www.insideHALTON.com · OAKVILLE BEAVER Thursday, August 23, 2012 · 6 The Oakville Beaver The Oakville Beaver is a member of the Ontario Press Council. The council is located at 80 Gould St., Suite 206, Toronto, Ont., M5B 2M7. Phone (416) 340-1981. Advertising is accepted on the condition that, in the event of a typographical error, that portion of advertising space occupied by the erroneous item, together with a reasonable allowance for signature, will not be charged for, but the balance of the advertisement will be paid for at the applicable rate. The publisher reserves the right to categorize advertisements or decline. Editorial and advertising content of the Oakville Beaver is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. Letter to the Editor 467 Speers Rd., Oakville Ont. L6K 3S4 (905) 845-3824 Fax: 337-5566 Classified Advertising: 905-632-4440 Circulation: 905-631-6095 Region responds to letter Re: Let's do more recycling, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2012, The Oakville Beaver Dear Nathan Buckley, Thank you for your comments about the importance of waste diversion in Halton. While it may seem to you that not enough people are embracing the waste diversion and recycling movement, I want to reassure you that participation in Halton's weekly waste-diversion programs is tremendous -- in fact, 95 per cent of residents currently place their Blue Box out weekly for pickup. While Halton is currently a leader in the province with a 60 per cent residential waste-diversion rate, I agree that more can always be done. Halton Regional council recently approved the 2012-2016 Solid Waste Management Strategy, which identifies a number of new initiatives that will be implemented over the coming years in order to achieve a 65 per cent wastediversion rate from Halton's landfill. In addition to residential and school waste and recycling collection, Halton Region also provides waste-diversion opportunities in some downtown and recreation facilities. This is a step in the right direction to ensure residents have the option to recycle instead of just placing items in the garbage. Halton also provides wastediversion opportunities at a number of public festivals and events throughout the year. Recycling in park spaces continues to be a challenge as the contamination in the recycling bins from garbage materials is often very high. Visitors to park spaces are responsible for placing materials in the appropriate bins if they are available. In addition, Halton Region encourages residents using these locations to bring a reusable bottle or bring their recyclable materials home with them to place in their Blue Boxes. Halton continues to consult with each of our local municipalities as they work to expand and improve recycling options in park locations. I thank you for your commitment to the environment and for raising awareness about this very important topic. Each of us has the responsibility to ensure we continue to do the most we can when it comes to the 3Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle). Due to the efforts of individuals, such as yourself and Halton residents, we should be pleased at our successes so far and continue to work together to protect and preserve the environment. To learn more about all of Halton's waste diversion programs and services, please visit www.halton.ca/waste, follow us on Twitter @HaltonRecycles or read our blog at www.haltonrecycles.ca. David Miles Manager of Waste Planning and Collection, Halton Region Neil Oliver Vice-President and Group Publisher, Metroland West David harvey Regional General Manager JILL DAVIS Editor in Chief Daniel Baird Advertising Director ANGELA BLACKBURN Managing Editor Riziero Vertolli Photography Director Sandy Pare Business Manager RECOGNIZED FOR EXCELLENCE BY: Ontario Community Newspapers Association MARK DILLS Director of Production Manuel garcia Production Manager CHARLENE HALL Director of Distribution KIM MOSSMAN Circulation Manager Website www.oakvillebeaver.com The OakvilleBeaver is a division of Canadian Community Newspapers Association Suburban Newspapers of America THE OAKVILLE BEAVER IS PROUD OFFICIAL MEDIA SPONSOR FOR: United Way of Oakville ATHENA Award MEALS ON WHEELS: The Royal Canadian Legion Branch 114 donated a cheque of $5,000 from their MARTA IWANEK / OAKVILLE BEAVER / @halton_photog Poppy Fund last month to assist Meals on Wheels in providing service to Oakville's seniors, 14 of whom are veterans. At the presentation, in front of the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 114 at 36 Upper Middle Rd. E., were, from left, Shirley Stacey, second vice-president and Poppy Chairman Royal Canadian Legion Branch 114, Pat Ogborn, Oakville Kiwanis Meals on Wheels executive-director, Brian Ray, Branch 114 president, Nestor Yakimik, Branch 114 first vice-president, and William Shields, past president of Branch 114. Writers/editors no longer biggest coffee consumers: survey las, we finished just out of the medals. But, to paraphrase Eric Taylor, the fictional football coach in the late-great TV show Friday Night Lights: There's no shame in getting beat, not when you're doing your best. Yes, fellow writers and editors, we gave it the good fight -- we gave it all we had, sweat and tears, heart and soul, cream and sugar -- but, according to an annual survey of coffee consumption among various professions, we finished fourth. I know, I know, it's hard to fathom anyone anywhere drinking more coffee than humble-and-hooked writers/editors. The profession that consumed the most java jolts this year, the gold medalists? Scientists and lab technicians. Wait? We were defeated by tall foreheads in lab coats? Well, that's just embarrassing. Finishing in second place in the survey? Marketing and PR professionals. OMG, we were also beaten by nogood, lousy, bleepin' spin doctors (like, ah, my wife). And in third place on the podium? Education administrators. What? Seriously? I mean, does anyone even know what an education administrator is? Aren't they the people entrusted with things like ensuring the sandboxes are topped up for the kindergarteners? A I tell you, Coach Taylor: there is some shame in that. A pot of percolating shame. Ugh. I need a coffee. According to research, 65 per cent of North Americans consume at least one cup of coffee each day, and the other 35 per cent are just being silly. For many, mugging a coffee is the Andy Juniper mainstay of their morning ritual -- it's what opens their eyes and gets their motors running. And for some, it's an absolute essential -- right up there with food, water, shelter, sex, and reasonably-priced white wine. Truth be told, I've had a lifelong love/hate relationship with coffee, which, in terms of consistent consumption, could be construed as being wishy-washy. Which may well indicate that it's flakes like me who undermined the poor writers and editors right on out of medal contention. In my mid-teens, I developed a curiosity toward coffee. While I enjoyed a cup -- granted, I'm not sure if I could even taste the coffee once I finished loading it with cream and sugar -- I didn't go out of my way to track one down. However, at some point in my late-teens, coffee became a morning must. You know I would never advocate violence, but I tell you: back in those days, if anyone were to try and take away my morning coffee, they'd have been in for a world of hurt. And while coffee and I got along just swell, caffeine and I were at odds. After imbibing a few cups, I'd find my heart attempting to bounce out of my chest. Following doctor's orders, I gave up it up. Cold turkey. In recent years, something drew me back to the bewitching brew. Maybe it was the heavenly aroma wafting through the house in the early morning hours. Maybe it was the feel of a warm cup, spooned in my palm on a cool day. Maybe it was the taste -- in particular those first fortifying sips touching down on the tongue. Regardless, I dove back into the coffeepot and once again got happily hooked. Yeah, I'd say I really like my coffee. But, alas, apparently not as much as the tall foreheads in lab coats. Ah, the shame. Andy Juniper can be contacted at ajjuniper@gmail.com, found on Facebook at www.facebook.com, or followed at www.twitter. com/thesportjesters.