According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, here’s how it all went down...
[Kevin] Stutler, 35, of East Mount Airy, a vegetarian, an organic gardener... was headed to the airport. He was going to Ohio to help his wife take care of her grandmother, who had just had several strokes.
Before he left, Stutler dragged his recycling in the usual blue bin to the curb, but, not wanting anyone to steal his garbage can while he was away, he put the rest of his trash in a bag.
Walking to the car, he came across a crushed soda bottle that had been tossed into the street and a gift that someone's dog had left on the sidewalk. Using a scrap of cardboard, he scooped up the poop, tossed it along with the bottle into the trash, tied up the bag, and drove away.
A week later, when he returned, he found a ticket wedged into the wrought iron of his front door. A code violation carrying a $50 fine. "Recyclables not separated from rubbish."
This guy did the right thing by picking up trash from the street, but his good deed turned into a $50 fine. I guess he should have just left the bottle in the street.
Stutler is a vegetarian, a former soil scientist for an environmental cleanup company, a home composter and avid recycler. Before moving to Philly He maintained a 20 acre organic farm in Oregon and even got a state grant to rehabilitate three acres of wetland as habitat.
This guy impacts the planet far less than the average Joe, yet he’s being punished. Why is it that somebody that’s already environmental conscious is one of the people being targeted by the eco-police? The simple answer is, money.
 |
| The eco-police. Always on their high horses. |
Since the 1990s, the city has been ticketing people for not recycling, but under Mayor Nutter, enforcement has intensified.
In 2005, 13,000 citations were issued. In 2009, it shot up to 33,000. And that was only January through July because last summer, the $25 fine was doubled and Council voted to give citizens a six-month warning before they were hit with the tougher consequences.
Between January 2010, when the $50 fine went into effect, and July, the enforcers have written 6,000 tickets for recycling violations.
Officially known as streets and walkways education and enforcement officers, the enforcers are trained to look for recycling containers. "If they don't see one, they're prompted to go through the trash. And if they see materials in there that should have been recycled, they issue a citation."
As someone who supports recycling efforts and incentives for protecting the environment, I have to say I’m pretty cheesed off by this story. The environmental argument doesn’t hold water here. In my view, the best way to encourage people to change their habits is to lead by example, which this guy is doing.
We’re all forced to make real world choices every single day. It can be a real challenge. We’re faced with choices about food, transportation and energy consumption. That’s why it’s vitally important to educate and lead by example. Especially around family, friends and coworkers. The goal is to educate, not confront.
Fining someone for not recycling is the wrong way to go. It will never get them to think about the choices they make as consumers. Forcing people to recycle gives them a false sense that maybe they’re doing enough just by separating paper from plastic. But it does nothing to address the issue of over-consumption in our society. Many Americans already feel threatened by the idea that there are people out there advocating for a less consumer driven lifestyle. Fining those people will only deepen their resentment. Forcing people to do things only perpetuates the “us versus them” mentality many average folks have with the environmental movement.
Some argue that Philadelphia’s effort is just an attempt to raise money for the city, but even the economic argument doesn’t add up. One of the commentors to the original Enquirer article points out...
Forcing people to recycle will only discourage them for taking an additional steps toward reducing their impact on the planet. There’s no quicker way to turn someone off then by telling them they should or they have to do something.
I’d love to know what you think. Should cities fine people for not recycling? What do you think is the best way to encourage a more sustainable lifestyle?
