N E W S



HOW DOES ONE COMMUNICATE - INSTAGRAM!!!  Website???

SUSTAINABLE WESTON January 12, 2022, 7:45pm on Zoom
Left to right:
FWIW...


A quorum of the Board of Selectmen was present.



Sustainable Weston 3rd Selectman's beat
At the Special Board of Selectmen 11-29-21 Amy Jenner assigned to be liason to this appointed body.


MEETING AGENDA LINKS


Wednesday August 11, 2021 Special Meeting Agenda





DEEP thinks Zoom saved the environment





IS WESTON ON THE RIGHT ROAD?  YUP, GARBAGE-WISE!  And looks as if the State of Connecticut agrees with us!
https://www.ctnewsjunkie.com/archives/entry/20200703_trucking_waste_out-of-state_cant_be_a_long-term_solution/


AFTER PUBLIC HEARING JUNE 18, 2020...APPROVED LATER BY SELECTMEN.
The only folks who can use the transfer station now are those Westonites who bring their own garbage.  Carters not allowed.



WE'RE #12 IN NUMBER OF TOWNS BELONGING TO HRRA.

A new day.  Weston signs on with ii other town to our north (Redding and Ridgefield are the closest).  H.R.R.A. in Brookfield.

Solid Waste Ordinance passed  the same evening (6-18-20) modernizes the previous wording in the Town CODE.



    

COMPOSTING AND COMPOSTING FOOD WASTE GETS A NEW CHANCE!


NEED A LESSON ONLINE HOW TO COMPOST STUFF?

GARBAGE TO THE FORE:  https://www.ctnewsjunkie.com/archives/entry/20200529_mira_trash-to-energy_plant_no_longer_viable_without_state_help/#more

HOW CAN SUSTAINABILITY HELP IN THIS INSTANCE?  Yup, food waste program to the fore...maybe?



A wise head from previous Legislative Sessions

REMEMBER THIS FROM THE LONG SESSION OF 2019?
Who knew that "regionalism" would fall on its face?  The care and feeding of mechanical recycling structures only gets more expensive as a facility ages...


Reduce, reuse, recycle

GARBAGE TO THE FORE:  https://www.ctnewsjunkie.com/archives/entry/20200529_mira_trash-to-energy_plant_no_longer_viable_without_state_help/#more


Sustainability Committee Tuesday May 12, 2020 Google Meet - agenda below.

News of the Town Plan PH from Tracy K, Land Use Director, Town of Weston:
We tuned in for the awesome Sustainability Committee!!!  Another item discussed was:  https://portal.ct.gov/DEEP/News-Releases/News-Releases---2020/State-Eyes-Full-Resumption-of-Bottle-Redemption

WESTON SELECTMEN TO CONSIDER GOVERNOR'S LATEST WORD (EXEC. ORDER) ON THE SUBJECT...





ONE OF OUR FAVORITE SUBJECTS, LIKE FOREVER!!!




WHAT WILL THE LEGISLATURE COME DO?  NOT MUCH SINCE SPEAKER MAY NOT BE THERE FOR LONG
https://ctmirror.org/2020/02/17/is-connecticuts-outdated-recycling-system-in-line-for-an-overhaul/




INAUGURAL MEETING:  http://www.ctn.state.ct.us/ctnplayer.asp?odID=16867

  
SPEAKER WONDERS WHY HE IS DOING THIS...BETHEL FIRST SELECTMAN (CCM) AT RIGHT
Reusing beer bottles in bottle recycling - and recycling isn't free, so it means higher taxes.  Various interest groups represented - WestCOG (CCM)?

      
INDUSTRY, CONSULTANT AND FIRST SELECTMAN (BARKHAMSTED) - C.O.S.T.- SPEAKS AGAINST SINGLE STREAM
Is "the glass is half empty" or the reverse?  Costs of recycling are through the roof...various speakers remind each other that we are a small state...



WE ARE NOW LOOKING TO "UNWRAP" HOW WE DO THINGS.
Consultant now pushing bio-waste recycling reflects on the real problem - where is the market headed?



LWV of Weston SPEAK UP 2000
 
Sustainability to the fore!!! 



