|
Comment on this article |
View comments |
Email this Article
|
|
News :: Miscellaneous |
|
Champaign Residents Demand Curbside Recycling |
Current rating: 0 |
by Jennifer Walling
Email: jwalling (nospam) uiuc.edu (unverified!)
Phone: 365-8132
Address: 904 w green #606, Urbana, IL 61801 |
15 Apr 2001
|
In the city of Champaign there exists an ordinance which entitles people who live in houses to a special privilege - for free. Those people that live in apartments, private housing, and greek housing - any housing with more
than four units - are greatly restricted in their ability to perform a service which is economically and environmentally friendly. |
Dear Editor,
In the city of Champaign there exists an ordinance which entitles people who live in houses to a special privilege - for free. Those people that live in apartments, private housing, and greek housing - any housing with more than four units - are greatly restricted in their ability to perform a service which is economically and environmentally friendly.
Champaign's recycling ordinance allows homes of four units or less to receive recycling at no additional cost. Any other types of housing and even businesses must pay an extravagant fee to receive recycling. Nearly half of the residents of Champaign cannot easily recycle. Surveys in the past have indicated that most would recycle if they had pick up. The current drop off site, situated on hagen Drive near K-Mart, is inconvenient for many residents, especially those without transportation.
Recycling is a business that gives a myriad of benefits to the community. It provides a cycle of economic
activity where there once was a dead end. Recycling provides jobs. Recycling keeps our precious resources out of landfills, a place where they will never be seen again. Communities all over the U.S. have proven the benefits of curbside recycling. Urbana has a very successful program. From July of 1999 to June of 2000, Urbana, which has 36,000 people, collected almost as many tons of recyclables as Champaign, which has 63,000 people. Champaign has a perfect model of recycling in Urbana's program. When will Champaign finally adopt this environmentally friendly policy?
All students at the University are affected by this ordinance, whether Champaign is our place of residence or the place that we shop. This ordinance simply isn't fair. This ordinance is environmentally irresponsible. We, students and members of the community at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, request that the city of Champaign change its recycling ordinance to include all housing regardless of size. The residents of Champaign truly do care about recycling, and have worked to change this ordinance for years. We ask that the city of Champaign simply pay attention to the demands of its residents. When will the city of Champaign start listening?
Sincerely,
Jennifer Walling, Recycling Coordinator, Students for Environmental Concerns
Michelle R. Lupei, Director, Students for Environmental Concerns
Rachel A. Bendele, President, Earth Doctors
Laura Huth, Director, Illinois Student Environmental Network; Ward 5 Urbana City Council Representative
Jonathan R. B. Fisher, President, Campus Vegetarian Society |
See also:
www.uiuc.edu/ro/secs
|
|
recycling & funding |
by Sean Rockman
santanu (nospam) umich.edu (unverified) |
Current rating: 0
16 Apr 2001
|
Regarding the issue of changing the city ordinance to include recycling pick up for all housing units in Champaign:
Is the lack of action due to a lack of resources/funding? It sounds like more areas for pick-up means more work, requring more money. Would the pertinent issue be to lobby for more funding for Champaign's recycling program by proposing a new line-item budget to the City of Champaign?
If such a proposal had already been sent, on what grounds did the City of Champaign turn it down?
Very Curious,
Sean "Santanu Rahman" Rockman |
