A Dec. 6 editorial cited the statistic that 85,000 tons of trash were kept out of landfills because of blue-bag recycling.
I made a few phone calls and calculated that 85,000 tons translates into 8,500 garbage trucks. If placed end to end, they would be 57 miles long–more than half way to Milwaukee. And 85,000 tons translated into its corresponding volume is enough to fill Soldier Field to the brim.
This is a tremendous accomplishment, affecting not only Chicago but the entire world. In beginning the new year, I hope the Tribune will print some graphics with positive visuals showing the effect of the blue-bag program. One hopes that this will encourage more people to participate. We may be able to keep 170,000 tons of trash out of landfills–the equivalent of two Soldier Fields filled to the brim by the end of 1997.
