Posts
Mr McGuire in the movie the Graduate said to Benjamin "One Word - Plastic!"
We have heard promises from governments that the jobs will be in Technology or the latest "Green Jobs"
One area of the economy that has been a part of our economy from before Mark Twain's time is WASTE. This is an area ripe for not only jobs but can be good for our environment and commerce.
According to Waste and Recyling news one of the Toy's R Us hottest toys is Toy Story 3's landfill set - See link.
Toy's R Us Hot Toy - Toy Story 3 Landfill set
Ingersoll already has some well known recyclers - Atlantic Packaging and AllTreat Farms to name two
We have a local Waste Management firm, and are part owners of the County of Oxford's Landfill site.
I think we can do more. I remember when newsprint was collected by the local Scouts before the Blue Box and there are many organizations that collect pop cans to fund projects and programs. Even the Town of Ingersoll through it's brush depot recycles brush etc. in to mulch and it is available for free.
As Mayor I will investigate ways to leverage the existing talent and resources in Ingersoll and at the County of Oxford level to not only help create jobs and local commerce but to reduce the tax burden on rate payers and assist industrial operations in recycling better. (People may be shocked to know that many factories have to landfill or pay to dispose of valuable resources because there is no coordinated plan to collect what they set aside for recycling.)
I have been an avid recycler for most of my life. From the tree forts of my youth to my garden in front of 65 King Street West, I always see the possibility in reusing items. My garden (named by a neighbour as a collage) has several Innukshuks, a wall made out of foam blocks that were saved from going to the landfill and various things that are a favourite of the kids that walk by and play I-Spy with their Mom. It has a ground cloth from obsolete automotive packaging and is covered with mulch from Ingersoll's Brush Depot. Other than the odd item from Dollarama or Liquidation World it is all stuff that was destined to be buried in a dirt laden tomb called The Salford Landfill. It is something from nothing and I'll admit it gets mixed reviews but I am wearing the detractors down.
Imagine for a moment that Ingersoll became known for not only it's recycling efforts with local partners but for the place to go for Architectural Salvage, Antiques, Creative uses of salvaged materials by artists, a Modern Salvation Army or Value Village along the 401, Youth Groups learning hands on techniques and providing unique items for our own Home Accent stores and beyond to fund programs. Imagine recycling facilities that use empty factories to provide jobs and maybe a hand up for some under-employed folks rather than a hand out and help to reduce landfill costs for local employers. Imagine a new subdivision that instead of sending grey water down the drain recycles it for keeping lawns green or is filtered through a man made bog that attracts wild life (They are already out there). This is something we can get excited about!
In regards to our current Blue Box system and our Waste Collection, I think there is a problem when in 4 years residents see their cost of bag tags increase by 150%. It is a small nibble at our wallet perhaps but putting all our waste collection in the hands of a large corporation to do all of Oxford county shuts out the smaller or mid-sized operator and actually decreases competition which usually means increased costs of service. As Mayor I think we need to look at our entire waste collection in Ingersoll and at the County. There is a movement amongst land starved centres to actually recycle their landfills and what we threw out 20 years ago is now a valuable commodity and after sorting extends the life of the landfill and reduces risk to the environment. It also saves money!
To me, finding revenue from sources other than direct taxation or fees is a good thing. To me creating an opportunity for local operators to make a buck is a good thing also. To me, finding jobs for folks that do not have the opportunity to upgrade their education is an honourable goal.
For 2010 - Buy in to waste - they are still making more!
Cheers
Tim Lobzun "Mit"
Vote for your Wallet!
Vote Tim Lobzun for Mayor of Ingersoll!
This year - Vote for your Wallet - Vote Tim Lobzun for Mayor
No comments:
Post a Comment