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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, 2015
PAGE 3
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It was once a tradition at KU that all incoming freshmen wore a KU beanie. That tradition died in the late 1940s with the influx of veterans of World War II.
New York aims to cut waste by 90 percent by 2030
JONATHAN LEMIRE
Associated Press
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NEW YORK - The nation's biggest city, in a far-reaching effort to limit its impact on the environment, is set to mark Earth Day by announcing the ambitious goal of reducing its waste output by 90 percent by 2030.
The Zero Waste plan, which includes an overhaul of the city's recycling program, incentives to reduce waste and tacit support for the City Council's plan to dramatically reduce the use of plastic shopping bags, will
be announced by Democratic Mayor Bill de Blasio on Wednesday. Its goal is sweeping: New York would be the largest city in the Western Hemisphere to adopt the plan, which aims to reduce the amount of its waste by more than 3 million tons from its 2005 level of about 3.6 million tons.
The waste reduction plan is part of an update to the sustainability project named PlaNYC, created by de Blasio's predecessor, Michael Bloomberg, to provide a framework for mitigating the
impacts of population growth and a changing climate on the city's infrastructure. De Blasio, who largely praised PlaNYC, is keeping its components but rebranding it OneNYC.
"The average New Yorker throws out nearly 15 pounds of waste a week, adding up to millions upon millions of tons a year," de Blasio said in a statement to The Associated Press. "To be a truly sustainable city, we need to tackle this challenge head on."
For decades, the city's trash has been exported by rail or barge and sent to facilities in
South Carolina, Virginia, New Jersey, Pennsylvania or upstate New York. The new plan would eliminate almost all of the garbage exports, which currently cost more than $350 million a year.
The amount of waste produced by the city has fallen 14 percent since 2005 due to an increase in recycling, and a key component of the Zero Waste plan is to bolster that output by simplifying the process.
Currently, residential buildings have two types of recycling bins. The city's new single-stream plan, already
used by other cities, would consolidate all of the recycling into one type of bin by 2020.
Organics — food scraps, yard waste and other things that cannot be recycled make up 31 percent of the city's residential waste stream. A program to collect that material directly from residents' homes is being expanded to nearly 200,000 residents by year's end, and officials want to serve every home in the city by the end of 2018. The city, which has about 8.5 million residents, also will offer economic incentives
to participate, including potentially a property tax rebate for homeowners.
The city also aims to reduce commercial waste by 90 percent by 2030 by adopting a program similar to what is being used with residential buildings. That could also mean tax incentives for businesses who participate and fines for those who don't.
Environmental groups briefed on the plan Tuesday applauded its wide-ranging scope.
RACE AND SPORTS IN AMERICAN CULTURE: A KU SYMPOSIUM
PRESENTED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS SCHOOL OF BUSINESS, THE LANGSTON HUGHES CENTER AND KANSAS ATHLETICS
FEATURING A KEYNOTE ADDRESS BY WILLIAM RHODEN SPORTS COLUMNIST, THE NEW YORK TIMES
THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2015 AT MACELI'S, 1031 NEW HAMPSHIRE ST
WITH A PANEL DISCUSSION
INCLUDING DARRELL STUCKEY
RHAVEAN KING ★ TOMMIE SMITH
ERIC PATTERSON ★ WILLIE AMISON
REGGIE MITCHELL ★ TAMRA GIBSON
THE SYMPOSIUM IS FREE-AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC,
BUT REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED
VISIT BUSINESS.KU.EDU TO LEARN MORE
One Bedroom, Washer & Dryer Amenities
- all new units
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- ceiling fan in living room
- full sized washer and dryer
- vaulted ceiling in upper apartments
- Public/KU Transport (6th and Wakarusa
Apartment on Sixth
5100 West Sixth Lawrence, KS 66049 (West of Walmart)
785. 856.3322
www.apartmentonsixth.com
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