Apr 29, 2009 11:54 am US/Eastern
Earth Day: Philly Emphasizes Benefits Of Recycling
PHILADELPHIA (CBS 3) ―
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On Earth Day 2009, millions are appreciating the earth's environment. Philadelphia is using the day to emphasize the importance of recycling in a colorful way.
CBS
On Earth Day 2009, millions are appreciating the earth's
environment.
Philadelphia is using the day to emphasize
the importance of recycling in a colorful way.
In the Northeast's Winchester Park,
if it's Wednesday, it's canned-pineapple-on-the-curb day.
It's the day to see what your neighbors' pets
eat and just how much your neighbors drink.
It's recycling day, that public display of everyone's
tossed-yet-renewable lifestyle.
"If you look at my stuff, that's a week worth of paper,"
said one resident.
It's also her pizza boxes and cat food, and added up in
Philaladelphia, 7000 tons of recycled materials so far this month--- more than
ever.
It's a lot of work, recycling for the guys who do it.
But its also expensive for you if you don't—a
$300 fine if you don't recycle in the city of Philadelphia.
But at the city's Earth Day, mascot Curby Bucket wasn't
talking fines.
Fun recycling is the
message, starting with ten new colorful student-designed shrink-wrapped
recycling trucks.
Philadelphia's
top cheerleader for green, Mayor Nutter credits two things with the city's 50
percent increase in recycling this year.
"Weekly recycling, single-stream recycling, really does
work," said Nutter.
But while recycling is up, the city's revenue from it is
down.
"Before, we were getting paid.
Now we're having to pay a small amount,"
explained one woman.
So companies that used to pay the city $25 to $40 a ton
for this week's used cans, bottles and paper, are now getting paid $25 to take
the stuff.
It's still a better deal than the $65 that same ton would
cost to landfill as trash.
"If the city can raise money off recycling, rather than
raise my taxes, I'm for it," said a Winchester
Park resident.
There are many shades to green.
Other Earth Day events in the area:
In Cherry Hill,
New Jersey, volunteers removed
trash from a 16-acre wooded section off Olive Street.
They also cleaned up debris from a stream
running through the area.
In Montgomery County, PA, students from the Shipley School
in Bryn Mawr were also busy. They spruced up the Riverbend Environmental
Education Center
in Gladwyne. The students picked up trash and cleaned out brush.
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