How Can We Make Every Day Earth Day? (Sponsored)

Here are some family activities you can do to foster environmentalism. Sponsored by Sony.

Very few events are celebrated around the globe, but Earth Day is. This year, it’s come and gone. But we’re here to ask: What can we do to show our love of the earth on that day, and every day? On May 31, Sony will release After Earth, an action-packed movie that takes place 1,000 years after cataclysmic events forced humanity to leave. It’s the kind of scenario that makes you want to donate to Greenpeace, recycle everything, and start biking every where, immediately. So, in honor of Earth Day, Patch has teamed up with Sony to present these ideas for making every day Earth Day. How can we make every day Earth Day? Begin with little things. Easy things. Obvious things. Things we take for granted each day, and use and/or abuse because of …

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Town Officials: Everyone Can Help Reduce Trash Costs with New Program

The first of three articles from town officials in Hamilton and Wenham outlining the new trash, recycling and organics pickup plan that will go into place beginning April 2.

The following was submitted by Hamilton Town Manager Michael Lombardo, Wenham Town Administrator Jeff Chelgren and Sue Patrolia, sustainability coordinator for Hamilton and Wenham.  Starting the first week of April, residents of Hamilton and Wenham will be able to take advantage of new trash and recycling services. Everyone will have free weekly pick up of single-stream recycling and organic recycling. The single-stream recycling program allows all recyclables to be combined, including plastic, tin, glass, paper and much more. All food waste with bones, coffee grounds, soiled paper towels and more can go into the green organic recycling bins provided by the towns. These two new recycling options enable residents to greatly reduce the …

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john

8:19 am on Thursday, March 15, 2012

Now that is funny.   more ›

Talk of the Towns

Keyser: Trash Plan Lacks Support

Many comments from folks in both towns have been made opposed to changing the trash plan.

Hopefully, the rain has finally stopped so we can get on with enjoying the nice fall weather. The rain did keep the dust down, as the man says, if nothing else. So, on to things happening in the two towns. And judging by the recent story in Patch.com regarding the pay-as-you-throw trash plan - and the many comments made by folks in both towns - this is one plan that does not enjoy much support with town folks. In reading the many comments, the impression is that most folks feel that it’s a tax, regardless of how its listed. And most folks who made comments on the possible trash plan also felt that they are already paying for the weekly trash pickup when they pay their real estate tax bill. In reading over the many comments, one comment …

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Tyson Goodridge

3:38 pm on Friday, September 16, 2011

i'm ok with that too!   more ›

Lombardo: Pay-as-You-Throw is not a 'De Facto Tax'

Hamilton Town Manager Michael Lombardo presented Tuesday some more details - including specific cost savings - of a proposed Pay-as-you-throw trash fee program.

Several residents from Hamilton and Wenham heard more details Tuesday night about a plan to charge a per-bag fee for trash collection in the two towns through a program known as Pay as You Throw (PAYT). At the heart of the plan is an estimate that the current cost to the average household is about $180 per year but with a PAYT program each household could reduce their cost to $110 per year. It was presented and discussed at a joint meeting of the Boards of Selectmen from Hamilton and Wenham at the Hamilton-Wenham Library. Currently, Hamilton and Wenham share the same waste hauler - Hiltz - and same disposal contract with the Wheelabrator North Andover incinerator.  Both towns have a “waste reduction program” allowing each household a 35-…

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Both Towns Consider 'Pay-As-You-Throw' Trash Fee Program

Proponents say that a "pay-as-you-throw" trash system encourages more recycling and could possibly save the towns money.

Wenham may join Hamilton in a "pay-as-you-throw" trash program designed to encourage residents to increase recycling. And the two towns will explore the possibility of bringing the school district and some businesses - which have commercial trash collection contracts - into a combined system, operated by Hiltz Waste Disposal. Communities that have pay-as-you-throw programs charge residents for the collection of regular trash based on the amount they throw away. Residents are not charged for recycled materials, which creates an economic incentive for residents to recycle more and generate less waste. Traditionally, residents pay for waste collection through property taxes or a fixed fee, regardless of how much or how little trash they throw…

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