This morning’s New York Times contained an article titled “Nudging Recycling from Less Waste to None,” a description of some communities’ efforts to eliminate practically all landfilled waste.  According to the Times, “Across the nation, an antigarbage strategy known as “zero waste” is moving from the fringes to the mainstream, taking hold in school cafeterias, national parks, restaurants, stadiums and corporations.”

             An underlying but only partially developed point in the article is the undisputed fact that we are producing more and more solid waste while land-based disposal options are fewer as cities and towns sprawl into the country sides and as citizens who produce the waste become more and more hostile to landfills in their community.  Elected officials try to sound wise and forward thinking by calling for “regional solutions,” which is a poorly disguised call for sending one community’s waste to a distant county.

             I read the New York Times every day and generally do not concede to claims of its liberal bias in news reporting.  (Editorials are a different matter).  I noticed, however, that there were no alternative or competing viewpoints expressed in this three-page (online version) article. 

             Let me start.

             The article begins featuring a photograph of recycling on Nantucket Island, an exclusive resort attracting a narrow-based demographic. Upscale enclaves exist sporadically in all states, with upscale being a loose description of a concentration of highly to over-educated habitants or visitors with high net worth who lean to the left of the political spectrum.  Chapel Hill would be an all-too obvious North Carolina example.

             “Zero waste” policies require three things: 1) popular sensitivity towards environmental problems and self-sacrifice and personal commitments as parts of the solution, 2) a government with the ability to understand the broader issues and the backbone to impose such policies or ordinances, and 3) a populace willing to accede to strict “zero waste” governmental policies.

             If there is such a thing as a political “fact”, zero waste policies have about as good a chance of passing in most North Carolina counties as regulations moving us towards zero guns or abolishing the death penalty.  Nonetheless, private companies attempting to solve the mounting waste problems created by the state’s citizens will encounter at every turn angry citizens who make few personal sacrifices yet who call for zero waste policies only as long as the “threat” of a landfill in their area looms.

             In the meantime, North Carolina has a growing population, increasing consumption and waste production, landfills with shortening shelf lives, and fewer and fewer waste disposal options.

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Tom Terrell

Terrell_TomMr. Terrell is widely regarded as one of North Carolina’s leading land use attorneys, representing both private and governmental entities in matters related to real estate development. His practice “footprint” covers the state from the mountain counties to the coast and occasionally includes…

Terrell_TomMr. Terrell is widely regarded as one of North Carolina’s leading land use attorneys, representing both private and governmental entities in matters related to real estate development. His practice “footprint” covers the state from the mountain counties to the coast and occasionally includes parts of Virginia and South Carolina. His many clients are involved in commercial and residential real estate, solid waste hauling and disposal, telecommunications, quarries/asphalt and miscellaneous litigation related to permit denials, vested rights and rezonings.

He has published numerous articles and speaks regularly to legal, governmental and business groups on a variety of issues related to land use and zoning.

Mr. Terrell has served as a leader in numerous civic and legal endeavors, including Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the N.C. State Health Plan, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Winston-Salem State University, and service on the Board of Directors of the UNC-CH General Alumni Association, Board of Directors of the High Point Chamber of Commerce, Board of Visitors of Guilford College and Board of Center Associates of the Center for Creative Leadership, and as a founding member of the N.C. Bar Association Zoning, Planning and Land Use Section.

More information can be found at https://www.foxrothschild.com/thomas-e-terrell-jr/.

Mr. Terrell can be contacted at mailto:tterrell@foxrothschild.com.