Thought stuff like this only happened in Third-World countries like England and France, huh ... ? Oh. My bad. They're NOT 'Third-World' ... they're SOCIALIST - that just adds to the fun. Well, guess what THEY have that's coming to OUR SHORES ... RFID-CHIPPED TRASH BINS. That's right - Big Bro' wants to know who's been naughty and who's been nice ... and he's even gonna CHARGE you for the dubious 'privilege' of having that fancy-dancy chipped bin to toss your 'recyclables' in ... it'd be a damned shame if someone tossed in, say, some barbeque starter fluid - and a match ... I'm also trying to find the connection between the residents saying they wanted BIGGER bins and then giving them CHIPPED bins ... did the 'survey' also ask if they wanted to be surveilled? Prolly not ...

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http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/local/New-recycling-bins-with-tracking-chips-

New recycling bins with tracking chips coming to Alexandria

By: Markham Heid | Examiner Staff Writer
 | May 6, 2010

Alexandria residents soon will have to pay for larger home recycling bins featuring built-in monitoring devices.

The City Council added a mandatory $9 charge to its residents' annual waste collection fee.

That cash - roughly $180,000 collected from 19,000 residents-- will pay for new larger recycling carts equipped with computer microchips, which will allow the city to keep tabs on its bins and track resident participation in the city's recycling program.

"If you know who's participating in the programs, you can focus your education and outreach to those who are not participating," said Stacy Herring, Alexandria's recycling coordinator.

Rich Baier, Alexandria's environmental services program director, said the city will use direct mailing campaigns and public presentations to target neighborhoods -- not individuals -- that lag when it comes to recycling.

"We're just trying to get the biggest bang where we need it for the buck," Baier said. "We don't want to get into exactly what people are recycling."

The new carts will come in sizes ranging form 25 to 65 gallons, and will sport wheels and lids. While the $9 charge is mandatory, residents may keep their old 18-gallon bins if they so choose.

Councilman Frank Fannon, the lone City Council member to oppose the new recycling bins, said he was against increased government spending, not recycling.

"I thought this was just another fee that we didn't have to pass on to the residents," he said.

Herring said the city conducted a survey among Old Town residents last May that found 60 percent wanted larger bins. She also said other jurisdictions had implemented bigger recycling bins and had seen recycling rates shoot up as a result.

"The larger the container, the more people recycle," Herring said, citing a study conducted by Eureka Recycling, a Minnesota nonprofit organization that promotes recycling.

Alexandria recently reported a 29 percent recycling rate to the state. Virginia requires most localities to recycle 25 percent of its waste, while the Environmental Protection Agency advocates a 35 percent target.

Baier said larger bins increase recycling rates because residents tend to throw their excess recyclables into regular trash cans once their recycling bins fill up.

He also said litter was a problem with the current bins, which don't have lids to prevent light materials from blowing out into area neighborhoods.

Thus seems like it should be in the "Political" forum, not the Sci&Phi forum.

Wow, you really have gone OFF the DEEP END with this thread!

I live in Mesa, Arizona. NO Socialists here! This has to be one of the most CONSERVATIVE Mormon communities in the entire State of Arizona with a conservative Mayor, Conservative City Council and a Conservative Governor. Mesa, AZ is also in the heart of Maricopa County with a Conservative Sheriff named Joe Arpaio. Maybe you're heard about us?

We have been recycling here for as long as I can remember. You have these big barrels (80 gallon or so) on wheels. Everybody has 2, a black one for regular trash and a blue barrel for recyclables. You can also ask for and receive a green barrel for yard trimmings that is taken away and composted.

The recycle barrels were fitted with the microchips over a year ago. You earn points every time they pick it up, depending on the weight. You can go to the website and redeem your points for more beer if you want to and recycle the cans. Wine bottles too. It didn't cost us anything as it was rolled out as a pilot program.

We have to save Planet Earth, it's the only planet that has chocolate.

We have to save Planet Earth, it's the only planet that has chocolate.

You're right about the chocolate...

TLDR