getting to

LOOKING FOR a good way,
to celebrate Earth Day?

No, I'm not going to suggest
planting a tree, picking up the
garbage around your neighborhood,
or painting a yellow fish on the
storm drain in your street ese
(hose are all darn good ideas).

It may sound less glamorous, ‘
but the way to make a lasting mark
on the local environment is to get
-informed about the Greater
Vancouver Regional District’s
” Sotid Waste Management Plan. ’

All regional districts in the
“province were told (o come up with

~ a plan that would (by the year
2000) result in a 50% decrease.in

“the aniovar ‘of garbage being dis-
"sosed ‘of.

Through public consultations,

‘ waste: caudits,: and direction from
two! ‘local advisory and technical
~ committees, the consultants hired to:
-formulate a waste management
strategy have done just that.

An overview of the proposed
plan i is available from the West Van
and North. Vin City libraries; or
you can call the Solid. Waste
Mandgement Plan (SWMP) review
otfice at 451-6040 for information.
“Your comments are 2 being»

. solicited’ at community’ ‘meetings,
_ the first of which is being held:

~ tomorrow from,9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at
Robson Square. 7

_ There are many aspects of the .
plan that most people will like;
there are some proposals that will
be controversial...

“If the plan is approved, busi-"
nesses would be required to sepa-
_tate‘and recycle-a variety of materi-

als, and larger companies would

have to perform simple waste.

“audits,” a :
To reinforce business recycling,
“some recyclable or compostable

“materials would be banned from’

~-Jandfills and tipping fees for .

‘| ‘garbage disposal would be

‘Residential waste reduction:
would result from expanded recy-.
cling programs, subsidized com- —
“poster programs, a ban on yard
waste going to landfills, curbside
‘collection of clean’ green yard waste

‘and — wait for it —~ a user pay sys-,
i ‘tem. 7 .

“The polluter-pay principle, by’,
“which those who make the garbage
pay for its disposal, has a couple of
incarnations in this proposed plan. ..
First, citizens’ would be required
to pay for each can of garbage col- -
lected, with the amount increasing

- with each additional can, Second,
product manufacturers would be
required to pay for at least part of
the costs associated with the dis-
posal of their product or its packag-
ing.

This approach moves the bulk of:
the cost of garbage disposal away
from the general municipal taxpay-
er, Who currently shoulders most of
the cost, Over to the companies and
individuals who actually create the
waste. Sounds good to me. '

There are fvariety of recom-

SURPRISE pee |

Burrarcl Pine tables,
chairs, cabinets, chests,
coffee tables, etc.

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ECO. INFO"

‘qendations i in-the strategy, which
together should see the amount of
garbage decrease by 52% by the
year 2000.

The alternative, if we do noth-
ing, is'to watch our waste output
increase from two million tons
annually to three million tons —
enough to fill B.C, Place Stadium
more than three times over.

I encourage you to take an |
active part in the ongoing discus-
sions on the SWMP. The outcome
- will affect: us HT

Cove Cliff elementary school,
which has been featured before in
this column for its high level of

environmental commitment, is hav-.

,ing 4 Going Green Spring Festival
on Saturday, May 7 from 11 ‘aim. to
S p.m.

There will be booths statfed by
‘the Lynn Canyon Ecology Centre, |
North Shore Recycling Program,
the District of North Vancouver,

EarthSave, Greenpeace, Seycove ~
“Community Programs. SPEC and”
‘WHEN. |

Child care, children’s $ races and
activities with a green theme,
snacks, eco-products and a barbe-
cué will all be featured, as will be
the opportunity to recycle phone
books, household batteries, small:
household goods, toys‘in good -
repair and good quality clothes for
women and children.

The school is located at 1818
Banbury Road in Deep Cove, and

sup Ay LOR 96633

al are welcome, For information
vall Virginia Beltjens at 929-3411,

Looking for the perfect Barth
Day present Cor that special woman
on your list? Look no farther,

The indisposatles Cotton Diaper.

Company has branched beyond its
diaper fine into a variety of diaper-
ing accessories und, now, with a
tine of washable cotton menstrual
pads.

Ninety-three per cent of the
women who participated in market
trials said they would likely buy the
pads as they found the product
comfortable, easy to use and wash,
and absorbent.

They were invented by Sue -:
Woollard of Oakville, Ont., and are -
the first washable pad to be distrib-.
uted in the:U.S.,; Europe and
Canada by a large international ©
company.

For more information, call
Indisposables at 251-3422.

Sleep safely and be

aware of dangers

MOST RESIDENTIAL fires occur
at night while people are sleeping.
This list of safety tips could reduce
the risk of fires in your home.

@ Never smoke in bed — the risk
of falling asleep is too great.

@ Don't leave children unsuper-'

vised. Store those matches and
lighters out of children’s reach.
Don’t place portable heaters
within three feet of flammatles.
Portable heaters should never, ever,
be used to dry clothes.

BH Don’t leave heaters unattended
or go to sleep while they are on. {f
you are cold, pileson the blankets
instead, And always unplug heaters
after turning them off.

% Don’t run electrical cords over
or under a bed, or trap them
between the hed “and the wall
where heat could build up.

& Use only cleciric blankeis that
“have been CSA approved.

@ install and maintain smoke
detectors on every floor of house.
R@ Sicep with the door closed.
"Distributed by the Los Angeles
Times syndicate,

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