To the editor:

I was happy to see Barb Diehl’s letter in the July 3 issue of the Call.

At last someone offers a constructive idea instead of plastering south county with hysterical trashy signs and engaging in rude and juvenile behavior at open meet-ings.

The trash we generate must go somewhere.

Most areas of the country, including some municipalities in St. Louis County, are far ahead of the rest of the county in recognizing that the problem can’t just be ignored or pushed off on someone else.

We are long overdue for alternatives to landfills to be fully implemented, but I wonder how many of us are really ready to take on the responsibility of separating trash, taking it to recycling centers, etc.

That’s the only alternative. It will cost a bit more in time and effort.

There will have to be some commitments from county government and private business as well.

The containers to receive all kinds of paper that are now found on many church and school parking lots is a big step up from the rare newspaper-only receptacles we used to have.

But why are county special collections of waste that needs special handling held so infrequently and usually only with far west or north county collection points?

A real community effort is needed.

Unfortunately, real solutions are not as easy as pasting signs on poles and yelling at meetings.

Marvin Huggins

Oakville