Councilor Arroyo: Bring More Recycling, Ads to Streets
With the continuing decrease in federal funding for affordable housing.
Would you tolerate more advertising in the city if it meant convenient recycling receptacles on city sidewalks?
That’s what Councilor at-large Felix Arroyo proposed Wednesday at this week’s Boston City Council meeting.
Arroyo said he recently visited Chicago, where he found recycling bins positioned with street trash cans. Upon further investigation, he said, he found out that the bins were provided and cleaned by a private company at no cost to the city. In exchange, the company places family-friendly advertising on the bins.
He called it a “no brainer” to bring this kind of program to Boston—whether it be with the company that operates in Chicago or with another firm.
The council supported the idea, which has been referred to committee, but it also brought back an old discussion.
Councilor Robert Consalvo, who had previously suggested that the city should raise funds by placing advertising on city web sites, needs to “respectfully harness the power of advertising.”
Consalvo repeated his assertion that doing so could bring $1 million per year into the city’s general fund.
Other business:
The council approved the acceptance of $23 million in funding from the Department of Housing and Urban Development to be used for housing-related needs, including $16 million for community development block grants.
Consalvo noted that the $16 million number represented a 9 percent decrease from the department’s previous year funding, and a 50 percent decrease in its annual funding since 1975.
The council was also visited by Red Sox President and CEO Larry Lucchino, who thanked the council for declaring April 25 Fenway Park Day in Boston.
JMc
12:26 pm on Thursday, April 26, 2012
Trouble is the city doesn't have enough public trash cans to begin with...
Roberto Scalese
5:45 pm on Thursday, April 26, 2012
More recycling bins would help with that problem, since folks would throw less recyclable material into the trash cans, right?
I've seen ad-supported recycling bins in Revere. The ad was big and colorful and hard to miss, but the street around it was pretty clean. In Revere, I think that's a fair trade, but does that work for the South End?
Paul Wilcox
11:34 am on Friday, April 27, 2012
Great idea. Recyclables generate money for the city as opposed to trash which they have to pay to take away. Also reinforces Boston's commitment to the environment of which it is a leader.
Southender
7:07 am on Saturday, April 28, 2012
It may work in some neighborhoods; however, not in the historic districts and many homes have no room to house bins. Isabella Street has large bins outside each house and it looks like crap. Too bad becuase those are expensive apartments. What may help would be to have the City pick up recycling bags. I have often seen recrcyling picked up along with the regular trash. Capital Waste saves time by picking up both at the same time. So Arroyo's idea may work in some neighborhoods, but NIMY. I'm sure Back Bay would feel the same way.
Maria Dolorico
8:08 am on Saturday, April 28, 2012
I understand the aesthetic concern about ads in our historic neighborhood, but I think the strewn garbage is a primary concern. However, if the recycling bins we currently have suddenly sprouted ads on them, it wouldn't change anything. The problem is resident compliance with ridiculous policies about the bags and the bins.
The garbage bags that the city is requiring us to use (under penalty of fine is ) is prohibitive and results in people not complying. The clear recycling bags that the city wants us to use in addition to bins are non-existant in many of our stores, which results in non-compliance again, plus strewn garbage from ripped open trash bags. A smaller bin meant only for returnables would certainly help -- but only if residents comply.
Chu
10:20 am on Saturday, April 28, 2012
I think it's a great idea!
Jim Smith
3:37 pm on Saturday, April 28, 2012
Great idea. Do it tomorrow or sooner!