h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hmmmm...

Regarding the trash.

It isn't as though Canadians have been secretly sneaking over the border in the dead of night and dropping truckloads of garbage in the nearest ravine.

If someone in the US has allowed Canadian garbage to be dumped in your fair state, it should be taken up with them.... and I mean should! I'd be a little ticked off if Americans came along and dumped garbage in my back yard.....

Sorry, missed the end of that....

Should have read:

I'd be a little ticked off if Americans came along and dumped garbage in my back yard..... but my fight would be with the Canadian authorities that agreed to allow it to be dumped, not the Americans who produced the garbage.

"Paul Gieleghem, D-Clinton Township, said that even if Canadian waste is cleaner, 'it's still garbage.'"--http://www.freep.com/news/mich/trash15_20030515.htm

Let me make that my main point, incase we didn't get it from the first post. ‘It’s still garbage.’ Also let me clarify, that while it may be rare that hazardous materials come in from Canada, it still happens- more frequently than any domestic trash, or other imports from other states (which don't get me wrong, I’m also disgruntled that we are taking other states trash as well.).

Someone inquired about ‘Michigan must be desperate enough to import their trash’ or something like that...Nearly all landfills accepting Canadian trash are owned by a Florida based company, no money is going to Michigan made from this trash.

According to US census bureau there are only 9,938,444 people living in Michigan. While you weren't off by much (give or take a hundred thousand) the 165,000+ petition signers is from an internet based petition only. While, if we are ever to vote on something like this we will need almost triple the amount of signers, which I intend to see through. Recently I’ve been gaining support in my local community, and we will shortly set up a system to canvass the neighborhood.

"Pine Tree Acres Landfill in Lenox Township in Macomb County receives significant trash imports from Canadian communities other than Toronto. Inspectors there wrote that "loads contained varying amounts of cardboard and paper..."--http://www.freep.com/news/mich/trash15_20030515.htm

Is it all Canadians do you think - or is it just the French ones?

The people who own the landfills that have contracts with canada do not even live in the state. The state of Michigan recieve 0% of the profit from these deals.

Yes, your right we the people of Michigan should be yelling at our government to stop the canadian trash imports...But then you cant help but harbor some resentment for the fact that your dumping on your neighbor because your land is much to precious to dump on.

Let me also reinforce the fact that, because this is a special contract agreement, it is required that Canadian inspectors first clear the garbage/waste to be accaptable to be deported to a forign country..while it is the forign countries job (which is not inforced, another thing we're fighting for) to be sure that the waste is indeed okay to be imported..they (or rather, from my view 'we') have 30 days to reject the shipmint for a legit. reason.

Cheers,
Nick

Again, I agree with you, Nick.

You post: "that while it may be rare that hazardous materials come in from Canada, it still happens- more frequently than any domestic trash, or other imports from other states "

Well, in the article you link to(which looks awfully familiar.) The Detroit Free Press writes:

"A few isolated incidents of banned waste -- like a 2-gallon can of basement sealer intercepted at a Crawford County landfill -- were found in trash generated in Michigan. And the highest rate of improper (though not illegal) disposal was in waste imported from Wisconsin and Indiana, according to the reports obtained by the Free Press under the Freedom of Information Act.

Inspectors at the Carleton Farms Landfill in Sumpter Township found a propane tank in one Michigan load on March 24. Inspectors at Carleton, the repository since Jan. 1 of all trash generated in Toronto, wrote: "The Michigan waste typically contained more recyclable material than the Canadian waste," including loads from commercial trash processors that contained up to 40 percent recyclable paper and cardboard. "

Again: "And the highest rate of improper (though not illegal) disposal was in waste imported from Wisconsin and Indiana,"

I'm not sure how "highest rate" relates to "more frequently".

But, again, I agree with you. Here at home as I posted above, despite a landfill that was slated for closure a number of years ago, we've managed to deal with our waste without resorting to export beyond the city limits or incineration. Enough has been diverted from the waste stream by recycling and composting that the landfill is going to continue operating comfortably for years to come.

Which landfill, and city are you referring too, may I ask?

Cheers,
Nick

Oh. Edmonton. Sorry. Here's the link I posted before: http://www.gov.edmonton.ab.ca/am_pw/waste_management/edm_waste_mgmt_centre.html

wow, the whole idea of importing rubbish seems . Then again, my country imports a lot of American cheap TV.

Again we see the problem of allowing private enterprise to replace the government in areas of key public interest such as waste disposal. Having a bunch of landfill sites owned by an out of state company that doesn't care what the neighbours think seems to me to be an easy problem to solve legislatively with a ban on imported trash. But that only works if the government thinks voters will insist on it.
Personally I agree with you Nick, I wouldn't want trash imported into my country/province/town either. It has to go somewhere and recycling can only eliminate so much from the waste cycle. Personally I think they should have been packing the clean trash into abandoned mineshafts up north.

Ship your trash to us in the UK. We handle nuclear waste too. Ask us for a quote. We are keen to trade.
Oetz

How on earth did THIS rubbish ever end up on the front page of the internet Globe and Mail???


http://www.thankyoutony.com/


as

front page:

http://www.globeandmail.com/

Where on the front of the G&M page is it? I followed the link and didn't see it.

on the right hand side

Mudhooks,

I just checked the G&M front page again - and it's gone! Half an hour ago it was underneath where it now says 'Buy Entertainment Books'. How weird! Now there is nothing there.

az

Canadians are too shy!
Hallo Muddy
Oetz

I just checked the link (1pm Tokyo time Oct 25) and the Thank Tony bit was there - its obviously a paid ad, but why the hell anyone would pay to advertise such a site on the Mop and Pail's internet site is beyond me.

Bet there is a sound reason. You've got to be on the wavelength of the agency who placed it, reasearch that and the account manager and you may have an answer. Never worked for the public sector myself always for private business.
Oetz

Oetz,
Thats just the problem...you probably didnt read my other posts, the ones that said the landfills are 'privatly owned by out of state companies'

Our biggest problem here is under educated Americans...Sure 95% of Michiganders read major and local newspapers from the state, but do you think they care to report on how much trash has come into the state? Probably a very rare occurence, due to the fact that they themselves (the publishers) do not even know its happening, or that they've reported once on it, now its 'old news'.

In politics you need to drive the issue until it reachers even the thickest of skulls. Politics is all about force and repetition of the issue. A newspaper is not a good tool to get people activaly involved in a certian issue, or else they would probably be considered propaganda tools.

This is how it goes: The enviromentalist see this happening, they report to their state reps, or senators etc...On this alarming problem. The democrats (which are usually pro enviroment) wll usually jump up, research it more, and then try and stop it. BUT the republicans (in this matter as we speek) Are litteraly sitting on their hands, not allowing no federal legislature to pass. There simply is not enough pressure on them by their constituents to act on it, that brings us back to the under educated people... I supose thats why people like me who actually have a passion for politics goes out and starts a support campaign to try and actaully educate Michigan until they get it that their state is being turned into one giant gloved shaped landfill.

Cheers,
Nick

Yes Nick I see what's happening. It's the same here. The place where I live is full of right-wingers. The rest are cap-doffers.
When I want something done I get 'em to work to rule. Failing that I corner them from three sides, pincer style. The ensuing fear and embarassment works.

The key is to go for the presumed untouchable targets. You get 'em wrong footed then go for the clinch. Not without risks. Sometimes subject to intimidation for your family.

I love rock & roll though and sooner or later most things come round.
In your situation in the states I would guess education is your key.
Good luck with your endeavour.
Oetz