Some time ago, Blacksburg joined the Cool Cities and Christiansburg adopted the VML Go Green Initiative.
Shortly afterwards, Christiansburg took a "wait and see" approach to adding curbside recycling, allowing an independent company the chance to get established. Valley Curbside Recycling is steadily expanding its enrollment, and according to their website now serves town residents who have regular Wednesday or Thursday garbage days. (The biggest hurdle may be Christiansburg residents either double their disposal costs by having both garbage and recycling fees, or choose one or the other service. Christiansburg does not mandate the town's garbage service and had experienced problems with some residents skipping the billing process.)
In Christiansburg, the last update on Council's initiative was when some elementary students visited and were told about how lights were turned out when rooms weren't in use or vents were kept clear. No word on whether any town personnel attended a VML regional forum on this topic in Roanoke on May 9. Many people still have limited awareness of the town's four recycling drop off locations, and less understanding about the environmental issues and costs associated with landfills. The Town is also currently discussing an expanded public transportation system.
In Blacksburg, there's a webpage dedicated to Environmental Sustainability touting past accomplishments that include receiving grant funds and tips on reducing greenhouse gases and recycling. A downtown recycling program is still in the works, too, adding to the residential service already in existence. Their parks and greenway system is well established, and public transportation options continue to gain support. Over in Radford, one finds an impressive walk/bike system and the city is currently exploring bus options, yet provides only one recycling station.
Down in the other valley, Roanoke citizens are being challenged to a "Greenest Loser" contest as part of that city's Clean & Green program. Citizens for Clean and Green is an advisory committee helping to meet a goal for reducing greenhouse gas emissions 10% by 2013, and is sponsoring this contest which is modeled after a "reality" television series.
This goal may be achieved by educating the biggest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions -- the residential and business sectors. The contest is pitting four families against either other to see who reduces their energy consumption the most over the next month. Contestant families will go through a crash-course in energy efficiency and then be measured against their vehicle miles and electric or natural gas use from the same period as last year. Folks interested in the contest or learning how they can get some ideas of their own can watch weekly progress updates and interviews with the contestants on WDBJ-7 News.
All these steps will help ensure the public funds required to manage waste and protect a fragile environment are well spent, helping to protect air and water quality in this area of Southwest Virginia.
Perhaps another way to expand education and awareness -- and achieve broader participation -- will be to keep this type of competition going. If controlling costs and the effects of doing too little isn't an incentive, then perhaps competition would help. Let local governments of the Roanoke Valley challenge those in the New River Valley, and then let's see who can take the title of Greenest Loser a year from now. And then the next year. Such a sustained initiative and focus could make all residents winners.