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John R

needs to get out more
Dec 31, 2005
6,780
828
Conflictinator
Great news, recycling made easier. From the Sun.

Blue bags help residents think green
March 07, 2007
By David Magliano

Garbage bags have always been black and white. Now, they are available in recyclable blue with a new system designed to get more out of the three Rs.

?I think a lot of people would love to recycle but they just don?t know how,? said Christina Scally, a South Walton resident who promotes the blue bag system. ?I think this makes it a little bit easier.?

The program essentially takes some of the trash sorting into the home instead of the landfill. Residents purchase blue garbage bags from the store and use them to dispose of recyclable waste. They then place the blue bag out at the curb with their regular trash.

County inmates currently open trash bags and separate out recyclables at the landfills. The blue bag system is not mandatory as landfills will continue to separate trash, but using the blue bags helps the process produce less waste.

The city of Dallas operates a similar blue bag program. It has improved the city?s collection efficiency while reducing the amount of recyclables that are contaminated from mixing with regular trash.

?It?s more efficient for residents and waste management,? Scally said.

Scally hopes the program will encourage people to recycle more by making the process more routine. Walton County has trailers where residents can bring recyclables, but that requires locals to make an extra trip. The blue bags allow residents to recycle from their homes.

Some recyclable garbage still needs to be separated. For example, paper products need to remain dry, and residents should separate paper into its own blue bag.
Other items like cans, glass and plastics rinsed of food residue can be placed in bags together.

The bags are currently stocked at the Destin Wal-Mart. They cost $6.57 for a roll of 100, about $1 more than standard trash bags of the same size and brand.

Gwen Wright?s 1st-grade class at Butler Elementary collected 239 student signatures in a petition for other retailers to stock the bags. Scally said the Watercolor Publix has responded by ordering the blue bags. They should be available to customers soon.

?We just need stores getting them all in and getting the public, the Walton County residents, aware of this program,? said Scally.
 

organicmama

Beach Fanatic
Jul 31, 2006
1,638
338
WNC
wncfarmtotable.org
Butler had posted a note about this on The Bear Facts & I had checked Sandestin Publix this morning, but they definitely don't have them.

Headed to dreaded Wally-World tomorrow to get them, as my car is smaller than my recycling needs sometimes. :eek:

Do they have a separate section in truck to put the blue bags, as not to get stuck in regular trash?
 

Chickpea

Beach Fanatic
Dec 15, 2005
1,151
366
30-A Corridor
Great news - more than anything else the fact tht SOWAL was so far behind other towns and cities with regards to recycling was making me crazy!!! So happy for baby steps...
 

Miss Kitty

Meow
Jun 10, 2005
47,011
1,131
71
:scratch: ...I wonder what the deal is at dumpsters? I'll give WC a call and find out. I am such a recycling nut now...and I have always hugged trees.
 

organicmama

Beach Fanatic
Jul 31, 2006
1,638
338
WNC
wncfarmtotable.org
I bought mine at Watercolor Publix.

Cool. Wally World drives me nuts, so I don't have to go there.:bang: :bang: :bang:

:scratch: ...I wonder what the deal is at dumpsters? I'll give WC a call and find out. I am such a recycling nut now...and I have always hugged trees.

I have a t-shirt that says "Hug A Tree" which IRONICALLY I found on a pharmaceutical related expedition to the abovementioned Wally World. :clap_1: Otherwise, I prefer the peace & quiet of this locale to that hellhole. I do love my t-shirt, though.

With recycling, we have so little "trash" that it's amazing, even with 3 kids. I am simply not motivated at all to take it to the centers, and Geoff is about to kick my butt if I don't get it out of the garage! :rotfl: It's one of our running bones of contention, so if I can recycle and not have to leave it until I get motivated, he'll be a happier hubby. :roll:
 

Jdarg

SoWal Expert
Feb 15, 2005
18,039
1,984
Bump~~~~~~

My blue bags are packed and ready to go!:clap_1: What a colorful arrangement they will make at the curb!
 

ShallowsNole

Beach Fanatic
Jun 22, 2005
4,279
857
Pt Washington
Oh, gosh yes this will help. :clap_1: We currently have piles :blink: of newspapers, plastics, glass, etc going in an attempt to recycle and it is making me crazy.
 

Hop

Beach Fanatic
Oct 1, 2006
2,228
182
52
Dune Allen
www.myspace.com
so necessary...
 
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