[Grovenet] Plastic recycling news/Storm

Thu Dec 6 15:39:33 PST 2007

RECYCLING: - Good points, Ron.

STORM: <Ron said, "No injuries in our area, Geri!">

          That's excellent news.

          We had the falling and snapping-off of tall firs
          last time we had the major wind storms (last
          spring?), but lucked out this time, even though
          more would probably break if blown just right.

          Glad you got your power back.  I know from
          experience it's not much fun without ... unless
          you planned on camping out!   ;-)   Thanks for
          your comprehensive report.

          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 9:10 AM
Subject: Re: [Grovenet] Plastic recycling news/Storm

> 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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