Everyone is in favor of recycling. Folks know that it is the right thing to do, but getting people to recycle is not so simple. The only method that absolutely encourages recycling is pay-as-you-throw trash collection program. If anyone knows of a better way, then I’d sure like to hear about it.

By now, everyone should know how pay-as-you-throw works, but remember, without pay-as-you-throw, there will be no curbside recycling.

Yes, there are economic benefits to pay-as-you-throw, but we also should speak about the environment because, along with family, what could be more important?

Pay-as-you-throw can help to make us aware of worthless packaging and shabby products that all-too-soon enter the waste stream. For example, our major supermarkets continue to pass out plastic bags (a petroleum product) free of charge, afraid that they might lose business to a competitor if they charged for them. Of course, anything that’s free is hard to resist, and yet we continue to spiral downward in a seemingly endless cycle of environmental destruction.

People for whom the environment is not a priority, and those who don’t approve of paying for the trash they personally generate, should vote yes on June 9, to repeal pay-as-you-throw.

However, people for whom quality of life is important can vote no to keep pay-as-you-throw in place, which will make Waterville a more progressive and attractive city.

People who support pay-as-you-throw must vote on June 9 or request an absentee voting ballot. We won’t have pay-as-you-throw if people don’t vote to support it. We can say goodbye to pay-as-you-throw and curbside recycling unless a majority votes no.

Stu Silverstein

Waterville

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