City of Midland Pess Release... November 14, 2006

November 14, 2006

WHAT HAPPENS TO RECYCLABLES?
Part Three – Texas Recycles Week

Ever wondered what happens to the items you and your family place in a recyclable container? The good news is that the material travels to a separate facility than household and business trash helping to save precious landfill space.

The City of Midland has a recycle contract with Butts’ Recycling Center, located at 26 W. Industrial Loop. If placed in one of the 329 recycle containers throughout the city, the materials are picked up, by a sanitation truck that looks the same as the City’s regular trash pick-up trucks, and delivers them to Butts. The containers are located at schools and various other locations. There are currently 325 recycle dumpsters plus an additional four 30-yard recycle containers. Six more 30-yard containers have recently been ordered.

Residents should also be aware that recyclables can be taken directly to Butts’ center. A reminder – if regular household trash is deposited into recycle containers, the recyclable material is contaminated and cannot be recycled. Everyone is encouraged to use with care and keep our recyclables “clean.”

***CITY COUNCIL CONSIDERS FUTURE OF RECYCLING***

During today’s City Council briefing session, the Council discussed the future of recycling. Although no action was taken at today’s meeting, in the future, the Council will consider an item that would add a 50-cent recycling fee to all City of Midland utility bills. The funds generated would help supply the equipment and personnel (two drivers) to pick up recyclables from the containers placed throughout the city in a more efficient and timely manner. In addition, the City Council will consider reducing the amount of the Voluntary Litter Abatement fee that is currently $1.00. These funds have been used to pick up litter around the City as well as help educate citizens about the importance of not littering.

GIS Day
Celebrate Your World With GIS

The City of Midland, Midland College, and the Permian Basin Arc User Group (PBAUG) will host a GIS Day event on Wednesday, November 15, 2006, at the Advanced Technology Center (ATC) from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. in room 137.

Residents are encouraged to stop by and learn more about GIS and how organizations in the Permian Basin are using this technology. There will be a map gallery and several GIS applications on display. There will also be an opportunity for attendees to win prizes.

GIS Day is a global event that celebrates geographic information system (GIS) technology, the innovative technology that uses geography to bring countless benefits to the world. The PBAUG GIS Day event provides an opportunity for those curious about GIS to see its applications in action. A GIS is a computer-based mapping tool that takes information from a database about a location, such as streets, buildings, water features, and terrain, and turns it into visual layers. The ability to see geographic features on a map gives users a better understanding of a particular location, enabling planners, analysts, and others to make informed decisions about their communities.

Although you may not be aware, GIS touches our lives daily. It is used throughout the world to solve problems related to the environment, health care, land use, business efficiency, education, and public safety. The power supply directed to homes, the patrol cars and fire trucks that keep neighborhoods safe, and the delivery trucks on the road all function more efficiently because of GIS. This technology can also help businesses place ATMs and restaurants at more convenient locations, allow people to pull maps off the Internet, and help farmers grow more crops with less chemicals.

Most recently we have seen how GIS technology can be used to aid Homeland Security initiatives, map the debris field following the Space Shuttle Columbia tragedy, and monitor the spread of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). The applications of GIS technology are endless, limited only by the imagination of its users. From border patrol agents to doctors, and from federal agency employees to local city planners, people in nearly every profession all over the world are reaping the benefits of this extraordinary technology.

The event is held each year on the Wednesday of National Geographic Society’s Geography Awareness Week (November 12–18 in 2006). This year marks GIS Day’s eighth year. For additional event information please log on to www.gisday.com.

Can't find what you're looking for? Try our search engine.