All the News That’s Fit

Dear Mayor Rick Baker,
I had the privilege of competing in the St Anthony’s Triathlon in April and was greatly impressed by the beauty and the friendliness of the people of St. Petersburg. I am delighted that the community is so supportive of the triathlon and I can understand why it is one of the most beloved and prestigious races in the country.

When I was in St Petersburg, however, I was surprised there was no no recycling at the race. And I found out there is no curbside recycling in the city. I discussed this with some of the locals at the race and they suggested that I write a letter to you.

I realize that the city is doing some recycling. From what I’ve read, you have concerns about the cost of recycling, a valid issue considering this economy. In Colorado Springs, the community where I live, I currently pay about $6 more per month for recycling. I am sure that many members of your community would be willing to pay such a fee to do their part in minimizing waste.

I also realize that you have concerns about the greenhouse gas emissions in the collection and processing of recyclable materials. From the studies that I have seen, however, the net environmental benefits of reusing materials outweighs the waste produced in collecting and processing recyclables.

Recycling is about more than minimizing landfill waste, as recycling also creates jobs, saves energy (it usually takes less energy to make recycled products), saves natural resources by reducing the need for virgin materials and saves clean water and air, as creating products from recycled materials typically creates less pollution than manufacturing using virgin products. Recycling also helps keep plastics from entering our oceans and killing sea birds, marine mammals, sea turtles and other marine life.

While in St Petersburg, I saw dolphins out by the pier and prolific waterfowl. It is heart wrenching to think that a community can be so in touch with marine wildlife and still not make a token gesture, in the form of recycling, to help protect these animals from man’s waste.

I look forward to returning to the City of St. Petersburg to participate in the St Anthony’s Triathlon in the future. The event showcases the beauty of your city and the local environment, making it one of the best triathlon venues in the world.

I hope that the next time that I am there, I will have the comfort of knowing that the plastic water bottle handed to me after the race will not end up in a landfill, but rather be processed through a city-wide recycling effort.

Sincerely,

Sarah Groff
Professional Triathlete