Letter: Proposed Hauler Reform Is Good For The Planet And For Our Budget

The following letter was sent to the Amherst Town Council on August 12, 2022.

Thank you for your leadership and service to the town of Amherst. 

I am writing to ask that you vote yes on moving us from individual subscription hauler services to a competitive town contract that includes universal curbside compost pick up (including yard waste!). This action moves us closer to our town’s goal of Zero Waste as recommended by The Amherst Energy and Climate Action Committee’s Climate Action Adaptation and Resilience Plan (June, 2021) and is part of our 2016 Solid Waste Plan.

In this time of planetary crisis, please help us act responsibly to reduce our waste which is a source of land, air and water pollution and is a major contribution to global climate change through the release of methane from landfills, emissions from waste-to-energy trash combustors, and the transportation of waste to disposal or recycling facilities.

The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection Solid Waste Master Plan (October 2021) aims to ban all organic waste from disposal by 2030. So let’s get started, including modeling these healthier practices for our young people — they’ll need a zero-waste world for a livable future!

Finally, you will save us all lots of money, which is especially critical in these times of rising costs for most everything else we need in life. 

Thank you for leading us in the direction of a safter, healthier community and planet. 

Madeliene Charney

Madeliene Charney is a resident of Amherst