Newsbriefs December 12
December 12, 2011
by Laura Turner
Allentown, Pa., Unveils Solar Trash Compactors
Allentown, Pa., has unveiled the first of 250 BigBelly solar trash compactors being deployed in the city — 100 of which will be installed side-by-side with a recycling kiosk — that will help keep the city’s streets and neighborhoods clean and give residents and visitors more opportunities to recycle.
The single-stream recycling kiosks will accept glass, plastic and aluminum beverage containers and newsprint and other types of paper and will mark the first time Allentown pedestrians have the opportunity to recycle on the city’s sidewalks.
The majority of the combination units will be installed in the downtown where foot traffic is highest. Some units will be placed in city parks.
“Allentown already has effective residential and business recycling programs in place,” said Linda Emery of NLC Corporate Partner Waste Management, which is partnering with the city. “The sidewalk recyclers build on what’s already in place and give the community another way to conserve resources.”
Waste Management is purchasing and installing and will maintain the compactors and recycling kiosks. City crews will empty the receptacles into a split-body truck that will allow one crew to collect both waste and recyclables.
Effective community recycling efforts require a strong public commitment and education about the program, Emery said.
“That’s why Waste Management is proud to provide the City of Allentown with a $5,000 Keep America Beautiful grant,” she added. “The city will use this grant to explain its sidewalk recycling program to residents.”
Effective education about the compactors and recycling kiosks will increase the units’ use and the amount of waste and recyclables placed into them, and limit the amount of non-recyclable material, said Emery.
The BigBelly can compact approximately 180 gallons of trash into a 35 gallon collection bin. Litter receptacles that previously needed to be emptied five days a week will now only have to be emptied once a week. This will allow personnel to perform additional tasks, said Bureau of Recycling and Solid Waste Manager Ann Saurman.
Details: Communications Coordinator Mike Moore at (610) 437-7653 or moorem@allentowncity.org.
Des Moines Installs New Pedestrian Signal
Des Moines, Iowa, has installed a new signal on Grand Avenue on the east side of Polk Boulevard that is designed to increase pedestrian safety while reducing delay for vehicles at the crossing.
The High-intensity-Activated crossWalK signal, or HAWK, provides an added measure of protection. A pedestrian wishing to cross the street pushes a button that activates a three-light beacon in the crosswalk.
The HAWK signal begins with a flashing yellow light that warns motorists approaching the crosswalk to slow down. The flashing yellow light is followed by a solid yellow light, telling drivers to prepare to stop. The signal then changes to solid red for telling drivers to stop at the marked crosswalk, and the pedestrian gets a walk signal to proceed to cross the street.
The solid red converts to a flashing red after a few seconds, allowing drivers to proceed when the pedestrian has cleared his path and it is safe to do so. When not in use, the HAWK is normally in a dark or “off” position, until it is activated by someone wanting to cross the street.
During these sequences, pedestrians see the same indications as in a traditional traffic signal: the red hand, flashing red hand and white walking person symbols.
This is Des Moines’ first installation, but the HAWK has been used successfully in other communities since it was developed by the City of Tucson in 2004.
Details: Traffic Engineer Gary L. Fox at (515) 283-4973 or glfox@dmgov.org.
Boston Launches Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Awareness Campaign
As Boston phases out sales of sugar-sweetened drinks in city-owned buildings, Mayor Thomas M. Menino has unveiled a public awareness campaign to encourage residents to reduce consumption of the beverages, which are linked to rising obesity rates.
Developed by the Boston Public Health Commission, the campaign targets parents and caregivers, who often make grocery-buying decisions for their households, and teens and young adults, who consume more sodas, sports drinks, energy drinks, sweet teas and other sweetened beverages than any other age group.
Funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services through an initiative called Communities Putting Prevention to Work, the campaign began in September with a media blitz that includes television, radio, web, print and billboard advertising.
The campaign launched a month before the mayor’s executive order to phase out the sale, advertising and promotion of sugar-sweetened beverages in municipal buildings was set to take effect.
Signed in April, the executive order gave city buildings and departments until October 7 to phase out the sale of beverages known to be loaded with sugar, such as non-diet sodas, pre-sweetened ice teas, refrigerated coffee drinks, sports drinks and juice drinks with added sugar.
The order also prohibits promotion of such beverages in city buildings through sponsorship agreements with city departments. The new rules apply to cafeterias, vending machines, concession stands and beverages served at meetings, city-run programs and events where food is purchased with city dollars.
City officials will honor existing vendor contracts. Once they expire, the new restrictions will kick in.
Boston Public Health Commission Executive Director Barbara Ferrer said the campaign gives the city an opportunity to shine a spotlight on the health effects of sugar-sweetened beverages to a broader audience.
“This campaign is a unique opportunity for Boston residents to have a real dialogue about how sugary beverages contribute to obesity rates and lead to other preventable diseases like type 2 diabetes,” she said.
The campaign specifically targets blacks and Latinos, who have higher obesity rates than other groups.
It includes an advertisement called “Protection,” which is a series of vignettes showing measures that parents take to protect their children, like strapping them into safety seats and adjusting helmets, before asking if they also know how dangerous sugary beverages can be. The ad urges parents to give their children healthier options, such as water, seltzer and low-fat milk because, “after all, they are sweet enough already.”
A second ad developed by the public health commission’s Youth Media Council illustrates how the empty calories in sugary drinks can add up to fat. In this ad, a glob of fat flies at youths when they consume a sugary beverage.
Details: Mayor’s Press Office at (617) 635-4461.