Downtown Lifestyles: Do you recycle?
With all due respect to Kermit the Frog, sometimes it is easy being green. If Earth Day last weekend started you thinking about simple ways to go eco-friendly, here’s one of the easiest: answering a few quick questions about recycling. The Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio and Capital Crossroads are celebrating Earth Day by surveying downtown residents, employees and business owners about recycling interest and habits. With more than 100,000 employees and 3,200 businesses, downtown is one of the largest producers of recyclables such as paper, cardboard and cans. At least, that’s what city stewards are guessing. Until now, no one has actually tracked how much trash downtown produces, and how much of that might be getting recycled. The idea is ultimately to develop an easy, cost-effective recycling program for the area that will reduce waste and pollution and save room in the county’s landfill. “We believe today’s throwaways are a resource to tap to protect the environment, promote economic development, and develop and save energy,” said SWACO’s John Remy. SWACO, which operates the Franklin County landfill, is exploring alternatives fuels as well; it has added a hybrid truck to its fleet that uses landfill gas and bio-diesel, and there are plans to use landfill gas to heat the SWACO offices. Currently SWACO provides more than 60 recycling drop off-locations throughout the county, including at major sporting and entertainment venues, Columbus Public Schools and Port Columbus International Airport. Click here for more info.
