Disappointed by end to recycling in the county

Editor, The Sun:

I am really disappointed that there has been no huge outcry after Wakulla residents learned that our recycling program had been “dumped.” I think it is still sinking in – hard to believe. With Waste Pro calling the shots on our garbage disposal, what they say goes, and the county commission steps back.
According to the company, the $214 we pay a year as an assessment is no longer enough. How much is enough? Without recycling, Waste Pro will be cutting its workload considerably, so we should see a decrease in our bills.
Now residents who want to continue recycling have to go to the landfill themselves. I imagine it will become a busy place. I wonder how much quicker it will fill up.
In any case, the landfill is not a reasonable alternative for many people. Problems include transportation, age and the physical ability to lift as well as carry heavy bins, available time and more.
I contend that house-to-house pick up is a necessary service, one the county needs to encourage and help fund. We are a coastal county that welcomes tourists and is known for its rivers, parks, forests and beaches – “The Natural Place to Be.” It is a great image and one that contributes to the economy as well as a healthy environment. But we can’t be “green” if we don’t recycle.
If, as the company states, there has been a lack of participation, we should have been informed so we could work on education and incentives. This is too abrupt.
I also question the figures of Waste Pro’s “study” and want to know more details about who took it and how many households. Judging from the bins in my neighborhood, we are recyling much more than 20%.
Personally, I wouldn’t mind paying for a recycling service – but I am financially able. I know that is not true for everyone.
Perhaps we could look for other options to the landfill trip. Maybe Waste Pro instead of washing its hands of recycling entirely, could help set up a few sites around the county as drop-off locations.
Another possibility is this could create a new livelihood for enterprising individuals to charge for the service Waste Pro was providing.
In addition, those of us who are still recycling can reevaluate what we are buying at the store and its packaging. Since I believe plastics to be the worst offender, I’m going to look for more alteratives.
We can’t just sit back and do nothing because that would be contributing to the “throw away society” we used to be before we started recycling. We need to do the opposite of quit – we need to improve.

Stacie Phillips
Crawfordville