The City of Greensboro caught a lot of residents by surprise this month by stubbornly refusing to pick up leaves and other yard waste in plastic bags – even if the bags were the clear ones.
To be fair, the city has been attempting to inform residents about the change in the policy for months. However, anyone riding around town this week will see that a lot of residents didn’t get the message because there were a lot of uncollected plastic bags of leaves along the roads.
The Greensboro City Council’s first step in making major changes to yard waste and loose-leaf collection began on March 1. The new policy allows people to continue to use their own bins for yard waste, but will only collect bagged yard waste in biodegradable paper bags.
There was no transition period. On Feb. 29 the city would only collect yard waste in clear plastic bags and on March 1, the city would only collect yard waste in biodegradable paper bags. However, the city will continue to collect yard waste in bins or cans until June 30.
Starting on July 1 the city will only collect yard waste in the new 95 gallon bin provided by the city, in biodegradable paper bags and tied in bundles less than 5 feet long and weighing less than 50 pounds. The bundles are really the only part of the policy that isn’t changing.
Then next November the huge change in yard waste policy begins when the city will no longer be vacuuming up leaves raked to the street. Residents will be required to place their leaves in the yard waste bin or in biodegradable paper bags to be collected.
During leaf season from November to February the city will collect up to 15 biodegradable paper bags of yard waste along with the yard waste bin each week.
During the rest of the year the limit will be 10 biodegradable paper bags of yard waste plus the yard waste bin each week.
Wow…we’re now in the 21st century!
And yet a neighbor in our neighborhood blew a pile of leaves in the road 6 feet wide and 4 feet high. America after the pandemic…..
As much publicity as local news outlets have put forth about the City Leaf Fiasco, folks who put out their plastic bags after March 1, must be living under a rock. These are the same grossly uninformed folks who voted and will vote again for CROOKED JOE BIDEN!!!
WHAT DOES JOE JOE HAVE TO DO WITH DA CITY NOT PIKING UP LEAVES JUST ASKIG FOR A FRIEND
Regarding the leaf collection mandate:
Regarding the leaf collection mandate, this mandate is chasing away our renters! This hits home for us since it affects our pocketbooks and enjoyment of being landlords.
We are losing a very long-time renter [more than 15 years] because they must pick up the leaves into the mandated expensive recyclable paper bags and yard waste bins. In the past, they have been willing to blow their leaves to the curb on the front 1/2 of a 1/2-acre lot full of trees. The tenants are in their 80s and are good friends and neighbors. They are not renewing the lease because of this situation. They are not willing to hire someone to do this for them. They are on Social Security and simply cannot afford this!
I have two long-term tenants, one of whom has been with me for 10 years and the other for 15 years. Both properties are blessed with many trees. However, due to the leaf collection mandate, they are seriously considering moving to places without trees or an apartment complex. This potential 43% loss of tenants, coupled with the turnover I’ve already experienced, is a significant concern for us as landlords.
I am also deeply affected by this mandate. I live on a heavily wooded lot on Yanceyville Street and am in my 70s. I cannot afford to hire people to pick up my leaves, and the physical strain of complying with this mandate ourselves is too much for us. Am I now supposed to sell my house and move somewhere without trees after 36 years of faithfully paying our property taxes each year? This mandate is not only a financial burden but also a health risk for us! I urge the city council to reconsider this mandate and its implications.
As a parting shot… Is the long-term goal for this mandate to denude Greensboro of all its trees? I still can’t make sense of this mandate.
J Gardner
How dare you! Don’t you know that in a democrat democracy, the will of the people DOES NOT MATTER!
You will obey their authority and not question the decisions of the Greensboro Politburo.
I’m 77 and have come to the conclusion that the ruling elites don’t want us “useless eaters” around and will continue to “nudge” us away !
The city council has demonstrated has lost touch with the average citizen. The notion that a rollout container and stuffing paper bags is going to work is nonsense. The office of environment and sustainability lectures us to “Leave the Leaves.” That is their slogan. Just leave them on you yard. And, btw, they lecture us that we have no business having a lawn. These people are wacko and the council is going along with recommendations. We have a lot of mature oak trees. To use a roll out container, the city will be dumping it from leaf season until next summer. This is a “one size fits all” solution. Winston Salem is upgrading their equipment so they can continue loose leaf collection. Too bad Greensboro had a record tax increase and reduces a much needed service.
Would you like some cheese with that whine
boo who ! taxpayers are not obligated to solve your personal problems. rent/sell properties to more capable people . . . of any age, sex, color. your friends n family should b happy to help with your ‘leaf’ imbroglio. my fire is burning low . . . chop MY wood !
While every other city is encouraging and even mandating more trees in the city, Greensboro is doing the opposite. People will not be planting trees in their yards, and will even be cutting down existing trees to not have to deal with the hassle of bagging leaves into little paper bags. Good job Greensboro!
Wait until leaf season when it really hits that there is no loose leaf collection.
Looks like everyone in Greensboro needs to bag thier leave in clear plastic bags and drop them at city hall in protest!
Dear Editor: I recently wrote to the Rhino about several subjects, including the ridiculous decision to discontinue loose leaf collection. Here we have what appears to be a decision made by an unelected bureaucrat that will add significant cost to residing in Greensboro and the City Council seems to be OK with it. When will our ruling class realize that SOME of us are treading water, what with the revaluation of property providing a windfall (a timing issue), and then a tax increase, we have had enough. I am having great difficulty understanding how the leaf collection is going to be a better idea.
May I suggest where we can dump our leaves?
I just hope the people of Greensboro remember this and other city council/mayoral failings in the next election cycle. Sadly I feel like that’s a pipe dream.
Not to be a contrarian, because I believe that the City stopping loose-leaf collection is a reduction of services, but yard waste in plastic bags is in fact an issue. Plastic bags cause problems at the processing facilities because they get hung in the equipment and are not biodegradable.
I personally mulch the leaves in my back yard and would pile the front yard leaves behind the curb. I am more concerned with the loss of curb-side leaf collection than the exclusion of plastic bags for yard waste.