I was pleased to read Councilmember Rani Derasary’s reflection on the long-term planning of Canyonlands Solid Waste (CSWA) request for a fee increase (“Trash, stormwater rates may soon increase” Sun News Feb.17—23, 2023). She asks: “Am I wrong, or to a certain extent, are residents now paying because nobody made a plan in the past, and basically now if we want to take care of our infrastructure, we need adequate rates to have the funds to pay for infrastructure?”
I hear her sentiment loud and clear. As a CSWA board member, I can assure the public the rate increase is pretty much as stated—higher employee and petroleum cost.
But it is more than this. I wish everyone could just once experience a landfill—see and smell the collage of our everyday lives. Yet, our garbage is everywhere for us to see. It’s in our faces in overflowing trash and recycling cans in our streets and litter in our waterways.
I argue and hope to shed light that infrastructure planning at CSWA could include more than capital improvements and D-7 bulldozers.
I encourage auditing and cleaning up our solid waste stream. A strong education campaign could educate and engage us to the fact that we all play a role in this future world we make for ourselves. This seemingly overlooked aspect of managing our waste in Grand County holds great promise to involve all of us to create a more sustainable future for which we strive.
Two workshops are scheduled for your convenience: Saturday, April 1 and Saturday, April 8 from 10 a.m. to noon. Come learn how and what is recyclable in our area. Learn how to clean up and reduce your garbage bill. They are free and held outside at the picnic shelter behind the town building in Castle Valley. Dress warmly, carpool and bring a friend. Reach out to me with questions at dianeackerman13@yahoo.com.
Diane Ackerman
CSWA board
Castle Valley representative
