Solar powered waste reduction efforts gaining momentum

Raleigh Downtowner: The City of Raleigh will unveiled its first Big Belly solar trash compactor at the corner of Glenwood Avenue and North Street this morning. The ceremony is part of the new “Clean is Green Raleigh” campaign and is the debut of the first of 20 dual trash/recycle units in downtown Raleigh’s Glenwood South district. The unveiling will showcase the City’s effort to eliminate the waste in waste collection by reducing the trips required to empty the contents (by 80%!). The effort will be the first widespread public recycling effort in Downtown Raleigh. “The City Council affirmed sustainability as one of its priorities in the December 2009 mission statement,” said Raleigh Mayor Nancy McFarlane. “Installing this ‘Made in the USA’ technology will save taxpayers’ money, encourage sidewalk recycling and keep our streets cleaner. This is one more important step towards achieving our sustainability goals.” As part of the unveiling event, Wiley Elementary fifth graders will demonstrate what items can be recycled versus items that should be tossed in the trash.   The compactors boast a bulletproof top over the solar panel and plastic housing recycled from used auto bumpers. The Big Belly units have been tested in Queens, NY for the past ten years and are still working today.  Learn more