CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Charleston’s Green Team met Tuesday at the City Hall to discuss ways to make the capital city more green including discussions with officials from other cities.
Charleston’s Green Team was established in 2020 and its mission is to provide information to Mayor Amy Shuler Goodwin’s office on topics of energy efficiency, land use, greenspaces, water resources, waste management, and recycling.
The meeting was centered around the city’s new recycling program and brought in Morgantown’s Green Team chairman James Kotcon to hear some of his experiences and issues.
During the discussion with Kotcon it was revealed that Charleston and Morgantown have been running into a lot of the same issues.
“Morgantown said their recycle contamination rate is around 20-30% and we fall into that range of about 25% or so,” Public Works Director Brent Webster said. “I was encouraged to hear him say that’s their range as well.”
The city’s new recycling program was announced in late May.
Webster said the city is still getting around to dropping off all 3,100 bins.
“People are eager to get their bins, I’ve gotten emails and phone calls about when are people going to receive their bins, I understand there might be some frustration and anxiety about it but we are getting around to it and we are going to have enough for everybody. I love that people are excited to recycle.”
Charleston’s Green Team Chairman Patti Hamilton said she sees the recycling program as being educational.
“I personally don’t think you can do enough to educate the public to end the contamination, do the right things, and recycle,” Hamilton said.
Story by Chayce Matheny