The city of Dallas, like many other large cities, hopes to eliminate most of its solid waste by 2040. This makes Dallas Texas’ 2nd city to have a zero waste plan. Austin, like Dallas, plans to be recycling 90% of its waste by 2040. Dallas hopes to be recycling 84% of waste by this time as well. Cities like Dallas making these great plans to do things to recycle solid waste paves the way for other cities to do the same thing. If Dallas can do it, why can’t any American city?
Dallas city council made these plans official August, 22, 2012. The city still has many more steps to implement before they can reach their goal. More and more issues begin to stir each day. Population rises and landfills continue to fill up more and more. This is a problem for Dallas. Government officials need to begin to make these effective steps towards zero waste because the clock is ticking. The plans could include making recycling options more available to city residents. According to the Dallas City Council if all Dallas businesses and residents recycled effectively it would remove roughly 1.7 million of the 2.2 million tons of solid waste sent to the fill each year. Waste starts with the consumer. If the people are informed about recycling, and how and where to properly dispose solid waste, the issue will begin to resolve itself. Before zero waste is achieved many other cities and places have plastic bag, cup, and straw bans. It falls into the lap of people in power to work together with residents and businesses to cut down on waste. Simple legislation like a ban on harmful plastics can truly help a lot.
Dallas leads the country in waste production. This is a serious problem for the future of sustainability in that area. Change can occur and this waste can be redirected, properly, to recycling centers. The use of harmful plastics is a leading cause. Bans on these plastics will put the future of sustainability in the cross-hairs for a big southern city like Dallas. Without the support of the government it is impossible to educate the people on achieving zero waste. We hope to continue to see action and support from the Dallas city council on their zero waste goal.
Local cleanup organization Litter Free Dallas is a group the organizes cleanups around the Dallas area. They offer many different things to the community. Litter free Dallas organizes cleanup volunteers, lends equipment and tools for local cleanup, and even gives citizens a place to report waste law violations. They even provide in Organizations like Litter Free Dallas are instrumental in cities with zero waste initiatives.
For more information on the Dallas Zero Waste initiative and other similar cleanups in Texas please visit:
https://www.texasenvironment.org/campaign/zero-waste/
https://www.texastribune.org/2012/09/21/city-dallas-passes-zero-waste-initiative/
