Houston Needs a Green Intervention

Submitted by Melissa Rothrock

September 2008

I am extremely concerned with the current status of Houston. From observing other cities, it seems that Houston is the most polluted and least eco-minded city in the United States.

What's baffling is that Houston is the fourth largest city in America, and yet we are still stuck in this mentality of wastefulness. There are too few recycling programs. Recycling is of little to no concern here, and with no encouragement from the city, people don't make the extra effort. Also, there's no commuter rail system along any major highway (everyone drives their car everywhere), no solar power energy reimbursement program and no bike lanes along well-traveled roads.

However, there is increased development of strip malls and construction of new toll roads like West Park Tollway and whatever they are doing on Interstate 10. Houston is the epitome of urban sprawl.

I have tried to set an example and do my part to live sustainably. I have a rain barrel to water my garden, a compost bin to reduce waste going to the landfill and produce healthy fertilizer and I live a vegetarian lifestyle to reduce the strain on resources used to supply grain to feed the fish stock, cattle, and chickens. Also, I recycle as much as I can, and I try not to buy glass products because the city of Houston doesn't recycle glass.

I've asked the city why Houston this is so, and this was the answer I received via email from Tonia Brown: "Houston doesn't collect glass curbside because the glass gets crushed and shatters in the transporting trucks. Then there's trouble at the recycling plant, where glass shards end up inside aluminum cans. Newer recycling trucks can automatically separate glass, but it's expensive. The city is now studying whether it's time to add glass to its curbside recycling program."

Earlier this year, I spoke with the receptionist at the mayor's office for the City of Katy (West Houston) about recycling, and she told me why there was not a recycling program in Katy: "Texas is so big that we can just throw away whatever we want in our landfills and not have to worry about it." I told her that we should instate a program before we fill up the landfills. Sooner is better than later, right?

Apparently not to the Katy Mayor. I was told that it would cost a lot of money to develop a recycling program, and that money was used for other purposes.

Alternate energy is a big deal now with fuel prices on the rise. Back in the City of Houston, I inquired about the different solar power energy reimbursement plans Houston offers, and -- amazingly -- there are none. I am on the waiting list for when one is put into effect.

I was told Texas is a huge contributor to wind energy as an alternative energy. I think that's great, but those wind turbines I've seen are all the way over in West Texas near El Paso, not near Houston. Plus, I'm a big believer in using resources that are most readily available and plentiful in supply.

So what does Houston have a lot of that other large cities might be lacking? Sunshine! Why is there not a solar program here? I was told by the Houston mayor's sustainability advisor that this is because there's no demand. Chicago is known as the Windy City, and it has a fraction of Houston's sun energy, yet even Chicago has a solar reimbursement program.

I feel that it would be much more costly for Houston not to become greener, if we don't create sustainable programs and more recycling centers (that recycle even glass). I, alone, cannot give Houston cleaner air or purer water; it will take radical changes in the lives of people who want to improve their community. The majority of Houstonians believe that being concerned about the environment is a hippie, leftist or democratic ideal. It is not. This stigma is holding our city back.

I'd like Houston to join the United States in the 21st century and start down a different path to a greener and cleaner city that people will appreciate and admire -- and love living in -- now and in the future.