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Fellow bloggers LiL and Richard Howe both post today on the recycling debate before the Lowell City Council. At issue is the fact that the city recycles at a rate of only 10% which results in a $4.4 million deficit in the cost of running the program. To recoup these expenses and encourage recycling, Lowell should do a combination of pay-as-you-throw (PAYT)—one bag a week per household with additional bags costing $1.50 each—along with a slight increase in the base fee (from $100 to $150 annually). This way, the city’s recycling program will break even while also encouraging more folks to recycle. Consider this: Brockton, a city similar in size and demographics to Lowell, recently instituted PAYT along with an annual base fee of $280; initial results show improvement, with 23% recycling. Worcester, a much larger city although also similar in demographics, has been charging PAYT since 1988 with great results—44% recycling. In Lowell, landlords pay the base fee for each unit, condo residents do not pay for recycling but do contribute to the general fund which is impacted by the deficit, and there is no overall requirement to recycle. Lowell should have an ordinance that mandates everyone recycle because even though it’s the right thing to do, unfortunately that’s not enough motivation for some folks. (Nor is the fact that it will save us all money in the long run.) Disclosure: My husband, Jay Mason, is a member of the city manager’s Green Building Commission and has been actively involved in the citizens’ movement to improve recycling in Lowell.

The Boston Globe did an article on walkable neighborhoods last week with a link to walkscore.com, a website that will calculate the ‘walkability’ of your neighborhood.  You don’t have to fill in a survey!  Just enter your address and they will figure out your score.  Of course, the system is not infallible, it just gives an approximation of how walkable your community is based on the proximity of businesses, schools, libraries, etc.; the highest score goes to those neighborhoods where you could actually conduct most of your daily business without needing a car.   My neighborhood in the Highlands only scored 43 out of 100, and while I walk a lot, I have to agree that it’s not prime walking territory. 

Speaking of walking, the McAuliffe Elementary School is participating in “Walking Wednesdays” this year, with their first walk to school event today!   I helped out with this effort at the Lincoln School last year; it was a lot of fun and a great way for families to walk together with teachers and administrators.  Walking Wednesdays is part of the Massachusetts Safe Routes to School program which is a collaboration between State and Federal departments of transportation.  Good luck McAuliffe staff, students and volunteers – enjoy your walks!