Everett is truly a wonderful place to live, with much to offer. I tend to think of Everett as a fairly forward thinking community except in one regard: recycling.
When one looks at what other cities and communities are doing with their recycling efforts, Everett is trailing by a long shot. In regard to curbside recycling, I am thankful it is available in Everett. However, why must I collect my yogurt and cottage cheese containers and bring them to my Seattle friends to recycle since they aren’t recyclable in many parts of Everett? I’ve even considered asking my neighbors to do the same, but that’s not the solution. It would also be great to be able to recycle food scraps in our yard waste container like they do in Seattle.
Another part of my vision includes having a recycling container next to every garbage can in parks, at beaches, at the marina, at golf courses, around the downtown area, in the Everett Performing Arts Center … the list goes on. I cringe when I think of how many plastic water bottles and pop cans are thrown in the garbage simply because no other option exists.
This is a big vision with many different entities involved, but I know that it can be done and has been done in other communities. Yes, there are other important things to focus on in this economy, but this can’t wait. Let’s quit burying our heads in the sand and step up to the plate to significantly increase the recycling efforts in Everett and in all the communities in Snohomish County. I would love to see us as the leaders in recycling instead of the reluctant followers.
Vicki Lust
Everett
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