An article, “Waterville trash pickup alternative draws fire” published on April 8 discussed alternatives to the current trash removal in Waterville.

While it seems all of Waterville is vehemently against the talk of a new system, we as a family would greatly benefit from single-stream recycling. We recycle, but silly as it seems, the hardest part of the system we have created in our home is coordinating a time to take it all across town once a week. It often gets pushed back, and I am loading my small Civic with weeks of recycling.

With single-stream and weekly pickup, we will generate little to no trash at all.

As a society, we are very disconnected from where our waste goes when it’s gone. If people have to pay to throw things away, they will be more cognizant of how their waste is disposed.

The cradle-to-grave method of consumerism we partake in now is finite, but if we reuse materials instead of piling them up in landfills, we can help sustain this Earth longer. While it may seem expensive and inconvenient to have to “pay by the bag,” my solution is “fill less bags.”

Sarah Ward Waterville