Montage Enterprises: Surpassing the expectation in mower parts
If there is a constant during the spring and summer, it’s the wave of never-ending mowing. Highways, ditches, right-of-ways, parks and other municipal and DOT properties all require routine trimming to improve motorists’ visibility and the quality of public property. … More from our cover sponsor →
Moving beyond gut feelings to plan for the future
As cities grow, technology expands and demands for quality of life from residents shift, it has proven difficult for cities to keep up with ever-changing standards of what makes a “good” place to live. To make matters more difficult on … Continue reading →
What does it take to get people to recycle?
Cultivating a successful recycling program, whether among municipal employees or the general public, calls for a holistic view of sustainability, according to one expert. “When most people think of sustainability, they usually think of only the environmental benefits for the … Continue reading →
Getting your electric ducks in a row
The steady deployment of electric vehicles — along with the increased availability of many EV types — has municipalities welcoming them into their fleets; however, before taking the plunge, thorough research and groundwork can save a lot of headaches down … Continue reading →
Good things come from trashy places
Landfills are filled with questionable waste and are taking over large areas of land. It’s unavoidable — everyone has something they have to dispose of. But what if there was a way to make that trash into an overall benefit … Continue reading →
From sanitation to fishing, Bryant balances work and play
If there’s one thing Greenville, N.C., Sanitation Engineer Delbert Bryant can do knowledgeably, it is talk trash. While he initially wanted be a teacher and an animal/crop farmer simultaneously as a child, Bryant ultimately pursued a lifelong career in sanitation, … Continue reading →
Deerfield Beach boasts cleaner beaches
Deerfield Beach, Fla., has proudly taken steps to keep its scenic community sustainable and trash free. Its approach has even successfully harnessed citizen action. The Cleaner Greener Deerfield Beach is an overall program that has been ongoing since the formation … Continue reading →
Mount Pleasant, Mich.
The four emblems comprising the city seal of Mount Pleasant, Mich., population 26,313, represent the four pillars of its defining heritage. In the upper left quadrant, the facial profile of a Native American with headdress represents the Chippewa bands from … Continue reading →
Gray water issues become black and white
Droughts, wildfires and hurricanes — whether you “believe” in global warming or not — these climatic events seem to be increasing in severity, and they are having an effect on freshwater resources. The term “gray water” brings to mind dingy, … Continue reading →
Largest Things Casey, Ill.
There are — literally — some big things in Casey, Ill. The mailbox can garage a school bus. The golf tee towers three stories above the clubhouse and a grown man could lie across the tee’s head with neither head … Continue reading →
Talking trash: The pros and cons of privatizing waste management
They say that “haste makes waste,” and when it comes to outsourcing a community’s solid waste management department, it is not a decision that should be made lightly. Privatization is a complicated process, and it is not the answer for … Continue reading →
Problem-solving needed to address solid waste
I have a deep appreciation for those who work in the waste industry. During my junior and senior years at Purdue University, I got a small taste of the hard work performed by sanitation workers as a weekend student worker … Continue reading →
Ready to invest in a cleaner planet?
Dedicated to building affordable, reliable and innovative sweepers, Global Environment Products has created equipment that not only cleans streets, but aids the environment, too. Its latest sweeper, the M4 ZE-Series, is North America’s first hydrogen fuel cell street sweeper, and its only by-product is pure H2O.
Continue reading →Living “off the grid” by choice or circumstance
Living off the grid — the power grid — is a term used to encompass those individuals who either by choice or circumstance are not living with city-provided services such as electricity, heat, water and, in some cases, sewer. There … Continue reading →
Waste not, want not when it comes to road care
As cities across the East Coast saw record-setting snowfall last winter, salt mines struggled to keep up with the demand for rock salt to clear roadways. The tried-and-true product not only melts the snow, but deices roads and provides a … Continue reading →
Everything that we do must be fun: The mantra that even fits new park benches
In her position in the housing department of her local government, Kamla Lewis didn’t expect to work on a community-changing park project, but that was exactly what Shaker Heights, Ohio, needed. A neighborhood dated more than 10 years was collapsing … Continue reading →
First responders strive to increase awareness of autism
As situations arise where first responders are necessary, it’s important for them to understand how to approach individuals diagnosed with autism. Individuals with autism are unique and cannot be learned about strictly from textbooks. Every person with autism is different … Continue reading →
Encouraging economic development: Improve marketing and communications
by TROY KIDDER | TROY … Pure Blue Creative LLC One definition of a municipality is “a center for the exchanging of goods and services.” In other words, it’s people and money. Chances are you’re already doing a great job … Continue reading →
Not as wild west as you might be picturing
Even though the small town of Kennesaw, Ga., is a suburb of Atlanta, it’s been seen as a modern version of the wild west, except there are no tumbleweeds rolling down Main Street. What Kennesaw has in common with the … Continue reading →