, there nevertheless remain some issues — namely regarding the new scheduled three-week pickup rotation that replaced the former two-week routine, Hall told officials during the workshop. Click here for that story.
For some people, three weeks is too long before the next pickup, especially during the summer months when the compost bins start to smell foul and also tend to fill up quickly with grass clippings. Although officials encourage residents to mulch grass clippings rather than compost them, Hall said his department would make available a drop-off for grass clippings at the town's shop this spring.
Mayor Terry Leslie said the municipality is halfway through its first year of studying how well the new curbside recycling program is working out with the existing garbage and compost service to meet residents' needs.
"We'll look to the end of June, and that should give us the data to make decisions about how we're going to modify or change some of the schedule," he said, encouraged by the community's rate of participation in the program.
With the municipality's assistance, being green in Sundre has never been so effortless, but don't hesitate to provide feedback as officials continue to investigate possible ways to make it even easier.
— Simon Ducatel, editor
