My wife Marilyn and I extend our deepest gratitude to all who worked so hard on Abington Cares for the Earth Clean-up Days.
Thank you SAGE (Saving Abington with Green Energy) Abington's Green Committee, for working all these months to help create the vision and the reality.
Thank you to all the groups and organizations who helped plan this event.
Thanks to all the businesses that supported us with donations of time, supplies and services.
To all who showed your support by signing up, organizing your groups and taking on your favorite park, field, or playground, thank you.
I saw first hand, your energy, enthusiasm and dedication as you removed debris, trash and leaves and transformed your areas into something we can all take pride in.
As I cleaned my area on Groveland Street, I must admit I became depressed and angry that this trashing of our town has taken place, but you have restored my faith in our society.
I saw you pull tires and TVs out of wet lands. I watched as families swept, raked, smiled and laughed. Children picked up pine cones and adults pulled trash from bushes.
And what an accomplishment! Hundreds of residents filled hundreds of bags with leaves and hundreds of tires were recycled. Toxic appliances where pulled out of our precious natural settings and Thousands of non deposit drink containers were rescued from being trashed.
Thank you Abington for showing us what a great Town you are. You've shown that you not only care for the Earth, but you care for each other.
This weekend showed Marilyn and I, the SAGE committee and the world that this is only the beginning. Together we will accomplish what ever we set our mind to.
You're the best, Abington.
Dan and Marilyn Brielmann Abington 2010
Comments
Too often in the discussion about expanding the bottle bill, I have heard that we don't need the bottle bill because we have curbside recycling and can just improve that.
In response to that myth, I would urge all of you to look at the 2008 DEP solid waste generation figures just released. Only 40% of the MSW in the Commonwealth of M[censored]achu setts is generated from Residential sources. In other words, well over half of the MSW generated in M[censored]achu setts is from non-residential sources. Thus, even if we captured all residential bottles and cans from curbside collection programs, (and we are not even close), only 40% of the MSW waste stream would be recycled. The EPA estimates that the total recovery rate for non-deposit bottles and cans is less than 25%.
I think the bottle bill has been the most effective way to recycle bottles & cans since its inception, and I think it is time that we allow this tool to be used for all of the new specialty beverage bottles that have been developed since the original bottle bill was first p[censored]ed.
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