PRESENTATION TO P&Z REQUESTED

  

AT PLANNING & ZONING OCT. 7, 2019 PARTICIPATION IN PLAN:

"THERE IS MUCH MENTIONED IN DRAFT THAT IS COMPLETE" ...AND  MUCH MORE NOT MENTIONED AT ALL, AS WE HEARD IT...

Sustainability Is asked to please supply in writing more specific ideas for "Town Plan" than have been reported in draft Plan so far.




REDUCE REUSE RECYCLE
Now, with capabilities strengthened with "alternate" membership, Sustainability Committee given new assignment by their appointing body:
From the Selectmen's agenda September 5, 2019



Great article!
https://ctmirror.org/2019/07/30/5-things-you-need-to-know-about-the-new-fee-on-plastic-bags/

So what happens to a good idea that gets too popular? 
The State of Connecticut passes a law that takes over local one!  WHICH IT DID IN 2019!!!  (Including no more 10 cent charge after August 1, 2019 for paper bags in towns that had such laws.)


Everybody's doin' it - here's exactly who:  https://www.westport-news.com/news/article/See-where-your-town-stands-on-a-plastic-bag-ban-13740951.php

But watch out for CT law looming...
https://ctmirror.org/2019/02/28/plastic-bags-emerge-as-a-state-environmental-and-revenue-issue/





FRACKING ORDINANCE "HOW MANY WOULD FAVOR IT?"  Same idea as mentioned for plastic bags - now CT law.
2019 begins with a bang Jan. 3rd 2019
Board of Selectmen held Public Hearing on "Fracking Ban" Ordinance and voted to pass it 2-1.  CT passes its own, overriding local ones in 2019.
http://www.westonct.gov/media/file/Ordinanceprohibitingwasteassociatedwithnaturalgasandoilextraction.pdf



  
UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED
Board of Selectmen 12-20-18:  Committee gets change to its membership structure to allow for 2 alternates.  Senator-Elect Haskell was present.


   
HOLIDAY GIFT TO ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVISTS
From our newspaper of record, The Norwalk HOUR, for those who care about the planet a lot, for Xmas and all year 'round!





Story in the DAY:  Fire at recycling plant spreads to junkyard, December 2018.
Cynic that I am, was this an insurance fire (considering that the bottom has fallen out of the recycling market)?  And while we are at it, we have uploaded our original "junkyard" page.

And by the way. "environmental justice" is going to be a big thing this coming Sessikon 2009.






LINK TO CT MIRROR SERIES





MARKET FOR RECYCLING PLASTIC BAGS?
https://www.courant.com/community/avon/hc-news-recycling-costs-rising-20181025-story.html




CHECK OUT SOME NEW STUFF IN THE PIPELINE AT SELECTMEN
Stephan Grozinger sitting in on Sustainability Committee for Selectmen - proposed motion to have Town Administrator pursue these measures with Town Attorney. passes



(PLASTIC) BAG BAN
Click here for our report on Selectmen's Meeting/Public Hearings October 4, 2018. 
And how about regional impact here:  https://www.thehour.com/news/article/Norwalk-council-committee-to-discuss-plastic-bag-13309058.php

How to implement it?  MINUTES NOW POSTED!!!  Thank you!!!



From the Norwalk HOUR article 10-18-18 on "Ordinance Committee" meeting:



Norwalk HOUR report of Council question below, left.  Enforcement easy in Weston Center's few shops and one supermarket.
 
   



A C T I O N

it is time to actually do something!

Welcome to our newest sub-page.  It has evolved out of the "Sustainability Study 2012" page.

We have inaugurated it, inspired by a seemingly willing PPP group - it makes sense now.

Please read closely an article in The Norwalk HOUR Tuesday, October 16, 2018: https://www.thehour.com/news/article/Norwalk-council-committee-to-discuss-plastic-bag-13309058.php

Previously, Norwalk's progress:  https://www.thehour.com/news/texas/article/Market-forces-put-America-s-recycling-industry-in-13294803.php

What does About Town know about the subject?  Would you believe that we have been knowledgeable about junkyards - the "secondary materials industry" since @1966?  After this, we applied out newfound understanding to the non-ferrous secondary materials industry inparticular, in Jersey City, N.J.