Green bins

[mersha]

I am curious, why does the city stop collecting green bins when they are needed the most? I don't have a truck and I have loads of leaves some still in my tree. Looking around, I see my neighbours are in the same place. I think this every year and have never explored why. In the spring it is very handy when they start collecting, but I would say this is the time of year we all need them the most. Can we ask that they extend the schedule until the end of November? What do we do?

[Farmmaa]

You can certainly ask - here's the contact info;
http://www.kelowna.ca/CM/page658.aspx

It is a problem. All you have to do is to drive up one of the back roads in the area to see hundreds of piles of leaves and yard waste right now.

That said, you don't need a truck to drive to the landfill.
Just put your leaves into garbage bags and take them that way....I did it for years.

[occasional thoughts]

Or you could dump them in our forests.

But seriously, collection doesn't end until Nov. 30 (and depending on which week of the two-week cycle you're on). Do what I did, get one of the big green bins for an extra $2.50 per 3 mos. (CofWK price) if you can't fit everything into your regulation size bin. Or, very popular on my block, ask to borrow your neighbours' who aren't using their.

But if you're still raking and disposing of leaves in December, I have no helpful ideas.

[PDT]

Yard waste, just like recycling and garbage, is managed by the Regional District.

Yard waste is collected every other week from March to the end of November. Extra yard waste up to 250 kgs can be dropped off for free, year round, at the Glenmore Landfill. More info: http://www.regionaldistrict.com/your-se ... waste.aspx

[occasional thoughts]

Yard waste is, of course, no longer free to drop off at the Westside transfer site.

[Bsuds]

Any leaves that are leftover I save until spring and fill the bin till they are all gone.

I think they figure that if yer not done by the end of Nov that the snow or freezing temps will stop you anyway.

[Kelownah]

Just throw the stuff in the regular garbage can

[Bsuds]

Just throw the stuff in the regular garbage can

Yup that will work until they fine you and stop picking up your garbage.

[mersha]

In my neighbourhood (downtown area) it ended last week. And I can't rake leaves that are still in the trees. I have 2 big bins and maybe 10 bags left on the ground and in the trees.

I guess if most people are okay with the schedule, then I am alone in my frustration.

I don't have a truck to do dump runs so will need to hire/pay someone to do it for me. Or wait until next year and then slowly transfer them to the green bins (will be more than one or two pick ups).

[occasional thoughts]

The trouble with your post and information is that it doesn't accord with facts or reality, unless you don't receive pick-up service from regular civic company. A simple look at the calendar shows 2.5 weeks left in November and everybody gets pick-ups of green bins every other week. A simple look at the calendar shows that households that get green bin pick-up Mon. thru Wed. this week will actually get two more pick-ups this year. Maybe you're in a condo or something and you don't get City of service?

[just popping in]

But for the rest of us with Thurs/Fri pickup, this is the last week for green bin, 17th/18th.

[occasional thoughts]

Regrettably, you live by the calendar and die by the calendar on this one. Would have been nice if RDCO (our favourite whipping boy/girl) maybe rounded the last week off to the Friday after Nov. 30 if that date fell on another weekday between Mon. and Thurs. inclusive.

[Jlabute]

I have a few large maple trees that give me 20 large bags more than the bin can hold, which I have to store thru the winter and find a way to get rid of them in the following summer, or pay $$ to have someone take it to the dump. It is like a punishment for having maple trees or anything green. I would suggest during fall time, take the green bin every week and have a free option for a larger bin. I phoned these guys and their suggestion was add another green bin for $75 or so, or take yard waste to the dump. Bunch of pick pockets.

[occasional thoughts]

Services are not provided free by contractors. The Central Okanagan was ahead of the times for once when it instituted green bin/yard waste pick-up service a number of years ago. I found the $10 a year additional fee ($2.50 per quarterly utility bill) highly reasonable if not a steal to exchange the regulation issue for one of the larger bins. I need the larger bin some pick-ups but I don't need two bins but my neighbour does; he is very happy with his two bins and what the extra one cost him.

[Bpeep]

I compost everything except conifer and walnut, and it all eventually goes back where it came from.