The “Garden Island” Become The “Trash Island” if we Don’t Speak Up
The recent Kauai solid waste proposed by County hired consultant RW Beck - which cost tax payers roughly $500,000 - includes plans for a large incinerator that would be too large for Kauai’s waste production. This means that trash from other islands may be shipped to the “Garden Island” to feed the hungry incinerator, making it the “Trash Island”.
Burning trash creates pollution and returns little energy. The Surf Rider Foundation Kauai Chapter stated that, “Basically what we discovered is that by recycling our discards/resources we were saving more energy than what we could possibly gain by burning them. We were then told about successful Zero Waste strategies all over the US and Europe. No new incinerators have been built in the last 10 years.”
There has to be a reason that a new trash incinerator hasn’t been built in 10 years. And Kauai is definitely not the place to start this trend. So the question I ask is…wouldn’t tax payer’s dollars be better spent hiring a recycling consultant?
If you feel the same way, this is your chance to speak up. This is late notice, so we need you to hurry. Final testimony will be accepted June 9th. Send in your support and additional brief testimony to Alison Fraley at afraley@kauai.gov.
4 comments
Recycling is just a band-aid and mainly just serves to make people feel better about themselves. The only true environmentalist is one who reduces consumption and re-uses that which is not brand-new.
Agreed, but would you rather burn our trash or recycle it?
I’m extremely disappointed that the government would even CONSIDER incineration as an option!! Hawaii (Especially KAUAI) is known for it’s beauty… why when tourism is the biggest $$$ maker would government even consider something this backwards? I am not fortunate (or rich enough) to live in Kauai, but my wife and I go every other year. It’s our “second home” in our hearts, and I’m deeply saddened that this dirty process would even be considered!! Shame on the government for even entertaining the thought. And EVEN MORE SHAME on them for wasting TAX PAYERS MONEY to come up with such a LAME suggestion. I was going to say “solution”… but incineration is problematic and doesn’t solving anything!! Just adds polution and dirt to EVERYTHING.
Taxpayer dollars paid for a Zero Waste consultants to do a feasibility study; results of that study revealed it is less expensive, better for the environment and easier to create recycling facilities than to build new incinerators. Citizens need to push elected legislators to do what is right and environmentally and economically sensible. Do something, citizens of Kauai, or you’ll be forced to watch your home turn into ruin. It starts with you, too. Stop buying bottled water. Stop using plastic bags. Recycle everything you can, and demand that our elected officials do the will of the people.
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