Fresh Loaf

MAKE IT RAIN, Y'ALL

Get pumped, crunk and amped all up in this muthafucka, recycling fans!

City Hall yesterday officially launched ReCART, Atlanta’s new “incentive-based” recycling program. If your household is one of the lucky 10,000 randomly selected to receive the 96-gallon recycling bin pictured to the right, you can start earning restaurant discounts and pharmacy deals just for tossing out your beer cans! It’s brilliant, ya drunks!

The program, a partnership between the city’s department of public works, Coca-Cola and Rehrig Pacific, is aimed at improving Atlantans’ recycling habits, helping residents save money, and making the city more sustainable. RecycleBank, the private company that manages the reward program, says similar efforts in 21 states have increased recycling program participation rates.

Depending on how much they recycle, selected households earn points which can be redeemed at local and national businesses. A department spokeswoman says local participating businesses include Radial, Zoo Atlanta, Rita’s Water Ice, Edgewood Avenue Pizza, and Six Feet Under locations.

Sounds great! One quick question: how much will it cost taxpayers?

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Residents tired of massive piles of waste and trash collecting at their curbs will rejoice.

From Mayor Shirley Franklin’s office:

We are pleased to inform you that beginning the week of September 14, 2009, we will resume weekly collection of household garbage, recycling, and yard trimmings. Please place your Herbie, recycling, and yard trimmings containers at the curb after 7:00 pm on the day before your collection. Remove your containers by 7:00 pm on your collection day.

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There are times in a journalist’s life when he or she feels they are simply screaming into the void. Casting information into the ether and metaphors into the vast unknown realm where ponies, wishes and jet skis go to die.

Then there are times you bring about sweeping, monumental change, and you remind yourself why you do what you do even though you live under a bridge and eat copies of your own newspaper for minimal sustenance.

Now, my friends, is one of those times.

After it originally considered scaling back its recycling and leaf-and-limb programs to offset the budget shortfall, the city today announced it will continue picking your aluminum cans as it always has. On July 7, the city discontinued its contract with Dreamsan, the private contractor that’s managed the program since 2002, and will now use city trucks to do the hauling. The move saves cash-strapped Atlanta an annual $3 million. We take full credit and if anyone says otherwise then nah nah nah.

An excerpt of the city’s announcement follows after the jump.

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UPDATE: A city spokesperson said in a phone interview that the bridge is showing signs of “major deterioration and section loss.”

Just arrived from the City of Atlanta Department of Public Works. (Emphasis added.)

Mitchell Street Bridge to Close Effective Immediately

Effective immediately, Mitchell Street between Northside Drive and Spring Street will be closed to all traffic. This closure will remain in effect until further notice.

The Department of Public Works’ Office of Transportation and Georgia Department of Transportation are responsible for the maintenance and inspection of the Mitchell Street Bridge and will close the affected area this afternoon. An inspection of the bridge revealed that it is in need of replacement and has been deemed unsafe for vehicular traffic at this time. “We will do everything we can to minimize the impact and inconvenience of this closure; however the safety of those who travel on our roadways is our priority,” said Sandra Jennings, Deputy Commissioner of the Office of Transportation.

The Department of Public Works suggests the following detour route: Northside Drive to McDaniel Street to Peters Street to Spring Street to Mitchell Street.

When a lobbyist recently told me we need to invest in infrastructure, he wasn’t kidding.

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From a city of Atlanta Department of Public Works press release:

The most noticeable changes in the new solid waste collection process include:

• New collection days for most customers.
• Weekly collection of waste materials (garbage, recycling and yard waste).
• Yard waste will not be collected in plastic bags. It must be placed in paper yard waste (kraft) bags or a container clearly labeled “yard trimmings.”
• Only 5 additional bags of garbage are allowed in addition to the contents of your Herbie Curbie for garbage collection.

For additional information and to obtain your new collection day, call the DPW Customer Service Division at 404-330-6333 or click here.

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Yo, Atlanta! You’re about to see some changes in your trash service. Starting March 3, the city’s Department of Public Works will shuffle collection days for most Atlanta residents and change some policies.

According to the press release, here are the major changes you’ll see:

• New collection days for most customers

• Weekly collection of waste materials (garbage, recycling and yard waste)

• Yard waste will not be collected in plastic bags. It must be placed in paper yard waste (kraft) bags or a container clearly labeled “yard trimmings.”

• Only five additional bags of garbage are allowed in addition to the contents of your Herbie Curbie for garbage collection.

To find out your new collection day or other information, call the DPW Customer Service Division at 404-330-6333 or visit www.atlantaga.gov.

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