SIMPLE RECYCLING SERVICE IN DANGER!

    I was so happy when Simple Recycling came to Austin. I had heard about them from friends in the Houston area who loved this curbside pick-up and recycling service. Since they started in Austin, Simple Recycling has diverted over 200,000 pounds of textiles from the landfill. Over 6800 Austin residents have participated so far.
    Now, on the January 26 Austin City Council meeting agenda, item #42 proposes to cancel the 3-year Simple Recycling contract immediately. The reason is that Goodwill and several other charitable organizations "BELIEVE" that their donations have been negatively impacted by this curbside service. These organizations have no data to prove this at this time.
    I believe we need many ways to help reach Zero Waste by 2040 and Simple Recycling offers one of these ways. They take items that most people just throw into their trash bins - that single tennis shoe, torn t-shirt, ratty towels, and torn underwear. No charity store can sell these items, so now with Simple Recycling, they do not go to the landfill.
    I still donate to my favorite charity, as do most of my friends and neighbors. Simple Recycling has not taken that choice away from me. Now these charitable organizations are trying to take my recycling choice away.
    There should always be discussion about this issue, but while these discussions are taking place, Simple Recycling should be allowed to continue its curbside service.
    This vote will happen tomorrow. If you feel strongly about simple Recycling continuing in Austin, please contact your City Council representative today. You can send one email to all City Council members at this address: <https://austintexas.gov/email/all-council-members>.

PLEASE HELP KEEP THAT T-SHIRT OUT OF THE TRASH CAN!

BULK COLLECTION ALERT

I love Bulk Collection week in our neighborhood.  It is a wonderful form of recycling – set out what you no longer want and others take it for their reuse or to sell. Whatever is left over, the City of Austin picks up and ALL OF THAT GOES INTO THE LANDFILL.

I never thought about the leftovers going into the landfill.  Rarely do I have anything left for the City to pick up.  I started thinking about this when my portable electric heater broke.  I was excited because Bulk Collection is next week.  Then I wondered what would happen to my broken electric heater.

If I leave it out for the City, it goes to the landfill OR I can take it to the Reuse and Recycling Drop Off Center where the components (electric, plastic and metal) will be recycled.

Clearly, I need to rethink what I put out for Bulk Collection.  From now on, I will take anything that is broken and can be recycled to the Reuse and Recycling Drop Off Center.  For example, broken appliances and broken lawn furniture probably have no appeal to people scouring the neighborhood, but are recycled when taken to the Reuse and Recycling Drop Off Center.

Before the City truck comes by, I will re-evaluate anything that I have set out to see if there is some alternative other than the landfill.

That is my plan.  Do you have any suggestions or comments?  If so, feel free to post on this blog.

If you have any other recycling questions please post them.  I will happily research the answer and post it.