This week’s Newsweek magazine has an article about RecycleBank. In Everett, Massachusetts, the article says the program has resulted in a 10x increase in recycling. It quotes the mayor as saying, “The recycling buzz is out there; it’s fun filling that thing up to the top.”
As described in the article, the company’s current push to [...]
Posts from ‘September, 2008’
RecycleBank in Newsweek
Surrealism in city hall
Monday evening’s City Council agenda included several resolutions to authorize sale of municipal bonds in order to refinance some of the city’s debt at lower rates of interest. (Oak Ridge recently attained a very favorable bond rating, making it possible to borrow at better interest rates than the city was able to get earlier.)
Two weeks [...]
Marina plans
Earlier this week the local newspapers reported (here and here) that the city had received two proposals for redevelopment at Oak Ridge’s marina site at Melton Lake park. People are talking and wondering about what might happen.
Count me among the many residents who see unfulfilled potential at the marina, but worry that redevelopment — particularly [...]
Recycling incentives to be considered in October
At Monday evening’s work session on recycling, the full Council heard about plans to start single-stream recycling on October 1, 2008. Yes, Virginia, we can put all of our recyclables at curbside starting October 1: not just alumninum and steel cans, #1 and #2 plastic bottles, glass bottles, and newspaper, but also mixed paper (office [...]
A full calendar
Here’s a very long list of upcoming events in and around Oak Ridge, from the Convention & Visitors Bureau and other sources (updated to remove past events):
Next weekend, September 12-14
September 12 -14 – Women’s Water Weekend – Melton Hill Lake, Come out to enjoy a Fall Weekend on the water with Friends – New and [...]
Can’t escape news about traffic cameras
It seems you can’t open a newspaper or turn on a TV without hearing about traffic enforcement cameras. I’m still scratching my head over the news that Knoxville is terminating its contract with RedFlex due to late delivery of the company’s bid on a contract renewal.
Meanwhile, WBIR-TV has a report that the Oak Ridge police [...]
Impressive clock at ORHS
An unexpected feature of the Oak Ridge High School renovation is an impressive clock (at the dedication it was described as an astrolabe, which I think is a correct term for it) in the lobby. The News Sentinel has a good photo.
“Green” energy for the Oak Ridge City Center (mall)?
Last week the local papers had some positive news regarding the Oak Ridge mall property: the prospective developers are doing test drilling for a “geothermal” HVAC system on the site.
Of course, a “green” HVAC system is not much use at a shopping center unless the center has some commercial tenants to use the conditioned space, [...]