November 16, 2010
Texas Bottle Bill 2011
HOUSTON —
To recycle or not to recycle? Texans may soon have an incentive for doing so.
The proposed legislation is called the " Texas Bottle Bill" and it may reduce trash in Texas.
The bill will basically work as a refund system. You'll pay extra for your container and you get the money back if you recycle it.
Backers of the bill say it will reduce trash along the bayou by 50 percent.
On a nice evening, a boat ride in the Bayou City is almost breathtaking. But if you take a closer look, you'll see debris.
"It's tragic. I mean, we deserve better in the State of Texas," said Mike Garver with the Buffalo Bayou Partnership.
Garver said the debris is not a beautiful sight.
"Much of the floatables in the bayou are drink containers," he said.
The clean-up is a daunting task for the crew that works along Bufflo Bayou. The workers ride the bayou eight to 12 miles a day. Booms trap the debris and giant floating vacuums suck in plastic and glass containers.
"You recycle, I recycle, [but] a lot of people don't," Garver said.
Garver and Patsy Guillham are pushing for the Texas Bottle Bill.
"[It is a] financial incentive to get people to do the right thing," Garver said.
Under the bottle bill, people would pay 5 to 10 cents more for a drink, whether it's a bottle of water or soda can.
"And you get it back as a refund when you take it back to the recycling center or the retail center," Garver explained.
Supporters believe the proposed legislation will not only promote a greener state but reduce Texas trash.
"It will develop a behavior not only in the adults but the children will grow up knowing, 'Yes we can recycle many things,'" Guillham said.
The bottle bill is already law in 11 states. Garver and Guillham hope Texas will become number 12.
"It's time to do something. We need to do it," Garver said.
The bottle bill would also create more jobs across Texas if passed. Supporters of the bill will introduce it to Texas lawmakers in January.
For more information on the bottle bill visit www.texasbottlebill.com.
http://www.39online.com/news/local/kiah-texas-bottle-bill-story,0,3670397.story
