Something’s rotten in Olds. It’s a proposal before council, outlined in the article No green bin pickup in Olds proposed this winter to help cut costs that would radically cut garbage collection.
This could create a stink.
The main target of the cuts would be green bins. They would not be collected over the winter months with householders left to their own devices in disposing of food waste. They could dump it in their black bin (which won’t be emptied any more often) or perhaps make a backyard compost heap that would attract pests like skunks, or stash it in a storage bin by the back door whose inevitable bad smell will annoy even the best of neighbours.
The generous quantity of fresh vegetables and fruit in local grocery stores show that many residents enjoy the quaint and nutritious practice of preparing meals from scratch. They won’t be happy trying to stuff their food waste down the garburator day after day.
In addition to the household green bin elimination, the large communal bins dotted around the town, used for garden waste like grass clippings and leaves, will be reduced from 100 to 40 – a 60 per cent cut.
Good luck with that. We’ll need it since it’s already difficult to find space in the existing bins during spring (dethatching and pruning) and fall (leaf collection). It might be that some frustrated gardeners will even dump their waste clandestinely in forbidden places.
It doesn’t seem long ago since we were surveyed by the Town of Olds about a proposal to increase the number of household bins. With this new proposal to cut bin use on the table, will Olds’ citizens be asked their opinions on such an important issue?
As with all proposed cuts, the main reason cited is increased costs.
Before council wields the axe, let’s consider the role of garbage pick-up in municipal government. It’s essential, certainly unglamorous, but along with clean water, sewage disposal, law and order and good roads, part of the bedrock of civilized living.
Perhaps we’ve lost sight of that when we embark on costly “nice to have” items like skating rinks, firework displays and a traffic circle that goes nowhere.
When it comes time to make a decision on this proposal, I urge council to examine their priorities and get back to basics.
Ian Taylor,
Olds
