Following up on my previous post, I received a call back from the Department of Environmental Quality today. I explained again my situation, that I would just like to know where I can drop off my recyclables and I was told there are two fire stations in Lafayette that continue to have a drop-off. One is the fire station on Johnston and St. Julien, near UL, and the other is a fire station on Ambassador Caffery, somewhere near the Bertrand split. Neither take glass, which is nothing new. My other option would be the Recycling Foundation office on Cameron, somewhere near Eraste Landry, and they accept glass, but are only open during normal working hours. (My knowledge of west Lafayette is not the greatest since I am never there.)

It had been about three weeks, and my recycling bin was overflowing, so while out on errands today, I stopped by the fire station near my apartment to empty the bin.

I found zero recycling bins and a sign saying "Drop off closed, please call for information." So bet your ass I left a voicemail for the Department of Environmental Quality asking them where us lowly non-homeowners should be dropping off recycling." I don't expect a call back, but I will get my answer somehow.

For the time being, I decided to use my boyfriend's next-door neighbor's bin, since I am actually closer to that than the fire station, and I can mix in my glass.

I had heard of another fire station's drop-off being closed recently, and sometime in the last month, mine was as well. Maybe because I don't read the newspaper, but I surely hadn't heard rumblings of this happening. And I haven't heard of alternative options, which I do not appreciate. Of course business is all about money and the bottom line, but I fully believe being environmentally responsible goes BEYOND that. I don't know what I would do without being able to recycle, as that is what I do with close to 70% of my waste, and I cannot physically throw a piece of paper or a can in the trash anymore. But I don't think I'll face my worst expectation, as all city residents pay for residential pickup through a contract with the city. So from now on, it's about mooching off of that city contract. And if the city doesn't like it, they can talk to me.

By no means is Lafayette the most progressive, environmentally responsible city, but I can't sit back and watch us move backwards. Especially since I, personally, will not move backwards.

Ironic this comes on the heels of LUS receiving Smart Grid grant money to install smart meters on homes. But I guess that still would have no effect on apartment dwellers and residents outside the city limits. We don't count, I suppose.

I suppose I should really pick an actual day of the week to have a link roundup. So I'll decide now. Every Friday I'll compile a list of links I've found throughout the week that I have an interest in.

The New York Times Green blog has a post today on the new partnership between ReCork and SOLE, an American wine cork recycling company and Canadian footwear company, respectively. ReCork will supply SOLE with corks and in turn receive national marketing exposure. 

Treehugger has an entry on Team BeauSoleil in Washington DC praising the house for being green while exemplifying Louisiana culture and being tough enough to survive hurricane-force winds. Some good press from a major force in the green world is definitely a good thing for our team!

I found two interesting articles yesterday that I'll share this morning.