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o Recycling Collection from Convenience Centers — 19% increase <br /> • Other Programs of Interest <br /> o Multi-Family— 5% decrease <br /> o Rural Curbside— 3% decrease <br /> • Shred-a-Thon Success —Two Fall Events (University Mall and Hampton Pointe) <br /> o Over 880 participants <br /> 0 19 tons shredded and recycled <br /> Chair Jacobs said the group knows there is a charge for short and long term goals, and <br /> they will try and get through as much as possible before coming back to the boards in the <br /> spring. He said there were a lot of knots that needed to be taken care of first, and things may <br /> start to pick up speed moving forward. <br /> Mayor Kleinschmidt said SWAG needs authorization from the four bodies in order to <br /> continue its work. <br /> A motion was made by Council Member Matt Czajkowski seconded by Mayor Stevens <br /> to extend the time line for the Solid Waste Advisory Group (SWAG). <br /> VOTE: UNANIMOUS <br /> Alderman Slade asked, given the amazing numbers on the new containers, how this <br /> affects the goals for reducing trash and whether this goal needs to be updated. <br /> Blair Pollock, Solid Waste Planner, said the County has a 61 percent waste reduction <br /> goal, which applies to more than just recycling. He said his staff does not know the answer to <br /> the question yet. He said there is dependence on the state, because there is a statutory <br /> requirement that each County must set a goal, and the number is then calculated for them. He <br /> said the numbers for 2013-14 will come out in January. He said some of this is tied to the <br /> economy, and as consumption goes up, so do recycling and garbage. He said the solid waste <br /> staff would like to see the County reach the goal before setting a new one, although he can <br /> see the advantage of striving higher. <br /> Alderman Slade said he would like to see SWAG thinking in those terms. He would like <br /> to encourage them to think more strongly about zero waste. <br /> Council Member Harrison gave a personal testimony about his efforts to increase <br /> recycling and get rid of paper. <br /> Jenn Weaver asked Blair Pollock about emissions reductions, and whether the public <br /> has gotten the message that the public does not have to put bins out every week if they are <br /> not full. <br /> Blair Pollock said residents are encouraged to place full bins out at the curb, but they <br /> seem to feel an obligation to put them out weekly. He said it is worthwhile to encourage <br /> people to only place the full bins. <br /> Town Council Member Palmer asked about educational outreach. She said a local <br /> neighborhood mover left a lot of boxes at a nearby house, and she wonders if there might be <br /> an ordinance that requires moving companies to remove the cardboard. She also suggested <br /> leaving notes on the carts to educate residents. She asked if there is a budget for education. <br /> Blair Pollock said there is a recycling outreach and education budget. He said, in <br /> general, the education is reactive to specific situations. He likes the idea of outreach to <br /> moving companies, and he will look into this. He said there is a compactor at the landfill for <br /> cardboard. <br />