[GreenYes] New York also needs better regs / enforcement to rid sidewalks of garbage/recycling bags/containers

["Marjorie J. Clarke, Ph.D." <mclarke@no.address>]

Interesting that Portland, Oregon, a city that I thought was way 
ahead of us, should so neatly state what we at the Manhattan 
Citizens' Solid Waste Advisory board have also thought should be one 
of our long-term priorities for New York.  As most visitors to New 
York know, huge, great hulking piles of black bags, blue bags, clear 
bags, bulky "waste",  durable products (some of which can be reused 
and repaired), garbage and recycling containers and dumpsters are 
frequently found on the sidewalks of New York.  The tourists notice 
it more than the natives since we've long ago become blind to 
it.  Many that have spoken to me are appalled that they see 
waist-high, long piles of bags at the curb on "shi-shi" 5th and 
Madison avenues, Broadway, throughout Times Square and in front of 
well-known landmarks just to mention a few.  We go to a lot of 
trouble to get tourists here and pride ourselves in the landmarks, 
but then cheapen all of it by allowing piles of garbage to exist.  In 
New York we don't have back alleys in the built-up areas, and many of 
the apartment, office and commercial buildings are old.  In these 
built-up areas (by this I mean most or all of Manhattan and the areas 
of the Bronx, Queens and Brooklyn closest to Manhattan) the 
Department of Sanitation picks up residential and institutional 
garbage three times a week and recyclables once (usually on the same 
day as a garbage pickup), so there would be 3 opportunities for such 
piles to spring up.  An assortment of private carters pick up garbage 
and recyclables from businesses.  There are dozens of firms that 
collect throughout the city and since there is no franchise system, 
any of them may have customers on any single block, adding to the 
traffic nightmare (another issue).  There are regulations as to how 
far in advance of a pickup the piles are permitted to exist, but that 
isn't really enforced, and it isn't a really short period of 
time.  And due to various circumstances, pickups don't always occur 
like clockwork (I'm sure an understatement).

I know there are cities out there that manage to keep their sidewalks 
free of all this really obnoxious clutter.  I'm not even talking 
about the litter problem (different issue).  In New York there are 
some who live in row houses that have built special areas in front to 
disguise the cans of garbage and recyclables... some are very nice 
with wrought iron railings around large square metal set-asides with 
hinged lids.  Some are landscaped.  But this is all voluntary.  I've 
been in cities where you just don't see the piles on the 
sidewalks.  So what are the secrets?  I know there must be many since 
buildings  everywhere differ in age, space for storage, etc.  Please 
do let me and everyone else know!


Maggie Clarke, Ph.D.
mclarke@no.address
Environmental Scientist and Educator
http://geography.hunter.cuny.edu/~mclarke/index.html
New York City