OK, folks, I'm throwing in "2 cents" whether some like it or not... speaking
of "racist attitude": Recyling and trash pickup should NOT be considered a
"cultural" thing... and Californians should NOT be cut down for getting it
together on issues like this LONG before it's needed to become a mandate in NM.
This is something that is absolutely necessary to survive as a human race, and
GET OFF this racist attitude of judging someone as to where they are born,
bred, or lived. YES, I have lived in CA, AFTER living in NM, and SEEN positive
changes like this. Santa Monica and the City of Los Angeles have 3 types of
trash receptacles, and in many ways has set a precedent for other communities
to follow. I HOPE people here don't hold it against them. It's been happening
there since the early 1990's. I have been to Sunland, CA, and seen a MOUNTAIN
of compostable trash, that is converted to mulch, and re-sold to the public.
#1 is a green trash container, for yard trimmings, dirt, or other green
compost.
#2 is blue, for recyclables, including glass, many plastics [but not all],
metals, paper, and cardboard.
#3 is black, for garbage deemed 'not worthy' of recycling.
The only real challenging issue they have with this is homeless/vagrants
stealing recyclables from city issued containers, to take down and sell. They
only steal the "expensive" stuff like high end plastics and/or aluminum cans,
and sometimes make a big mess in alleys. Some apt. complexes and other large
households now have to lock their containers for this reason, and also to keep
people [like paparazzi] from stealing vital records that are trashed, and not
shredded.
In Santa Fe, where I also lived, I think they are too strict. They refused to
pick up recyclables, unless they were separated according to glass in one
container, only certain grades of plastic in another, and only certain grades
of metal and / or newspaper tied or bunched together separate, as well as card
board bunched separate and tied as a unit. Otherwise, they refused to pick it
up, and said just throw it away. I think it is extremely wasteful to be so
strict, and there is not the vagrant problem because there are no outlets for
the general public to "sell" recyclables like there are in LA area.
Out here in Dilia, it is too lenient - just big containers here and there for
everything. Sometimes people don't close them after throwing things away, and
the wind blows stuff everywhere. I guess people are just "afraid to get their
hands dirty", or just too lazy to close them after they're done.
Do you remember a few weeks ago, when the price of oil / gasoline went down
significantly, before the latest price gouge? That happened RIGHT AFTER
General Motors invested with a company being developed in Illinois to
manufacture oil / gasoline from garbage, old computers, plastics, lawn
trimmings, etc... for UNDER $2.00 / gallon by the time it hits the pumps. The
latest price gouge is a result of a huge refinery fire in Texas, coupled with
OPEC's and other "Big Boys" using this as an excuse to make bigger profits.
Why can't Richardson as well as Senators, Congressmen, Mayors, etc. do their
jobs and LOBBY to get factories like this making oil in NM??? We already got
the $100 million needed to put up a huge factory making solar collectors [near
Albuquerque]. Why not make our own fuel, from our own garbage and junk? This
would be a great step in becoming a sustainable community. There is a company
that's been doing this for a long time in York, PA area. Last I heard they
could make oil like the new company planned in Illinois, for $10-12 per
barrel... What's the Saudi's - ya' know, that Bin Laden family that has
padded the "Bush Boys'" pockets get right now? Around $100/barrel. Can you
see why this has not been mandated by Govt.?
There's a lot of PROFIT to be made right now, by a "chosen few" in Iraq, led by
the "Saudi Cartel", while we waste our good / necessary military... but how do
Clinton and Obama stand on this issue? "Reduce" our troops, but continue the
"occupation" with a troop deployment of "at least" 25-50,000, to protect the
"green zone" and biggest embassy in the history of the World, built there by
the U.S. Obama has even backed off from earlier negations of Blackwater, the
mercenary force, now maintaining a position believing they need to "stay there"
to protect "our interests"... so much for "politics as usual"... and you
wonder why Nader wants back in as a "spoiler"? Because he supports TOTAL
withdrawal, while both Kucinich and Ron Brown are now out of the race.
Isn't our Country great? Or am I missing something? When will people in this
Country get REALLY informed, and quit being "brainwashed" by major media
interests [especially Fox News], as well as profiteering War hardware
manufacturers, that so far seem to have the "upper hand" in deciding where
Govt. funding goes?
When will people support needed education programs that are FAR superior to
incarceration, when dealing with dangerous and deadly drugs? When will these
addicts be given an opportunity to excel in life, with a real livelihood, so
they can support their families in a legitimate way?... or is feeding the
Chinese and Saudi Oil Cartels more important?
I could go on...
Dennis Knicely