Editor,
An open letter to Squamish residents: I had a great time at the landfill with you last weekend. Thanks for staying in the line-up a few extra minutes to answer my questions.
Your comments will all be very useful as we continue to explore changes in our relationship with the waste we create.
Some of you were concerned about the possible elimination of the annual free disposal service. No need to worry - it was never the intention to end it, but to improve it, so it becomes more and more efficient, less and less wasteful.
In this sense, we seem to be on the same page, and you offered me lots of great ideas.
Among other things, you would love to see a permanent, well-maintained re-use-it centre. No kidding! Some of you left with more stuff than you brought, and still came back with empty vehicles for more.
Hundreds of you seem to want re-use-it fairs year round, with music, food, a party atmosphere I hear you. We certainly wouldn't be short of tables and chairs, barbecues and firewood, tarps to hide from the rain, and toys to keep the kids, and not so kids, entertained.
Many of you also suggested a system of two or three tickets for residents to use through the year rather than having it all happen on this one weekend.
Quite a few of you would simply find it more convenient, several others believe this the solution to illegal dumping, and many more think that there should be a limit to free trips per resident.
Maybe so. I saw the same pick-up laden with concrete nine times on the same day, and I may have missed it three times more while I went behind the bushes.
All these and the rest of your suggestions are worth looking into. The refined system this year was already amazing, but we'll get better and better. If you haven't yet, tell me how.
Did I miss you during the weekend? Have a lot more to say? Give me a call or send me a note at 604 892-0305 or [email protected].
Thanks again for the great learning experience. By the time I left the landfill, I was dead and could hardly speak.
Pedalling back home, however, I was powered by the excitement of positive change in the air. This year, not only did we all volunteer our time to share views and opinions, but we also very visibly chose to wait longer for access to the reuse and recycle areas instead of heading straight for the dumping grounds.
Great work, everybody - progress is underway; there's no stopping it now.
Ana Santos
Squamish CAN co-ordinator
