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Thursday, Feb. 28, 2013 | 2:02 a.m.
Another view?
View more of the Las Vegas Sun's opinion section:
• Editorials - the Sun's viewpoint.
• Columnists - local and syndicated writers.
• Letters to the editor - readers' views.
Have your own opinion? Write a letter to the editor.
The recent spate of letters arguing against once-a-week trash pickup and increased recycling are becoming maddening, petty and just plain destructive.
Recycling works. And it greatly decreases your accumulation of trash. Period.
I have overflowing bins of recycling at the end of the week and barely enough trash to put out once a week, much less twice. And I have three dogs. And I eat food, probably the same as many of the letter writers who whine that it can’t be done.
Those who say otherwise are either refusing to try or are lazy. Sorry to be so blunt, but it is becoming infuriating to hear repeatedly that many people say they can’t do something that many more of us are doing easily, happily and effortlessly.
As for the cost, get over it. Once you are proficient at recycling — which an elementary school student can easily master in an hour — you will realize that Republic Services is supplying a perfectly adequate and low-priced service while putting fewer, yet more efficient, trucks on the road.
Less pollution, less strain on our infrastructure, fewer injuries and a greater investment in our future. Do you really think it’s the best use of your time and efforts to try to get your Republic bill reduced by 80 cents a month or some similarly petty figure?
How about waking up tomorrow and trying, instead of crying?
The letter writer is not affiliated with Republic Services.
Spot on Tim and well written. The larger recycling bin leads to more recycling and fewer recyclable items dumped as trash in landfills. It's a smart move that many US cities have had in place with its garbage service provider for nearly 20 years now.
Tim - A great letter.
Republic Services does a yeoman's job. Thank you.
CarmineD
Kerfuffle or no kerfuffle, I have seen no good reason to change the system. If you are opposed to twice a week trash pickup, put it out once a week. Who is stopping you?
If you want a BIG NEW SHINY RECYCLING CONTAINER and make enough recycling to fill one of them EVERY week, buy two of them.
There have been no real public movement's or demonstrations saying "Cut our trash pickups". The Republic Services brown nosers are the people whining that we should be doing things their way.
I'm pretty sure that we would have at least a 20% reduction in force if these changes are adopted and we know that Carmine and Freeman love pink slips more than they love their neighbors, oops, no trash workers behind their gated communities...
...A no layoffs of current employees addition to the agreement could be acceptable if it had teeth to sway me, but I don't think that is happening soon.
JeffFromVegas,
I stand by my point regarding recycling that I made in my comment above. No one so far has compelled me to add to what I've already written.
Freeman says:
"JeffFromVegas,
I stand by my point regarding recycling that I made in my comment above. No one so far has compelled me to add to what I've already written."
I say:
Are you contracting with Republic Services to be the guy who does the downsizing?
You have been very proud of your work in this area particularly when unions are involved.
JeffFromVegas,
Is there a reason why you are going off topic?
Recycling garbage is akin to wearing heavy make-up over an acne riddled face. It might seem effective, but it doesn't actually solve the actual issue. If we are recycling to "conserve resources", then the real issue is we either aren't packaging our products correctly, or we simply have too many individuals for the available resources. Either way, feel free to recycle, I won't be wasting my time doing so.
Freeman asks:
"JeffFromVegas,
Is there a reason why you are going off topic?"
I say:
If the answer is yes to my query, then disclosure should be given, the same way it should be if I was working with, for instance, Waste Management in trying to elbow Republic Services out of their Clark County monopoly.
Jeff:
I talked with the Republic Services' employees who served my community for 6 years about the change to one day a week pick up. They were in favor and said to me, and the neighbors, that they would be reassigned to other work related duties on the off day. So there would be no loss in pay and hours. They were totally on-board with change.
CarmineD
BTW Jeff, I'm not in a gated community. Neither is my daughter and her family who are also served by Republic Services.
Are you?
CarmineD
JeffFromVegas,
The subject is recycling, not me.