To the Editor:

Schools, television, and the media are constantly reminding us to recycle and how to do it properly. Most families have started recycling earnestly and it has very noticeable effects on the
environment. However, in Mattapoisett, my complaint is that recycling is only picked up every other week, which isn’t often enough. Instead of being collected like the trash every week, it has to sit for another seven days before it’s taken. In large families, like mine, we produce a lot of waste, and try to recycle as much of it as possible. Unfortunately, our recycling bin gets filled up very quickly, and with no room left, we end up putting everything in the trash.

It is possible to request an extra recycling bin, but then it’s difficult to store and take all those bins to the side of the road. If recycling was collected with the trash every week, people would be more inclined to recycle, which would definitely have positive impacts on the environment.

Another suggestion I have is a bin for lawn waste that could be collected less frequently. We constantly have tree branches, clippings, weeds etc. that get bagged and thrown in the trash.
If there were a bin for all this loose, organic material maybe it could all be collected and turned into rich garden soil. The town could use this soil in public gardens. Plus, it would free up more room in trash bins and reduce landfill waste.

I believe that having recycling and trash collected weekly, would inspire and allow more people to recycle completely. Unfortunately, now once that orange topped bin is full, recycling is
quickly forgotten. These small changes could have extremely positive effects on our Town and the environment in general.

Sincerely,
Eva Elger