FLOURESCENT BULBS: PROS & CONS

There has been a tremendous push by environmental groups to urge residents to replace incandescent light bulbs with the miniature fluorescent bulbs. The energy savings and diminished demand at the power plant are the main drive for the national campaign.

However, these new bulbs have mercury in them as a conduit for the bright chemical reaction in these bulbs. Although the bulbs have just a slight amount of mercury in them, the manufacturer urges the consumer to avoid vacuuming the broken glass should you break one.
Why? Because the substance will be dispersed throughout your home, that’s why. A professor, Robert Hurt of Brown University has created a product that absorbs mercury 70 times better than the best available technology. This is where the green industry is heading.

I like the new terminology they use: Nanomaterial. It’s making the big promises about collecting the mercury vapours using [get this]: selenium nanoparticles.

If I didn’t read this in a report, I wouldn’t believe it either.

The report says: By covering the breakage with the selenium lined paper for two days, you can stop almost all of the release; they think it forms mercury selenide, which is a very stable compound. They think!

Without the paper, the mercury slowly evaporates from the broken bulb over several days.

Why do I want to shift over to these new lights? Where’s the up-side?

Despite the minor hazard in the home, CFLs use less mercury than incandescent bulbs running on electricity from coal, which releases mercury when burned. So you’re releasing less mercury into the general atmosphere by using less energy in the home.

What I want to know is where are we supposed to deposit these condensed and tube fluorescent commercial bulbs? I see them in household and commercial trash cans but I know of no provisions to collect and recycle them. The issue has never come up in any meetings at City Hall and the folks at UCRRA have no answers.

Perhaps we can designate a special truck on Fridays like the metal collection crew we have now and they can carefully place bulbs in the padded compartment, avoiding all potholes in the street and cruising out to some recycling facility based in New Paltz or Woodstock.

SUSPENDING STINT WORK POLICY

The Mayor is looking to the Council for direction on the “Stint-Work” policy. As the Freeman described it so well : Stint allows employees in the Department of Public Works to leave early as long as they get their work done.

I want that policy at my job. I come from a family of home builders. The four of us work together to create large homes, additions or even a two-car garage. But none of our projects would get done if we operated on “Stint”. Would it work at your job?

Understand, not all of our DPW employees have this option. The welders, carpenters and many others work a full 8 hour day. The “Stint” applies to the Refuse/Recycle/Brush/Wood crews that hit the streets early in the morning. The job is tough, sometimes gross. Most of the public doesn’t do that level of exertion in a day, so some would agree with the policy.

However, we are in a new era. Tax dollars are scarce and the issues surrounding the harassment drama have placed additional focus on the workings of DPW. Notably; the “man-hours” and the apparent abandonment of the workplace early.

I don’t blame the Mayor looking to the Council for some support on this. Sottile has been working in overdrive and in stressful conditions for quite a while now. (Partially his own doing) But it is his prerogative to keep or pull “Stint” from the daily operations.

My first thought, I agree that the Mayor can pull the policy for a day to utilize the time they are already paid, for a specific task. I would expect a 24 hour notice of such a change to allow the crews to schedule their afternoons better, but a 21 employee grievance for the Harassment Test on a regular workday? Troy, Bart, you’re working against the taxpayers, not just the Mayor here.

Sottile was quoted: "In these difficult economic times, it is hard to justify to the residents of the city compensating these employees for a full day of work when they are released early."

"I support suspending stint work when the city needs the workers," Sottile said. "As we progress through time I believe stint work should eventually be removed to allow the employees to perform the work that is needed on a daily basis."

If “Stint” were to be eliminated, the refuse crews would be able to slow down and would diminish the physical ailments that are associated with rushing through a tough job; thus decreasing the sick time for employees recovering from those ailments.

Maybe this is the time Jim, but come to our table and lets assess the options before we are asked to memorialize our thoughts.

EARTH DAY 2008

I am a recycling fanatic, there I’ve said it. But you already knew that. So, I couldn’t wait to do a piece on EARTH DAY on my BLOG.

What is Earth Day? It’s the day we celebrate the importance of the environment and to encourage civil action. April 22 is the day of observance nationally, But, I try to do my part every day. So how did this all start?

It was initiated in 1970 by Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson, who started a “teach-in” to protest the government’s environmental ignorance. It certainly made an impact. This eventually led to legislation including the Environmental Policy Act, the Clean Air Act, and the Clean Water Act.

If you’re reading this, you’re wondering, what is Mike expecting of me? Simple, change a little something regarding your purchasing and disposal habits.

• The average person generates 4.5 pounds of trash every day.
  


• The EPA estimates that 50 percent of solid waste is recyclable, while only about 30 percent is through current programs.
  


• As of 2006, there were approximately 8,660 curbside recycling programs.
  
  


• An aluminum can is recycled and back on the grocery shelf to be purchased again in as little as 60 days; a glass bottle takes as little as 30 days.
  
  


• One gallon of improperly disposed motor oil can contaminate one million gallons of fresh water.

Purchase goods with less packaging and from renewable sources. Separate and recycle all your waste at the curb where the service is provided. Recycling reduces the amount of waste in landfills, and prevents hazardous materials from leaking into our soil and water systems.

Every town and city throughout the country will offer some form of community action. I hope all of us take advantage of the great weather and step up our custodial duties in our neighborhoods. This is a day to stop and think about your affect on the environment and what you can do to help protect it. Don't leave me out here everyday by myself!

SPRING CLEANING AT THE TUNNEL

This is the Train Tunnel under Delaware Avenue. The Channel that leads to the tunnel, skates along the back of properties along Hasbrouck and Delaware avenues.
What you see here, is the result of years of dumping. In a city that collects trash weekly at their curb, I don’t get it.

For several years, I have teamed up with the Woodstock Day School volunteers and occasionally solo in an effort to clean up this mess. The task is

huge, and no city department has laid claim to the responsibility of cleaning it up. So I make my pilgrimage a few times a year and fight the rising tide of trash.

What can I do? Plenty of trash is new, since my visit last fall. Our Trash Enforcer Larry Bergati had issued an edict to stop dumping on the tracks last summer, but here it is.

I have asked the Trolley Museum to ramp up their Grant Applications in the past to consider extending the line and help clean, but have heard nothing for years. Catskill Mt RR promissed the Mayor a trash collector rail car last summer…that never happened.

So, I would like to know if anyone would like to join me this year to help clean up this mess, a joint effort of local citizens who know the value of a clean city. You will need water proof boots, gloves, and a

strong back. There are 100 tires, enough recyclables to keep RECYCLEBANK busy and trash enough to fill eight city trucks.

Clear your weekends and lets make this happen.