Dear Editor,
Okotoks has been a proactive community in the direction of sustainable living, offering a balance between good stewardship of residents and town responsibility. This is a feature which I often reiterate to visitors to our community.
The Town of Okotoks council meeting held on June 27 questioned my trust in this balance of community sustainability by the motion put forth by Councillor Tanya Thorn to “approve the implementation of Universal Recycling and Organic Collection effective October 1, 2016.”
This will include a single waste service fee to residents of $20.50 per month. Residents are being compelled to pay for three carts (black - garbage; blue - recyclables; green - organics).
No longer will we have a financial option to participate in personal stewardship of taking our recyclables to the town recycling depot or composting.
Yes, I will continue to compost, but then, do I need to set out my empty organic cart each week at the curbside for the Town to get the message that their direction is not pro-active but unfair action towards its residents?
I hope our town council will reconsider its decision.
Wendy Norleen
Okotoks, AB
