A picture is worth a thousand words, or at least 500.
The photo of an overstuffed bear resistant garbage toter that was placed on the road Sunday afternoon illustrates a growing problem in Highlands. I suspect a VRBO group decided it was acceptable to just pile their garbage up on the roadside. I hope this was not the deed of a permanent resident.
What is unfortunate is that much of the garbage in the photo could have been recycled. The toter was less than a mile away from our recycling trailer at the Highlands Recreation Center. The cardboard boxes, beer cans and wine bottles didn’t have to appear in the photograph.
I have researched the issue of overloading toters. Many commercial companies, like Waste Management, have additional fees for overloading their trash toters. If the lid cannot be closed, the additional fees go into place. In lieu of fees, the town has fines for placing loose garbage on the roadside. It is a form of littering.
As I have stated many times before, it costs more money to remove the trash generated on the plateau. It is intolerable to just throw garbage on the roadside. What is seen in the photograph increases the likelihood of trash being scattered. Caring citizens routinely participate in litter sweeps to keep our community beautiful. We are all responsible for disposing the trash we generate in a conscientious and responsible manner.
There are related issues that the town and the county need to address. One priority is to locate a site and build a convenience center in, or near, Highlands where folks can recycle and deposit excessive amounts of waste. The project will be challenging but has to be addressed.
Second, the community needs to examine policies on short-term rentals, ie VRBOs. I along with some commissioners are getting growing feedback about visitors coming to town to party and have a good time and then leaving garbage messes behind for town sanitation workers to haul off. I suspect this short-term rental issue will be a major item in the Highlands Community Comprehensive Plan, which will be coming out toward the end of 2021.
In the meantime, we can all continue to be good, environmental stewards of the plateau. Town staff and law enforcement are reviewing ordinances and polices to see if improvements can be made.