City Deploying Big Bellys to Be Greener and to Save Money

Boston is deploying another 400 Big Belly solar powered trash compactors, the mayor reported over the weekend. By doing so, Boston will manage to be a cleaner city and to be a greener place while saving money.

All of this is achieved with the barrels, which are enclosed and immune from the elements and from rodents. They are solar powered and collect four times the volume that an average barrel holds and they have to be dumped significantly fewer times requiring less labor and truck visits, which translates into labor cost savings, fuel savings and cleaner air.

With these new 400 Big Belly solar powered compactors about to be deployed throughout the city, there is an added component – a recycling container of the same size attached to each barrel.

Now the city can point to a powerfully expanded public recycling effort that is attached to each barrel.

These solar powered trash compactors and recycling components are being distributed throughout the city – but they won’t be located on Beacon Hill or in the residential portion of the Back Bay neighborhood.

Neighborhood groups concerned with aesthetics find the Big Bellies too cumbersome and without period design. We understand their concerns but in this instance, we urge everyone involved to take another look.

Whatever rodent problems exist in Beacon Hill and in Back Bay are exacerbated by open trash containers and barrels that line the streets in both these neighborhoods. The open barrels, which are placed inside lovely looking circular period iron grates are quite often filled to over flowing, often spilling contents on streets and sidewalks but more importantly, give rodents a reason to exist.

Rodents cannot exist unless they can feed themselves and they feed themselves everyday in uncapped barrels in Beacon Hill and Back Bay.

In addition, at present, Beacon Hill and Bay Bay public receptacles do not have recycling components such as the ones that the city is now set to distribute.

Both Beacon Hill and Back Bay would benefit with Big Bellies being introduced where open barrels now exist.

We understand the aesthetic issues but we wonder, do they outweigh the need in these two neighborhoods,  the greater need for trash control, recycling, cleaner air, less truck traffic and economy?

We urge those who pass judgment on such things to take a close look once again at the Big Bellies, which are much more than your average barrel.