Mayor Warren sent out a message today about the City’s partnership with Bigbelly, the maker of solar powered trash and recycling bins. During April and May, the City and Bigbelly deployed 340 of the units in 170 locations across Newton. More information on the program, including a map with the Bigbelly locations, can be found here. I can’t find Mayor Warren’s message on the website, but it has similar information to what’s on that page.
Bigbellies Spotted All Across Newton
by | May 19, 2016 | Newton | 20 comments
I think this is a great program though I did notice that three locations along Comm Ave that used to have garbage bins now have nothing. Well, I shouldn’t say nothing. Dog walkers, apparently used to having garbage cans in these spots, are still using the areas for their, um, doggie bags.
Perhaps this has nothing to do with the Bigbelly program but the timing sure makes it look like it is. It would be good to retain some garbage receptacle in those areas that used to have them.
I hate to be a wuss, but I’m not a big fan of trash receptacles that require you to touch a greasy handle covered in who-knows-what in order to open them up.
And the design of the BigBelly is such that you can’t even cheat and use your elbow or your forearm – you have to open them to an angle of about 4:30 (135 degrees) before you can access the trash cavity.
What’s the difference between the big belly program and the Titanic?
Harry: what does that mean?
Someone who is in a rush might return books to the BigBelly at library. Of course, I would never do it, but someone else might.
I love em! pulling handle bit is kinda annoying but not that bad for most folks that touch door handles etc. I have already noticed far less trash blowing through newtonville because they take longer to really be full, the old ones had stuff piled on top and of course on windy days it would be all over the place. Good stuff! (also saves on staff time in emptying, which is of course very important)
John:
Agreed! Prior to this in Newtonville, the recycling containers were open to the air, and constantly filled with trash. Someone would inevitable block the small opening, people would see the trash inside, and then the trash would sit on the top, and the blow around the village. This is so much better.
At least for Newtonville, this has cut down trash a huge amount.
Now if we can just talk about activating some of the underused spaces around the village, I’d be a happy person. (the green space next to Bank of America, the green space around the church, can we get those to have some benches and be open to the public)
@fignetonville – If you’re talking about the church on Walnut at the turnpike, I just heard the plan for that last week. A pre-school is going in there and the front yard facing walnut st will be an enclosed play area.
@Harry Sanders. The Titanic had a band.
But no solar panels.
and it was even bigger than a bigbellie
Hasn’t Newton Highlands have Big Bellies for several years? What is the big deal?
“had Big Bellies…”
It’s interesting to note that Bigbelly is a local company, based out of the N2 Corridor.
Greg — Is Bigbelly a member of the NN Chamber? It would be good to get them to do a talk on what they’re doing, particularly using their presence in urban centers as smart city nodes.
I’m happy with the Bigbellies. But I had no idea that Carry in, Carry out was a new policy for the park until afterward.
This rollout was managed poorly, as well as backwards. The plan to remove some barrels without replacements and to change park policies to adhere to the Carry in, Carry out program should have had as its first steps notification and education of the public and the Councilors. Skipping those steps has created confusion and not cooperation plus trash and dog feces left on the ground (or poked through the holes in the fence) where the receptacles had been.
I don’t know who in the administration should have been responsible for those first steps but it would be great to have things managed better in the future.
Proper use of recycling portion of big belly https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZRz1ETyfu4
Let’s remember the non-American speaking immigrants who thruout the city make a subsistent living by pulling the 5 cent redeemables from public locations. Big belly’s message now: welcome to Newton, enough of the good times.
Marti, the “Carry In/Carry Out” policy was something I was not aware of, but am now worried that the lack of a trash receptacle in the Nonantum Pl tot lot is by design rather than by some sort of mischief or theft (we thought someone had stolen it for their own use)- and also worried that dog feces from this “No Dogs Allowed” park will be left behind along with other trash. Will have to keep watch there to see what is actually happening.
Doug, some places will get a new feces container, along with biodegradable plastic bags, but some places will get no receptacle at all. I don’t know which is which, but doubt that a “no dogs allowed” park would be on the receiving side.
You are not alone in thinking they had been stolen and would be replaced by the city. People have been contacting their councilors to report them missing but most Councilors did not know about the new program’s inclusion of the Carry in/Carry out program or that some containers would not be replaced, until after the Bigbellies were in place.
It works well for hikers, campers and climbers in our National Parks but they still have receptacles for the day visitors. They also have a huge marketing campaign.
For years the administration has been deaf to logic, this issue was not a surprise. – heir only to political arm twisting. http://parksparkproject.com/home.html