Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Monkey See, Monkey Do

Isn't it usually the other way around? I thought Arcata came up with the stupid ideas and then Eureka eventually adopts them. In fairness to both cities, I can't seem to come up with any examples of stupid ideas that Eureka has adopted from Arcata right now.

The Times- Standard reports that Arcata seems to be getting serious about mandatory garbage pick up and recycling. A bit strange that they think it's necessary in a town that already seems to be pretty recycling oriented.

But, I suppose it should come as no surprise that Arcata wants to follow Eureka's lead and force garbage service and recycling on its residents. After all, I've said before this mandatory garbage pick- up is about more than just trying to meet the state's landfill diversion requirements.

I suspect it's more about city government gaining control of something so they can skim money from it in some way or another.

At least Arcata residents get something out of the deal aside from higher garbage rates. Now they'll have 20 gallon cans available for use instead of the standard 30 gallon cans. It is a bit of a surprise that 20 gallon cans weren't already available in a city that likes to consider itself Ecotopia.

2 Comments:

At 9:01 AM, Blogger Tapperass said...

You are on to something Fred. I realize that there are arguments for mandating curbside service, such as health reasons (letting garbage build up until you take it to the dump).

I agree with you that somebody, somewhere is going to make a buck or two off of requiring people to have garbage service.

-boy

 
At 6:52 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

What I'd like to see is a litter patrol. Gangs of officers would swoop down on litterbugs who throw their hamburger boxes and milk shake containers on the streets and sidewalks. Then, once the offenders were in custody, with hands cuffed behind them, they would be forced to pick up all the garbage for a 100 foot radius all around them. The entire ordeal would be videotaped and shown to a national audience right after America's Most Wanted.

If they were properly contrite, they would be rewarded by having their hands cuffed in the front while they pick up garbage with SWAP every weekend for the rest of their lives, or for as long as a judge decides they deserve, whichever is longest.

The salaries of the anti-litterbug squads would, of course, be paid out of littering fines.

Repeat offenders would have the word Litterbug tatooed on their forehead in red ink.

Hey! It's only fair!

 

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