From:
To: City Council
Subject: Please renew the city"s hauling contract with Recology Date: Sunday, February 18, 2024 9:10:31 PM
Dear Mayor Rich, Vice Mayor Zollman, and Councilmembers Hinton, Maurer, and McLewis, I am writing to urge the council to renew the city's hauling contract with Recology.
I want to express what an excellent partner Recology has been in schools and the community at large. As a high school teacher, I have worked with several Sebastopol schools on compost and recycling over the past decade. The Recology Waste Zero team has been invaluable to these efforts: designing sorting systems, leading waste audits, teaching classroom lessons, donating sorting containers, reusable food ware, and signage, and mentoring student volunteers.
In the community, Recology has been instrumental in reducing waste at events such as the Apple Blossom festival, the Gravenstein Apple Fair, and the weekly farmer’s market, and working with the Sebastopol Zero Waste and Climate Action Committees on many citywide, waste-reduction initiatives Recology Waste Zero specialist Ambrosia Thompson has been amazing in working with Sebastopol businesses in designing waste reduction systems, setting up compost collection, and training employees; saving businesses money by helping them divert more waste to compost and recycling.
There are significant benefits to working with the same hauler as most of the other cities in the county– our Sebastopol zero waste advocates collaborate with the entire Recology Waste Zero team on county-wide efforts and events in other cities. Additionally, having the same sorting guidelines, containers, signage and educational materials as neighboring towns keeps things simple for residents as they travel throughout the county, increasing compost and recycling diversion rates.
Another hauler may be able to offer cheaper rates for garbage service, but would be unlikely to match the zero waste resources, support, and partnership with the community that Recology offers. Recology is also an employee-owned business that pays living wages. As a teacher seeing the declining enrollment in local schools, I know the importance of having a local employer that pays wages that allow families to afford to stay in our area.
I want to thank the council for being so supportive, over many years, of efforts to reduce waste and greenhouse gas emissions, and urge the council to continue in these efforts by renewing the city's contract with Recology.
Thank you,
Sunny Galbraith