Our Challenge - Our Opportunity
Written by Portia Sinnott in June 2004; updated February 2005.
It is said that the Chinese cuneiform for danger is a combination of
the characters for crisis and opportunity. Let's treat Sonoma County's landfill challenge as an opportunity and get organized. Public officials,
community activists, recycling and waste reduction experts and all other
interested parties are invited to take part in this dialog.
Due to groundwater contamination problems, the long planned expansion
of Central Landfill has been put on hold. A large
proportion of Sonoma County's waste is now being exported to a
privately owned landfill in Solano County - almost 50 miles away. As of
July 1, 2004 our tipping fees increased 27%, from $55.90 per ton to $71
per ton, and household and business trash bills are due to go up
proportionally. We are now on par with New Your City! (BioCycle
Magazine, October 2004.)
As presented at a special Board of Supervisors Meeting on June 22,
2004 and reported in the Press Democrat on June 24, the options being
considered include locating and creating a new landfill, building a huge
trash digesting plant that could burn or sell the resulting methane for
energy, and/or exporting even more tonnage out of county.
All of these options will result in even higher costs and/or
public outcry!
Let's Talk Landfill Alternatives - Provide each city with
accurate quarterly waste, recycling and diversion report cards.
Publicize the results and get communities to compete. Greatly increase
waste reduction and recycling education for both businesses and
households. Divert all organics from the landfill. Improve
and expand the recycling and reuse infrastructure. Institute mandatory
recycling. Encourage the
development of local reuse enterprises i.e. Community Bikes, which
repairs unwanted bikes or the Strauss Family Creamery, which sells milk
in refillable bottles. Set higher and higher recycling and diversion
goals. Let's take aim at zero waste or darn close!
What does Zero Waste Mean? - "Zero Waste is a philosophy
and a design principle for the 21st Century. It includes 'recycling' but
goes beyond recycling by taking a 'whole system' approach to the vast
flow of resources and waste through human society. Zero Waste maximizes
recycling, minimizes waste, reduces consumption and ensures that
products are made to be reused, repaired or recycled back into nature or
the marketplace." -- Grassroots Recycling Network (See Resources
below.)
Think Globally, Act Locally! - Zero Waste is a global
movement. In New Zealand 45% of the local governments have adopted zero
waste from landfill polices. Canada, India, Korea, the Philippines,
Brazil, Namibia and many European countries also have zero waste
initiatives. Based on the number of zero waste policies and resolutions
listed on the GRRN Zero Waste Web pages, California appears to have the
most active US movement.
1999 Santa Cruz County resolved to encourage
the pursuit of zero waste as a long-term goal
2000 Del Norte County Waste Management Authority
adopted a 170-page Zero Waste Plan
2000 Sixteen San Bernardino communities,
including the County, created Zero Waste Communities of San Bernardino
County to set educate their residents and businesses about zero
waste
2001 The California Integrated Waste Management
Board adopted a Zero Waste Philosophy
2002 City and County of San Francisco Board of
Supervisors set a goal of zero waste by 2020
2004 On September 3, the Zero Waste Task Force of
Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties adopted a Zero Waste Communities
Strategy that encourages communities to go beyond the state's AB939 goal
of 50% waste diversion by adopting a Zero Waste goal and developing a
tailored Zero Waste Plan.
Let's Add Sonoma County To The List! - Next steps may include:
Research, meetings, email discussions and articles, outreach to 250+
Sustainability related groups in Sonoma County, presentations
in each Supervisorial District and to selected groups, a Zero Waste
presentation to the Board of Supervisors, the adoption of the zero waste
philosophy, and development of zero waste goals and policies. |