We need a better handle on 'waste'

Due to the exploitation of long existent technology, garbage is now a resource and should no longer be seen an a nuisance.

In view of the current concentrated concerns with environmental issues, a thorough analysis of municipal solid waste issues and the ramifications of its new status is demanded.

This would best be done by encouraging and allowing the people to make the most of this resource amongst themselves for themselves, just like they do with, for example, water and sewer districts or fire districts.

If small towns and surrounding unincorporated areas choose to go together to process their solid waste to their best advantage, so be it. But, it is overbearing and heavy-handed of a county government or any government to claim domain over this newly-valued resource and hand it to a single entity without concern for what they are depriving the taxpayer if they should be in too much of a hurry to rid themselves of this very complicated issue in favor of its dismissal from their agenda by one fell swoop.

The county commissioners are busy enough and don’t need any new complicated issues on their plate, and I suggest that committees of interested volunteer citizens be solicited and allowed to gather and meet periodically for the purposes of investigating, determining and designing appropriate proposals for converting the use of this valuable resource to the people in a just and sound manner.

In the past it was good that a garbage handling company claimed ownership of the garbage once they collected it. Today, because of its value, the people who earned the money to purchase it along with the goods that came wrapped in it, brought it home and paid further to have it recollected and properly disposed of, need to be able to benefit from the whole process where possible. It is only just.

DEE MILLER

Hope