Written by St. George Mayor Jon Pike
For a number of years, our family collected old newspapers, milk jugs, and other recyclables in boxes in our garage. When the boxes reached critical mass—that is, when they were overflowing and we began to have a hard time getting to our vehicles—it was the duty of our teenaged kids who had driver licenses to load it all up in the trunk and drive the two blocks to our neighborhood park, where they would stuff it into (hopefully!) the appropriate recycling bins in the parking lot.
One day, the kids came to my wife and me and lobbied hard for us to forgo our cardboard box and park bin system in favor of a blue recycling can available from a private contractor. Good kids that they were and are, they even offered to take the new can to the curb every other Tuesday morning.
Maybe we were tired of tripping over newspapers, because my wife and I acquiesced. It was a great decision. What we discovered was that with the convenience of a dedicated can for recycling, we recycled more. A lot more. In fact, our blue can fills up about twice as fast as our regular garbage can. And it does a much better job of containing all those recyclables than our former system did.
Our family’s recycling efforts may not make a big difference in the big picture, but together, the families of Washington County can. BluCan.
BluCan recycling is a huge step towards better landfill utilization. It represents wise stewardship of our natural resources. It tells our children, including the ones that live at my house and yours, that we care about the condition of their future world. It’s the right thing to do.
BluCan is scheduled to begin early next year. I urge you to choose to participate in this multi-city effort. Here’s what you have to do: nothing. If you live in Hurricane, Ivins, or Springdale, BluCan is scheduled for all citizens. In St. George, Washington, Santa Clara, LaVerkin, Leeds, Toquerville, Rockville, and Virgin, BluCan will become part of your trash service unless you opt out. The cost of curbside recycling in St. George is set at $4 per month and could become less over time if participation is high enough.
See? Recycling with BluCan may be the most convenient and economical gift you will give your kids.
Bonus: your garage will thank you.
For more information on recycling in Washington County (including the cost for participating in this program in each city), check BluCan.org.
