Erin McElhone 3rd Period: Settle Residents Forced to Recycle and Compost

     Seattle's Government is now allowing the trash men and women to determine if s resident's trash contains more than 10%of  materials that can be composted or recycled. The men and women search the trash cans with "no intention of opening trash bags," says Seattle City Attorney Pete Holmentention, "Containers (trash cans) are only tagged if the contamination is clearly visible." This controversial program is now the subject of a lawsuit.  Residents believe that this is an infringement of their privacy that was granted upon them through the Constitution. The mandatory composting ordinance calls for fines ranging from $1 a residential first offense to $50 for businesses. Residents are also upset because there isn't an appeal process if you feel you have been wrongly fined. The evidence, the trash, is taken from the residence's site and to a landfill.

     I don't think that this law is a bad idea, I just think that it was poorly executed. The article makes me think that the government could have taken better steps to introduce this new idea and law. They could have slowly started to diffuse the idea to the local community, maybe by starting with small test communities. Holding information round tables at libraries and community centers that provide information about how much trash they produce and how it is becoming a large problem, then they could explain the new composting and recycling law. The government also has made a mistake by not having an appeal process. Without an appeal process the government would have to demonstrate that the garbage men and women are completely truthful and can be trusted with this duty. This means that the men and women hired for this job after the law is implemented would have to go through some kind recycle and compost training. This makes the job a lot more demanding, and their pay should mirror the difficulty of the job.  This law reminds me of Prohibition in the 1920's, it seems like such a good idea, but when it comes to the execution there is a disconnect. Prohibition resulted in many law abiding people drinking alcohol illegally, and this city ordinance I believe could make many additional lawbreakers. Normal nice office workers now bringing their trash to their work so as to avoid a fine at home.

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