Hello Lansdowners,
Welcome to my final email to you all. It has been a great pleasure serving on Lansdowne Borough Council and chairing the Environment Committee, a committee that was newly formed when I joined Council. I want to thank you all for your commitment to the environmental efforts of the borough and the planet. Over the last 4 years, the borough’s diversion rate (the amount of trash diverted from the trash stream and to the recycling stream) has increased from 13% to 28%. That’s some serious improvement. We added recycling cans at the train stations, throughout the main shopping corridor and in our parks, and at public events like the Farmers Market and the Arts Festival, and we increased the Yard Waste program so that that very heavy waste gets diverted out of the trash stream (where it gets weighed and we all pay the County a fee for the pleasure). While I decided not to run for another 4-yr term on Council, other Lansdowne residents decided to step forward, and I’m delighted to say that one, Marianne Henry Saylor, will be taking over the helm of the Environment Cmte effective January 1st. And I’m thrilled to say that she has agreed to take over these periodic email reminders so we’ll all know when to put out our yard waste and rake our leaves.
So, here’s my final e-news.
YARD WASTE WEDS.
This coming Weds. 12/7, is Yard Waste Wednesday. Be sure to put out your paper bags (no plastic!) or trash cans full of clippings etc., and have them out to the curb Tuesday night. Please don’t put them out days in advance. And please, if you have a neighbor who is trying to do the right thing and puts out yard waste but does it incorrectly (days early or in plastic bags), please reach out and let them know the drill. Sometimes folks just need to know the procedures in town and they’re more than happy to comply. Hey, it takes a village, right?
YARD WASTE WEDS EXPANDED!
Great news. In one of my previous emails I mentioned that Yard Waste Wednesdays will take a hiatus in January and February. A resident wrote back to me and asked if there’s any chance the borough could collect during those months because he inevitably has debris and would rather not put it in the trash, and certainly didn’t want to have to hold onto it until March. His request was perfectly timed, as the borough was able to add those collections and do it in time to have those dates on the 2012 trash and recycling magnets. So, there will now be year-round Yard Waste collections in Lansdowne! November through February will have one collection per month, and March through October will have two. Keep your eyes out for the schedule on the magnet. This program saves us all $$ in that County fee, and it’s great for the environment.
LEAF COLLECTION
We’re entering the final days of leaf collection. Please go to http://lansdowneborough.com/leaf-collection/ to see the schedule and make sure your leaves are out in the curb in time. If you have a stubborn tree that doesn’t give up it’s final leaves until after the leaf collection, you can gather and put them out with your Yard Waste.
FINAL WORDS
Serving on Council has been an incredible experience. I’ve met so many of you who care deeply about Lansdowne, who volunteer your time, support our local businesses, care for your neighbors and neighborhoods, and who push us in the government to do better. I love that the elected officials in Lansdowne don’t get paid, we on Council and the Mayor volunteer our time, and it’s an honor to serve. When I think of democracy, I hear Lincoln’s powerful words: “….government of the people, by the people, for the people…” And that’s how it works here in Lansdowne. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to play my part. And thank you for playing yours.
See you around town!
Take care,
Barbara
Barbara Silzle
Lansdowne Borough Council
Chair, Environment Committee