[Grovenet] Plastic recycling news/Storm

Thu Dec 6 09:10:18 PST 2007

RECYCLING: - the companies here on the coast must spend much more per pickup
than WM in both labor and truck expenses. Here they have a huge area to
cover with a population density that must be about 1/4 or less of that in
Forest Grove. That's a lot more miles of truck movement per can than there. 

One thing about WM that came to my attention about the time we were
preparing to relocate so I didn't put my "oar in the water" over it was a
bill insert from WM that spoke of all the grants of money WM makes for
various causes: parks, wetlands support, etc. 

WM is the only option for weekly curbside pickup available, and they get to
pad their bills to collect extra money to turn around and give away for
causes *they* think are appropriate.

To me, that's a form of taxation without representation. It's one thing if a
business in a free, competitive market chooses to turn over some of their
revenues to various causes. If they charge too much, customers will buy
elsewhere, but this is a situation were there are no competitors customers
can select. So with the bill one pays a bit of "vigorish" the company can
dispose of as they see fit and then crow about how public-spirited they are!

STORM: No injuries in our area, Geri! 

Winds did hit 100 mph at times and we lost some fir trees - older trees no
longer flexible enough to handle the pressure (a lesson for us humans, too,
I think). I've got two 40-footers leaning into nearby trees that I'll need
to get help dropping onto the ground (I'm not excited about the idea of
cutting loose a few tons of wood from under it!) and two more hanging at
crazy angles across the creek that forms our north and east boundaries. 

We're set for firewood for next year at least! 

We were out of electrical power for 30 hours with the lights coming on again
late Monday. Parts of the north coast are still dark today. I was in Lincoln
City yesterday: they just got power back in most of the town. Some large
signs were bent over and Chinook Winds Casino lost one exterior wall, peeled
off by the winds. The Casino didn't miss a beat, though, staying open to
record crowds using their large motor generators! 

In spite of a 40 foot storm surge, US101 stayed dry almost everywhere around
the Newport area. No significant damage or long-time closures, unlike places
like Seaside which I heard had waves washing down the streets! 

Our neighborhood emergency committee sprang into action and kept the roads
cleared of downed trees. They had already gone door to door some weeks ago
checking and helping clear culverts to ensure there were no blockages that
would flood roads, so we had no trouble getting in or out as needed. Of
course folks here really do keep a weeks supply of food and water on hand in
case it's needed. 

We watched this thing approach for several days on the NOAA internet WEB
site, holding our breath and getting ready. It made landfall exactly as
expected. Bet the folks on the Atlantic coast wished hurricanes were as easy
to predict! The unknown is always the amount of rainfall. You in Forest
Grove and the whole northwest Oregon/southern Washington areas got far more
then we did. We only saw about 3 inches over the Sunday/Monday period as it
came ashore, and maybe an inch since.  

Ron D'Eau Claire 

-----Original Message-----
From: grovenet-bounces at rdrop.com [mailto:grovenet-bounces at rdrop.com] On
Behalf Of Geri
Sent: Thursday, December 06, 2007 7:58 AM
To: Forest Grove local interests list
Subject: Re: [Grovenet] Plastic recycling news/Storm

<sigh>  I remember when WM was $30/mo., or less if you
took less service/smaller can/etc.....

I sure wish WM did take all the plastics!

Change of subject:
Ron, evidently you guys made it through the stormy stuff
okay -- Any effects in Newport?

Geri

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ron D'Eau Claire" <ron at cobi.biz>
To: "'Forest Grove local interests list'" <grovenet at rdrop.com>
Sent: Thursday, December 06, 2007 7:49 AM
Subject: Re: [Grovenet] Plastic recycling news

> It begs the question; why doesn't WM just take all plastics since the
> options are recycle or landfill, both of which WM handles?
> 
> Here in the Newport area that's how our local waste handlers do it.
> The general rule is that if it isn't something that will start to 
> smell in two days, put it in the recycle bin.
> 
> And, interestingly, they provide us with that "extended" service for
> all potential recyclables with the same weekly sort of curbside 
> service you get, but our service costs a total of $17.40 a month 
> compared to WM's bill of $62/month!
> 
> To be fair, our local service (Thompson's Sanitary Service) does not
> offer extra containers for yard debris at that price. One either fits 
> whatever they want hauled into the "garbage" bin headed for the 
> landfill or has an extra pickup arranged. Of course, around here most 
> of that stuff is chipped, mulched or composted and the remainder 
> burned. But $44/month for a yard waste bin? That's sounds a bit "over 
> the top"!
> 
> Ron D'Eau Claire
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: grovenet-bounces at rdrop.com [mailto:grovenet-bounces at rdrop.com]
> On Behalf Of Geri
> Sent: Thursday, December 06, 2007 7:25 AM
> To: Forest Grove local interests list
> Subject: Re: [Grovenet] Plastic recycling news
> 
> 
> Katie, thanks much for passing on this info.  We've been happy with
> the improvements and additional items WM has been taking for 
> recycling, but there is always the rest of those things we don't want 
> to go straight into a land fill . . .
> 
> : )  Geri
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Katie Allnutt" <allnutt at verizon.net>
> To: "Forest Grove local interests list" <grovenet at rdrop.com>
> Sent: Thursday, December 06, 2007 7:15 AM
> Subject: [Grovenet] Plastic recycling news
> 
> 
> Interesting stuff about what when and where to recycle plastics....
> 
> Begin forwarded message:  ...................
> 
> 
> 
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> GroveNet at rdrop.com http://www.rdrop.com/mailman/listinfo/grovenet
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