Economy takes a bite out of trash amnesty week

The city of Elgin paid more than $320,000 so residents could have unlimited trash collection for a week in late March.

Last year, crews hauled away about 3,100 tons.

To put that into perspective, that's about 1½ times the trash the city collects in a normal month.

This year, 2,237 tons of trash were collected, according to Tish Powell, Elgin's public works administrative superintendent.

But even though the total weight was nearly 30 percent less, it doesn't necessarily mean the clean-up was a failure.

Powell pointed to a few reasons that she believes the amount was lower -- and they have nothing to do with the winter storm that week.

One reason could be the economy. When things are going well, people tend to spend more and therefore throw out more.

When things are going poorly, people cut back on spending, and …

"There was a definite increase in scavenging that we noticed this year," Powell said,

The city also encouraged residents to donate reusable items to the Salvation Army, Habitat for Humanity's ReStore or Goodwill locations.

Salvation Army officials extended their hours and reported a large increase in items.

"Just because you don't want it, it doesn't mean it's not any good," Powell said.

Residents were allowed to dispose of up to two appliances without the need for a special sticker, but Waste Management crews only picked up 71 appliances this time around.

"I know a whole lot more appliances were put out. The scavengers usually get them for the metal," Powell said.

Last year, crews picked up more than 3,000 old tires; this year, 2,006 were collected.

If you missed the trash amnesty week and want to ditch items like old computers, monitors, other electronic items, they can be recycled free of charge at the Kane County Electronics and Book Recycling Drop-Off Program.

It is held on the second Saturday of each month from 8 a.m. to noon in the parking lot at the Kane County Circuit Clerk office, 540 S. Randall Road, St. Charles.

The next one is May 10.

If you have questions on the electronics recycling program, call (630) 208-3841.

Bad luck or good luck?

Next time you think you have bad luck or were in the wrong place at the wrong time, consider the story of Violet Jessop.

She was the only person to survive both the downing of the Titanic in 1912 and her sister ship HMHS Britannic four years later.

Today, actor/historian/teacher Leslie Goddard will perform a first-person interpretation of Jessop, who died in 1971.

She was able to provide an eyewitness account of both disasters and share her behind-the-scenes experiences as an ocean liner stewardess.

The program will be held at 2 p.m. at the Old Main History Museum, 360 Park St., Elgin.

The program is free for the public and paid for through an Illinois Humanities Council grant.

For more information call (847) 742-4248 or visit www.elginhistory.org.