Dec. 3: Lockport Christmas Parade (Lockport)
December 2, 2011
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December 6, 2011
Tri-parish residents began their Christmas decorating and shopping this week, directing government and business leaders to think in terms of holiday activities impacting environmental concerns during the completion of 2011.
Terrebonne Parish officials are preparing for a continuation of their Christmas tree pickup program at the first of the year. The effort is intended to reduce inappropriate disposal and protect property from unattractive and unhealthy debris, while at the same time contributing to coastal restoration.
Terrebonne Parish Coastal Restoration and Preservation Director Nick Matherne said that plans are being made for tree collections.
“Shortly after Christmas we will let the public know when we will be doing curb-side collections of trees,” Matherne said. “Some people can put trees to the side of the road during the collection time, or bring the trees to the landfill.”
Live trees, with no ornaments, tinsel, flocking or stands, will be collected by parish crews and placed into cribs along the Intracoastal Waterway.
“This gives the public a chance to be a part of the coastal restoration effort,” Matherne said. “One of the most difficult questions I’m ever asked is, ‘How can the average person take part in coastal restoration?’ The efforts that we need are [generally] high priced ticket items but this really gives people a chance to be involved in a volunteer effort.”
Cribs for disposed Christmas trees are placed in moderately active tidal areas. “Water moves through the cribs and the trees,” Matherne said. “The cribs act as a wave break to slow erosion and they act as a sediment trap so when water moves through the crib and trees the water velocity slows, the sediment drops, collects and piles on top of itself to ideally build new land.”
A 25 percent increase in trash disposal is documented by refuse collection services between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, compared to any other time of the year. The extra waste amounts to 1.2 million tons of additional trash per week nationally.
“We can all save money and time and reduce our impact on the environment by looking for more creative, sustainable gift options,” Waste Management of South Louisiana district manager Trevor Ash said. “Whether it’s buying products made from organic or recycled content or giving the gift of time to a favorite charity, if each of us tried a few waste reduction efforts, we would see a significant positive impact during the holiday season.”
Ash said that it is not simply wrapping paper and boxes that add to the accumulation of trash. The concern includes cumulative waste from large meal preparations and even increased fast food disposal due to higher shopper traffic.
Ash said that gifts of services during the year, ranging from gym memberships to event tickets, help reduce the quantity of waste.
He also recommended to think of gifts that are organic in content can be recycled or offer the opportunity of being transplanted, such as potted plants that could be placed in yards.
”With a little imagination and commitment, we can use this holiday season to create new traditions that help preserve the environment,” Ash said.
Accumulating trash amounts to 25 percent more between Thanksgiving and New Years Day than any other time of the year. Environmentalists and trash disposal companies urge consumers to reduce their waste with alternative gifts and activities. MIKE NIXON
