Comment Log Display

•  The Plan's section on Recycling and Waste (p. 34) should
highlight more aggressively the powerful carbon reduction
potential of zero waste -- first, reducing waste by design in
manufacturing process, then reusing, recycling or composting
products.
• ETAAC submitted to CARB an excellent set of recommendations for
the waste sector but only several were included in the Plan.  We
strongly urge CARB to include ALL the ETAAC recommendations.
•  The Plan should also include Extended Producer Responsibility
(EPR) as a potentially powerful carbon reduction measure that is
already set as state police by California Integrated Waste
Management Board (CIWMB).  Extended Producer Takeback (EPT) needs
explicit CARB backing as a potent means of cutting greenhouse gas
emissions.  
• There are many more tons of carbon reductions possible from
aggressive Zero-Waste and recycling programs than the Plan admits.
For example, the plan should include specific measures to increase
recycling of organics and other materials, and those measures
should have emission reduction numbers and deadlines attached to
them. 
• CARB should take note of findings in the recent report "Stop
Trashing the Climate", released June 5, 2008 to mark World
Environment Day.  See  http://www.stoptrashingtheclimate.org/ The
report, by GAIA with the Institute for Self Reliance and
Eco-Cycle,  brings together information about recycling plus
source reduction, reuse and composting -- and describes how
scaling up recycling, reusing materials and products, and
shrinking the size of the waste stream can greatly reduce
greenhouse gas generation and related climate damage.  
•  Carl Pope, Executive Director, Sierra Club:   "Incinerators and
landfills are relics of an unsustainable past that have no place in
our green economy. The report "Stop Trashing the Climate" shows
that zero waste -- that is, preventing waste and strengthening
recycling and composting -- is one of the fastest, cheapest and
most effective strategies for confronting global warming." 
• CARB should implement “lifecycle tracking” of manufactured
products, giving priority to reusables and locally manufactured
items.  
• Landfill waste disposal should be phased out by requiring
recycling and making manufacturers be responsible for the
lifecycle of their products. Wastes should be separated,
particularly organic wastes, for effective composting. CARB should
work with the California Integrated Waste Management Board to end
the practice of dumping green waste into landfills.
• Alternate Daily Cover (ADC) using greenwaste or woodwaste should
not be given recycling credits or counted as recycling.  This
actually de-incentivizes diversion of greenwaste into composting
and contained methane energy capture.  
• CARB’s suggestion to capture and utilize landfill methane gas
should not be construed as support for continued dumping of green
waste into landfills. Landfill capture of methane is far less
efficient than what is possible with green waste separation. This
is especially crucial given that methane is 25 times more potent a
greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide.
• Burning garbage arguably uses more energy than recycling, and
carbon reduction requires better options. 
• CARB should propose statewide installation of “Resource Recovery
Parks” to include facilities for reusing, recycling, composting,
and minimizing the discarding of materials. They can also
incorporate facilities for repair services, retail sales of
reclaimed products and landscaping supplies, organically composted
gardens, educational tours, and public amenities. Such a model park
currently operates in the city of Marina in Monterey County.  
• CARB should explicitly reject carbon credits for landfill carbon
sequestration.  
• Successful Zero Waste initiatives require effective outreach and
educational programs so that others are advised of and can come to
appreciate the benefits.  CARB should utilize the legions of young
people who are not only enthusiastic and care about waste
reduction, recycling and global warming but are also willing to go
out and do something about it.  CARB should have these individuals
help us educate our communities about the issue.   Recycling
ambassador programs throughout state and local government agencies
should be instituted so that students and other volunteers can go
door to door educating residents about the need for and the
benefits of recycling.  In addition, new home owners, apartment
dwellers and other residents should receive information after
moving to a new residence that explains to them the recycling
policies in their neighborhood and encourages them to do so. 
People are willing to do what it takes to pitch in but if they
have no idea how to do it, they won't even begin.  This type of
outreach should be an explicit part of the CARB plan.