A drive down any local road would confirm what letter writer B. Davis states.
The city and surrounding area are a-wash in refuse. Yes, there is a landfill. It starts at College Way and goes all the way to Birnie Road.
What’s to be done?
Environmentally appropriate options are decisions, starting with “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.”
Several years ago, it was heartening to hear Greta Thunberg’s “now generation” beating the drum for environmental activism. Turn to Page 22 (Morning Star 29/4/21) that shows a consumer explosion of plastic driven into the ground by grad pranksters and we know her message is falling on deaf ears. And you are the hope for the future?
Look to yourselves first before you start blaming the generations that have come before you. Living in close proximity to a convenience store, I see students every day tossing their leftover containers, wrappers, plastic cups, masks and gloves to the roadside: “The world is my garbage can.”
Solutions to the litter – stop littering.
Parents, teach your children to dispose of refuse properly. Be the example and show respect for the planet. Appropriate authorities, start fining appropriately and tag payment to the renewal of a person’s driver’s licence.
City Hall: Please put a garbage receptacle by the bus stop on the newly-refurbished 15th Street.
Re: Page A11, Morning Star, 29/4/21, thank you city councillor Nahal for advocating the collection of organic waste and let’s hope people will do so.
Somewhere in that tax hike could there be a program for support of individuals who participate in neighbourhood litter collection? Let’s come up with something, even free collection bags for volunteers.
Both sides of Highway 6 from Aberdeen into town are littered with tires, totes, pieces of carpet, insulation, plastic galore and construction/vehicle cast-offs. Could a volunteer work party be organized, supported with safety equipment from the city, to pick up these heavy and large items?
Three years ago, I made a personal decision to wage my own “war” on garbage.
One day a week, weather permitting, I collect garbage on both sides of 15th from Highway 6 to Pottery, including the riparian areas frequented by wildlife.
This always yields a bag full, as well as a random collection of objects too large for the bag: boxes, buckets, car parts, clothing, laundry baskets, pieces and sheets of insulation, totes, furniture, etc. Lots of alcoholic beverage containers, too.
It’s a glamourless undertaking, but I do try to make it fun with my own “Triple Rotten Tomato Trophy.”
Last week’s was awarded equally between the following two in-‘duh’ -viduals: the dog walker who conscientiously collected behind their dog and then absent-of-mind, threw the plastic bag and contents into the riparian area; and the person who used a partly-filled bottle of water as a cigarette butt receptacle and then threw it out the window when it was deemed full enough.
Don’t even get me started on beautiful Kal Park, where dog mess is everywhere.
The challenge goes out to other individuals to collect in your own neighbourhood.
If you are a walker, take a bag once in a while to collect and dispose. We are allowed two bags weekly; I add mine to our home limit.
If you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem. Maybe I’ll start taking pictures of offenders? Smile for the birdie!
Audrey D. Maynard