What could be more exciting than the introduction of single stream recycling city-wide in Somerville? Certainly not the beginning of fall, not the upcoming weekend full of weddings and events, or even baking multiple pumpkin pies last week. (Well, honestly I am kind of excited for fall and this weekend's wedding.)
For those not in "the know", single stream recycling means no more sorting at home. All recyclables are thrown into the same bin! This makes the consumer's life extremely easy so long as he or she can remember that dirty containers and things like wooden clementine boxes or metal pots are not recyclable. I read in our dear little community magazine that single stream recycling was on it's way, and then checked Somerville's website for the start date (our bin was delivered this past weekend).
I knew when I searched for single stream recycling I would find some kind of debate amongst the inter webs. Apparently, broken glass and other shards of stuff end up in the fiber recycling factories and mess up the process of making new paper. This is a big concern for those factories, and also a safety concern for the collection workers (in relation to the broken glass). But on the positive side, single stream greatly increases the amount that consumers recycle! In some cities the amount of stuff that should be recycled can increase to 75 percent! (Here and here are articles briefly discussing the pros and cons.)
So congratulations, Somervillians! You are now the proud residents of a city with awesome recycling! I hope we can increase our recycling rate by bunches and make this world a better place!
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