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Automated green-waste
pickup remains city’s goal

Question: Why is the pickup of green waste going back to manual collection? We thought the green cart worked well and saved tax dollars.

Answer: The city says it is moving its recycling effort forward one step at a time, concentrating first on automating the collection of mixed recyclables -- glass, plastic, aluminum, newspaper and corrugated cardboard -- islandwide.

(However, there may be a glitch in the city's plan to institute its curbside recycling program this month. The United Public Workers last week sought a court order to prevent the city from going ahead with its program until it resolved a dispute with the union, which represents more than 200 refuse-collection workers.)

The city's plan is to first phase in the collection of the recyclable materials, using blue carts, then, "We will take a closer look at the advantages of automating the green-waste pickup," using a green cart, said Suzanne Jones, the city's recycling coordinator.

While the ultimate goal is to automate the green-waste collection, for now, residents are advised to set out their green waste, at curbside, in yard bags, bundles or their own 35-gallon (maximum) container.

"So, we're continuing the existing twice-per-week refuse collection and twice-per-month green-waste collection, and adding the blue cart for the collection of mixed recyclables every other week," Jones explained.

The collection of the recyclables and green waste are "not in sync," she acknowledged.

"We know that's inconvenient, but it's temporary," she said. "After the new blue carts are phased in around the island, recycling and green-waste collection schedules will be coordinated."

In the meantime, Jones said there are advantages to picking up green waste either manually or by automation.

"Automating the collection using the green cart eliminates the need for yard bags and the need to de-bag the green waste at the compost facility, which lowers the processing costs," she said. "On the other hand, manual collection offers more flexibility to the householder related to the quantity of material set out."

Q: Our elementary-school-age grandchildren brush their teeth before they go to bed. In the morning, they brush again, have breakfast, then go to school. I think they should rinse their mouths, eat breakfast and then brush their teeth before going to school. Their parents disagree. What do you say?

A: "We recommend brushing after breakfast and before bedtime," is the succinct advice from Gina Sandoval, spokeswoman for the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry.

Since we're on the subject of dental care, we'll pass on some information from the Academy (check its Web site, www.aapd.org, for a lot more tips and facts) that parents may find beneficial:

» It doesn't matter what color milk is -- chocolate milk is "OK for children's teeth." Both white and chocolate milk are considered highly nutritious, and most chocolate milk is said to be made from low-fat or skim milk with added sucrose.

In fact, chocolate milk is preferable to many popular snacks and because children like it, they're apt to drink more of it.

» Certain cheeses are considered beneficial in preventing tooth decay, when eaten alone or at the end of a meal. They include aged cheddar, Swiss, mozzarella and Monterey Jack, all of which "stimulate the flow of saliva, clearing the mouth of food debris and acting as a buffer to neutralize the acids that attack teeth," according to the Academy.

» "Food does not cause tooth decay. Eating does," the Academy says. A child's dental health "depends less on what they eat and more on how often they eat it."

For instance, if your child sucks on a piece of hard candy slowly to make it last longer or slowly sips a sugared drink, he is at a high risk of tooth decay. That's because "such long-lasting snacks create an acid attack on teeth for the entire time they are in the mouth."

The Academy also says food with sugar or starch is "safer" for teeth if eaten with a meal, not as a snack.

» Cooked starches -- such as breads, crackers, pasta, pretzels and potato chips -- are just as bad as sugars when it comes to causing cavities, because they often take longer to clear the mouth than sugars.

Mahalo

To Ross Hiranaka, Mike Medeiros, Mikel Onaka and their co-workers at the state Department of Transportation's Highway Division. On behalf of the hundreds of Aloha Stadium patrons who use the Moanalua Freeway pedestrian overpass, thank you for expediting the asphalt paving of the former mud and gravel sidewalk area along Moanalua Road leading to the overpass. Go Warriors! -- Grace Ching

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