RSS
Twitter
Facebook
YouTube
The Dispatch wrote
Is Columbus a green city?
Sunday, April 20, 2008
BY ROBERT VITALE AND MARK FERENCHIK
In 2005, Mayor Coleman issued a set of directives that put Columbus on the same path as many Americans who’ve tried to reduce, reuse and recycle in an era of growing concern for the environment. With what’s now called his “Green Memo,” Coleman ordered city government to use less energy, toss out less trash, buy more recycled products, and adopt more environmentally friendly ways of constructing roads and buildings.
The city would encourage green businesses with tax breaks and contracting preferences, according to the plan. It would push private developers toward greener construction with incentives and new rules. Columbus has made notable progress in the ensuing three years, if not the “light-years” leap that Coleman boasts.
Even the city’s recycling, which he described as “pitiful” a few years ago, has improved, Coleman said. Now, he laughs, “It’s just embarrassing.”
According to a survey by the trade journal Waste News, Columbus’ recycling rate ranked 21st among the nation’s 30 biggest cities. “As a community, we have to do more,” the mayor said. “People need to take initiative themselves, regardless of government.”
Related Stories:
- Columbus to stop footing cost of curbside recycling
- SWACO reporting recycling records set in 2007
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Your old pop bottles are now benches and picnic tables at Barnett Recreation Center. Rainwater is flushing toilets in the renovated Lazarus building Downtown.
The city of scarlet and gray has worked to go green since Mayor Michael B. Coleman launched a series of environmental initiatives in early 2005. “Get Green Columbus” called for expanded recycling programs, cleaner-burning vehicles, water-
conservation efforts and more environmentally friendly building practices by city government.
The successes have been big and small: from paper-saving electronic-payment options for parking tickets to an ordinance requiring builders to recycle tons of construction debris.
READ MORE
Sunday, April 20, 2008
#1: Recycling
Goal: Citywide recycling program by the end of 2006.
Why this is important: The Franklin County landfill near Grove City will run out of room by the 2030s if people and businesses throw things away at current rates. But 75 percent of landfill-bound trash can be diverted through recycling, says the Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio.
Where we started: Columbus had one of the worst recycling rates in the country when the mayor set this goal in January 2005. During 2004, residents recycled 3.8 percent of their trash. The figure was 12.5 percent if you count yard waste, which is banned from Ohio landfills.
Where we are: Columbus still has one of the worst recycling rates in the country: 5 percent of household waste in 2007. “Blue-bag recycling,” a test that allowed 10,000 households to toss recyclables in with other trash, was dropped 15 months after its April 2005 launch. Only 850 took part. The latest attempt to boost recycling nearly tripled the number of SWACO drop-off locations last year.
READ MORE
Kinda off topic, but I read there that the city wants to plant some trees along the streets, any ideas who I could contact? I know Id like at least 1 tree
thx
Biking is only mentioned indirectly. Recycling is popular because it’s perceived as being easy and having a huge positive effect. With biking instead of driving it isn’t hard, but you have to put in an effort. If even a 1/5 of people in the city’s core would use bikes more than cars for short trips it would accomplish a hell of a lot more than recycling. Not to mention it’s more fun and I speak from experience.
We’re getting pretty close to the bikeways plan being unveiled, correct? Hopefully the Bike to Work Week increases awareness for cycling as an option.
I wonder if those numbers take into account all the metal that is “recycled” by scrappers, whether legally or not? I know those scrap metal places are always bustling when I drive by
I think we’ve become a greener city. Whether we’ve become a “green” city is a matter of where you set your standards.
thx
the city forestry department…should be in the book under Recreation and parks…or try 311
we are building our first entirely “green” affordable housing 100-unit building! there is a ton of money in green funding now.
Are we?
sorry “we” as in the company i work for. here is the proposed project, and we just applied to make it a “green” building. so yes hopefully it will get funded.
http://www.columbusunderground.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=7932
http://www.columbusunderground.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=7932
Oh, I see… thought you were referring to the green Jeffrey concept that likes to cling to it’s concept status…
I did not know about your company’s project… interesting.
sorry i couldn’t find the damn article. we had to re-apply this year, so hopefully it will work out. i think we have a good chance though!
When I moved from upstate NY to Columbus 11 years ago – it was LAW you had to recycle at your curbside trash pickup location – two trucks, one for trash, the other for recycle and lawn/leaf/tree debris. Trash bags had to be clear or they didn’t pick up your “regular” trash. After awhile, you get to the point you have less trash and more recycling each week. I moved here and what a culture shock! Things might be different if someone established the same practice here. What about property tax incentives for changing over to “green” heating/cooling? Limited Federal tax breaks are in place for things like that – why not start at the local level? As a side note – I have to laugh at the Ibiza development for the “pre-LEED” certification, which doesn’t exist on the LEED registered web site. Only great “green” accomplishment has to go to the new Lazarus building downtown which actually has LEED gold cetification. Got to build it first to get certified…
As for the recycling – city/county won’t do it because of the cost.
our project got funded today! yay!
congratulations. sounds really cool!
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/07/us/07garbage.html
Wow- San Fran recycles 70% of household waste and Columbus rings in a whopping 5%. Sad for us.
http://www.dispatchpolitics.com/live/content/insight/stories/2008/04/20/Green_Grid.ART_ART_04-20-08_G2_5J9UU6P.html?sid=101
our project got funded today! yay!
you scored very well and are the first columbus project to receive ohio green communities grant dollars, fyi. good job.
and no. columbus has not become a green city. not even close.
We’ve started recycling here at the house almost 100%. Each time I go to the green dumpsters at Parsons and Livingston they are full. I am disheartened though that I see stupid shit like kitchen sinks, and used tires in them. Clearly people have good intentions, however….