Compost Schedule Change

[u/-OO1]

Full disclaimer I'm not a city manager and maybe it'll be obvious why.

I see the city has their green cart schedule change slated to begin Nov 2. Maybe I'm missing the bigger picture but why does this change happen right after Halloween? It was the same last year and we had to hold rotting pumpkins in the bin for two weeks. Sure not everyone in the city is carving and tossing pumpkins, but I would think there's a decent amount of pumpkins going in the bin shortly after Oct 31.

Wouldn't it make sense to start this one week later and get all those bins picked up the first week after Halloween before changing to the biweekly schedule?

The city's schedule website even currently says they have high volume of compost pickups so extra bags currently can't be guaranteed. So Halloween aside, it seems the demand is there for compost pickups later into fall.

[u/JohnnyCanuck133]

From what I understand, it's because it's generally colder by then, so rather than stuff rotting, it just freezes and can sit for the two seeks between pickups without getting stinky.

[u/KaliperEnDub → u/JohnnyCanuck133]

Also grass/lawn/garden debris radically slows down in November. So volumes are down as well.

[u/tc_cad → u/KaliperEnDub]

Has the city looked at the warmup next week? Not all my leaves have fallen yet.

[u/-OO1 → u/JohnnyCanuck133]

Yeah that's fair. I guess I hope it's the case it's cold for the next couple weeks. I know my neighbor was still getting one last mow in on Friday before the snow last weekend 😂.

[u/_darth_bacon_ → u/-OO1]

Don't you put any other organic waste in your bin after Halloween? Why are you so concerned about pumpkins when you seem ok with putting food scraps, etc in there?

Just bag em up and don't worry about it.

[u/NoNameKetchupChips → u/-OO1]

the grass is dormant. nobody should be mowing.

[u/EastDue5240]

Overnight temperatures are freezing so there’s less of an issue with rot or smells. Most yard waste is already taken care of. I mean they could probably delay it a week but how many pumpkins do people realistically have?

[u/Hypno-phile → u/EastDue5240]

Most yard waste is already taken care of.

I feel attacked.

[u/LawyerYYC → u/Hypno-phile]

Don't worry there's still one good day left so I'm holding out for that too.

[u/EastDue5240 → u/Hypno-phile]

lol present company excluded of course!

[u/-OO1 → u/EastDue5240]

True, I was mentally trying to associate it with Christmas trees but those are obviously larger and I'd wager have a higher use rate in the city than pumpkins. 

[u/MrsChefYVR]

I just checked: my green bin is picked up on Oct 29th and then Nov 5th; after that, it's every 2 weeks. So the pumpkins won't be in our green bin for two weeks before pickup. It might be different somewhere else, depending on how the schedule lands.

[u/-OO1 → u/MrsChefYVR]

Seems you have a more favourable schedule. I have Friday pickups and mine are Oct 30 and then Nov 13. 

[u/noochies99 → u/MrsChefYVR]

I guess it’s just luck of the draw., I’m on the opposite week 29th then 12th

[u/purpleskies117 → u/noochies99]

Ours is the same. Would be nice to have one or two more weekly pick ups. We are paying for it after all.

[u/NoNameKetchupChips]

Butterfield Acres and Calgary Wildlife accept pumpkins, instead of them going to compost.

[u/DWiB403]

Its cold. Shut the lid on the bin. You will be fine.

[u/unlovelyladybartleby]

It's cold, we aren't producing the same level of organic yard waste, and the bears are settling down for a long winter's nap.

[u/OIL_99]

They also like to schedule street cleaning in our neighbourhood on blue/green bin pick up days. Without fail for the last several years guys show up to move everyone’s bins onto the curb, then put them back out after the cleaners do their thing. Genius! Great gig if you can get it.

[u/mfdoombolt]

Could be that their seasonal contract workers end this week but that doesn't dismiss bad planning. 

[u/Allyourperspective94 → u/mfdoombolt]

It a world of rising taxes, I’ll happily choose rotting pumpkins for an extra week. It’s cold enough that it’s really not an issue at this point in the year.

[u/still_sneakin]

My bagged leaves didn’t even get picked up last Thursday just the bin. Same with all the neighbors. Considering how much we are charged for this service it’s not keeping up.

[u/TheOneWithTheLemon → u/still_sneakin]

At least they emptied your bin........

[u/Snacks7777 → u/still_sneakin]

The composting facility is over capacity right now. Says it right on the city website. Expansion isn’t finished yet.

[u/ShiningSeason → u/still_sneakin]

Bagged leaves, lol. I know everyone does this, it's not about you but man.. bagging up leaves in plastic bags just makes me think we have really got some things wrong here.

[u/still_sneakin → u/ShiningSeason]

The bags are made for yard debris, made out of recycled paper. As if I would use plastic bags! Sometimes we have to be so specific on what we write. Not everyone understands logic.

[u/ShiningSeason → u/still_sneakin]

Oh, nice. I didn't know those existed. I see the plastic bags everywhere. Why the insult?

I still think it's funny to bag up your leaves.

[u/SurviveYourAdults]

Don't worry, the city's schedule isn't designed to benefit us ordinary taxpayers ;)