The San Mateo City Council has announced plans to increase the monthly cost of waste collection services by $5 starting this year due to mounting operational expenses.
The decision comes as a result of the rising costs of waste disposal operations and recycling efforts from the city and as a way to provide additional funds to maintain quality waste services and adapt to environmental regulations, according to the San Mateo Daily Journal.
“There is a lot of waste in our society, and it has a harmful impact on the environment, especially around organics, food waste, and greenways. When that’s buried in a landfill, it generates methane, which is a powerful climate super pollutant,” said Jack Johnson, the waste management supervisor for San Mateo.
There is a lot of waste in our society, and it has a harmful impact on the environment, especially around organics, food waste, and greenways. When that’s buried in a landfill, it generates methane, which is a powerful climate super pollutant.
— Jack Johnson
Effective waste collection can also mitigate climate change. According to the Pew Research Center, over 70% of Americans say climate change is causing at least some harm to people in the world today.
At Carlmont, it is essential to keep the campus clean for students. Teachers and administrators often encourage students to clean up to improve the learning environment.
“A clean, safe environment for students can help them be more focused on academics and social life instead of worrying about their surrounding environment,” said Alex Kim, a sophomore at Carlmont.
The Green Team Club at Carlmont advocates a cleaner environment through community clean-ups, hikes, and environmental awareness initiatives such as proper waste disposal practices.
“Green Team introduces members to new environmental topics and issues each week, and we encourage students to join local climate action organizations,” said Natalie Su, a senior and the president of Green Team Club.
However, Carlmont still faces the challenges of throwing trash in the correct bins. Trash bins are often moved around campus, and students are discouraged from sorting their waste as they have to walk around to find the proper bins.
“It is important for Carlmont to introduce a new system of collecting waste because currently, most people throw their trash into any trash bin they find, no matter the color, and none of it really is able to be recycled or composted,” Su said.
If implemented effectively, correct waste management from the student body would provide many benefits to Carlmont, including a reduced spread of germs and less sickness overall, according to Scranton Products.
“At Carlmont, this waste disposal can help the environment stay clean and safe for everyone at school. Moreover, it can promote a positive overall school environment,” Kim said.
Furthermore, productive waste collection within a city promotes more tourists and attractions and an increasingly positive community.
“I think that any community that takes care to put things properly in their place looks more attractive. Any community that is progressive, such as San Mateo, needs to be implementing innovative strategies to combat climate change and greenhouse gas emissions,” Johnson said.
As a result, San Mateo has been administering more innovative technological advancements to improve waste collection, such as using Artificial Intelligence (AI).
“I’m excited about the use of AI to assist us in route reviews. There are several companies, but the one we’re working with has a camera which can recognize contamination in our waste stream and assist us in identifying that so that we have a cleaner source-separated recycling, organics, and waste stream,” Johnson said.
