Why is reducing garbagecollection frequency good for us?

The need to save money is what inspired the East Brunswick mayor and Township Council to propose reducing the number of garbage-collection days.

Opponents of the proposal are concerned about accumulation of garbage between pickup days, and whether the saving is worth it. In the current economy every little bit of saving is worth it. Specifically on the subject of solid waste we need to look beyond our comfort zone.

The volume of garbage that a typical East Brunswick family produces a year is much higher than the world average. We've got to admit it: we're a wasteful society.

Our local landfill is filling up much faster than predicted. Soon, there will not be a place for our waste in the local landfill. That is not only an environmental problem; it will also mean a bigger, much bigger, burden on each and every wallet. We need to reduce the volume of solid waste that is being shipped to the landfill.

Did you know that in many municipalities across the United States a "user-pay" trash-collection system is being used? Each household pays per amount of garbage it produces. You're welcome to check at http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/conserve/ tools/payt/states/06comm.ht m#text.

Wherever user pay has been tried, there has been a quick and lasting drop in garbage output. Garbage went down, and recycling went up. Garbage output reduction was achieved with easy steps like buying things that minimize trash and putting organic waste into backyard composting.

Mayor David Stahl's proposal is to save the town money, and he is not proposing user pay, just reducing pickup frequency. We need to think of the greater picture. It is a step in the right direction, even if it's not ideal.

We are regular families with children (and a dog and other pets), and we fully support this initiative. We try to minimize our garbage volume in many ways (and we save money at the same time). We and our children know about recycling, reducing and reusing, about not using plastic shopping bags, buying bulk, etc. Maybe we will not end global warming, but we care, and do our little share.

It's not just big words, it's for real. It is not a matter of saving only $20 per family a year. It's not a matter of hurting our comfort zone. It's rethinking the concept.

Think globally, act locally.
Ayelet Ben-Zvi
Liti Haramaty
East Brunswick