Indicator: Average resident's share of municipal solid waste that gets buried in landfills within Connecticut.
Background: Disposal of municipal solid
waste by burial in landfills is the least desirable management option; it ranks
behind recycling, source reduction, and resource recovery (i.e., incineration
for energy recovery). This indicator charts progress toward the goal of reducing
reliance on landfills, which has been the goal of state solid waste policy
since the 1970s. Connecticut's plan calls for reducing the average resident's
landfill contribution to about 170 pounds per year.
Recent Trends: Since 1986, five resource recovery plants have begun operation, collection of recyclables has zoomed to 23% of municipal waste, and some consumers have altered buying habits. These factors allowed dozens of landfills to close as they became full or as federal regulations prohibited their continued operation.
Indicator: Percentage of municipal solid waste collected for recycling.
Background: The General Assembly established a goal of reducing and recycling 40% of Connecticut's municipal solid waste stream by the year 2000; the DEP has calculated that this would require 33% of the waste to be recycled.
Recent Trends: The statewide average continues to increase. Some municipalities exceed 25%. Market demand for some recyclables increased drastically in 1994, and should help support further progress.
Recycling Technology at its Best!
The tall ship HMS Rose, also featured on the cover of our printed copy, has its 17,000 square feet of sails made from 100% recycled polyester, a material produced from plastic car fenders and more than 126,000 plastic bottles. Rose is home-ported in Bridgeport, Connecticut.
Indicator: Number of miles the average Connecticut resident drives a vehicle every day.
Background: Driving a car is probably the most environmentally damaging activity a Connecticut resident will engage in. Trucks and the increasingly-popular sport utility vehicle cause even greater damages. Impacts are direct (air pollution, oil leakage, etc.) and indirect (stimulating demand for new roads). DOT estimates total miles driven each year in Connecticut.
Recent Trends: Each year, the average Connecticut resident drives more miles than he or she did the previous year. The reasons are complex, and include the fact that most new development is accessible only by car.
Indicator: Number of local bus trips taken by the average Connecticut resident during a year.
Background: Riding a bus is just one alternative to driving a car. Ridership data are collected by the DOT.
Recent Trends: Mass transit has not been successful in displacing the single-occupant vehicle which, though wasteful and damaging to the environment, appears to have deep historical roots (see above). The year 1994 saw the first increase in bus ridership in several years. Perhaps it was the product of employers' efforts to reduce driving by employees. The general trend still appears to be a slow descent, as new destinations continue to be developed in places that are accessible only by automobiles, away from transit lines.
Indicator: Average Connecticut resident's contribution of carbon dioxide (CO2) to the atmosphere, from all types of fuel combustion.
Background: Carbon dioxide is added to the atmosphere primarily through the burning of fossil fuels. These fuels are used in manufacturing, electricity generation, transportation, and the heating of buildings. Carbon dioxide, along with other gases, may play an important role in global warming, which could contribute to a rise in sea level over time.
Recent Trends: The goal for CO2 emissions is the 1990 level, which has not been calculated. In 1992, use of residual oil by power utilities decreased. However, progress was reversed in 1993 when oil and coal combustion increased.