Editor, The Times:
Trash: Sometimes we love it and sometimes we find it to be nothing but a bunch of extra work. Still, it does present itself to be dealt with every single day of our lives.
Trash costs us money. As individuals and as citizens who live within the TNRD we spend over 50 per cent of our regional district tax dollars ‘dealing’ with trash.
In 2008 we set about to update the plan that helps us realize how much trash costs, how to move it about, how to deal with it. We’ve accomplished our goal of reducing the amount of trash that enters our landfills (we’d set that goal at 30 per cent) by well over 60 per cent. Thanks to the new eco-depot stations the earth in the valley is “breathing” way better than it would have if we’d not have done this work.
PARTICIPATE MORE: Fill in the TNRD’s survey
READ MORE: Eco-depot opens in Clearwater
READ MORE: TNRD solid waste statistics for 2010
Many of you know that I’ve been one of the public monitoring persons from around the region faithfully traveling to have input into this for the last 10 years. I’ve been taking your concerns to these debriefings and having them noted and sent forward to the board of directors and staff.
It is time, right now, to update our next 10 year regional plan. We need YOUR input!
Located throughout the community (i.e. at the District of Clearwater office, Library, my car, the TNRD website) are copies of a survey that we’d like you to fill in and return so that we can see how you prioritize the tasks we’ve identified as necessary to reduce this workload the earth has to deal with over the next 10 year cycle.
Also I’d like to alert you to the fact that there will be a public meeting on Monday, Nov. 27 in Clearwater at Dutch Lake Community Centre, 6 p.m. (other meetings will be held in Kamloops, Merritt and Chase) to gather your verbal thoughts. Watch for the announcement and please plan to attend. Remember – it’s your money; but it’s also your trash!
So, Let’s Talk Trash and get on with planning how we can better reduce our individual impact on future generations and our pocket books.
Cheryl Thomas, member
TNRD Solid Waste Public Advisory Committee