City could choose CleanScapes for garbage contract, dump Waste Management
October 18, 2011
Officials seek hauler to serve most Issaquah neighborhoods
CleanScapes nudged out larger competitors and emerged as the No. 1 contender to haul Issaquah garbage due, in part, to offering curbside pickup for difficult-to-recycle items, such as batteries and light bulbs.
The city is seeking a garbage hauler to serve most Issaquah neighborhoods. Waste Management is the predominant hauler in the city, but the current contract between Issaquah and the Houston-based company expires in June.
Seattle-based CleanScapes came out as the top candidate after city officials evaluated offers from both companies and another collector, Allied Waste — a local name for national company Republic Services.
City officials said a $3.8-million-per-year CleanScapes contract could mean lower rates for Issaquah customers, plus increased customer service and recycling options. The contract requires City Council approval.
If the CleanScapes contract is approved, a residential customer putting a 32-gallon cart out for weekly curbside pickup could see rates decrease from $13.43 to $12.74 — a 5.1 percent drop.
Pickering Barn volunteer garden showcases drip watering system
August 23, 2011
“We’re not just growing food, we’re trying to educate,” said Faalah Jones, of Seattle Tilth.
Water resources manager for the Cascade Water Alliance, Michael Brent, agreed.
“We’re just trying to show the potential of a few things,” he said.
Manager of the Issaquah Resource Conservation Office, David Fujimoto said much the same.
“It’s kind of a learning garden,” he said.
All three were referring to a large public garden alongside Pickering Barn on 10th Avenue Northwest in Issaquah.
While it is maintained almost exclusively by volunteers, the nonprofit organization Seattle Tilth oversees the garden. The latest project in the garden is a new drip irrigation system being installed by the city and the water alliance, Brent said.
Garbage haulers tout ‘green’ credentials
May 10, 2011
James Connors (left) and Rey Bravo, yard waste and recycle truck drivers, respectively, for Allied Waste, each drive the new compressed natural gas-fueled trucks on their South Cove routes. By Greg Farrar
City seeks eco-conscious company for trash contract
The city is on the hunt for a company to collect garbage and recyclables from Issaquah curbs, and the hauler displaying the “greenest” credentials could receive a boost in the selection process.
Come fall, leaders plan to select a company to handle the smelly task in the years ahead. In the meantime, Allied Waste and Waste Management — the haulers operating in Issaquah — continue to emphasize eco-conscious programs.
Allied Waste rolled out compressed-natural-gas-powered trucks on routes through the Greenwood Point and South Cove neighborhoods in recent months.
In February, the hunter green Waste Management fleet received a clean-air certification after a rigorous audit.
“Sustainability is always on the agenda,” city Resource Conservation Manager David Fujimoto said. “It’s important to the city and to the waste-management contracts.”
City makes history in effort to turn restaurants ‘green’
September 28, 2010
A plastic fork and spork get picked out of the compost waste pile by Cedar Grove Composting General Manager Nick Harbert. By Greg Farrar
Groundbreaking packaging ordinance takes effect Oct. 1
Inside the neon-illuminated Rollin’ Log Tavern, the full effect of the city-mandated change from foam and plastic to eco-friendly cups, containers and utensils is apparent after a quick glance at the timeworn bar.
Issaquah sustainability ‘report card’ indicates successes, shortfalls
September 7, 2010
The inaugural sustainability “report card” from the city touted Costco carpools, a community garden and affordable-housing construction in the Issaquah Highlands as signs of progress.
The report released last week packs data about environmental, economic and social health.
The “report card” is based upon recommendations from a 16-member panel assembled in 2008 by Mayor Ava Frisinger. The group, the Sustainability Sounding Board, formed a long-term sustainability plan and then set benchmarks for the city to track progress.
Watch the mailbox for a free leak-detection kit
March 16, 2010
NEW — 12:25 p.m. March 16, 2010
To keep a vital natural resource from going down the drain, conservation officials have mailed leak-detection kits to every single-family residence in Issaquah.
The city Resource Conservation Office and Cascade Water Alliance sent the kits — a dye strip to be used to determine whether toilets leak water. A leaky toilet can waste thousands of gallons of water each year.
“Every home has toilets and eventually they all leak,” Mike Brent, water resources manager for the water alliance, said during a City Council meeting Monday.
Brent joined city Resource Conservation Office Manager David Fujimoto and a water conservation mascot — a blue, anthropomorphic water droplet named Wayne Drop — at the meeting to discuss the importance of leak detection.
Polystyrene ban will begin next October
November 24, 2009
Issaquah will become the first Eastside city to ban polystyrene food containers, when Styrofoam takeout boxes and plastic foam cups are outlawed next October. Businesses will be required to switch to compostable or recyclable — and pricier — containers and utensils by May 2011.
Officials, restaurateurs discuss polystyrene alternatives
August 4, 2009
When Microsoft introduced eco-friendly utensils in company cafeterias, there was a problem with the new spoons: They warped in coffee, soup and other hot liquids. Read more
City considers ban on Styrofoam
June 23, 2009
Jose Enciso Jr. fills Styrofoam cups at XXX Rootbeer in Issaquah. By Adam Eschbach
Stop by XXX Rootbeer Drive-in for a to-go root beer, and the signature drink will be served in a plastic foam cup — for now. Employees at the drive-in and many other Issaquah restaurants could be forced to swap Styrofoam and other polystyrene containers for eco-friendly materials.
Drive-in owner Jose Enciso said his restaurant uses polystyrene products because they cost less than alternatives. As the City Council considers a ban on Styrofoam to-go boxes and other food containers made from eco-unfriendly polystyrene, Enciso and other business leaders said the ban could mean higher prices on the menu.
But Enciso said he was comfortable with the switch for environmental reasons. Read more
Lobbyists tell city officials polystyrene ban could harm businesses
June 16, 2009
NEW — 9:10 p.m. June 16, 2009
City officials agreed tonight to work alongside business owners as the City Council considers a ban on Styrofoam to-go boxes and other food containers made from eco-unfriendly polystyrene.
A proposed ban would outlaw polystyrene food packaging. Critics said the material lingers in landfills long after Styrofoam trays and cups are tossed into the trash. Polystyrene is expensive to recycle, too.
But officials also raised questions about safe alternatives to polystyrene and how the ban would impact restaurants already grappling with consumers dining out less in the down economy. Council Sustainability Committee members met tonight to discuss the proposed ban.
“You know, these packages are used to serve takeout or in restaurants, and they typically last for a few minutes in terms of any use,” Councilman Joshua Schaer said. “The reality is, while we may only see them for a few minutes, the landfill and the environment sees them for tens of thousands of years.”
