Solar trash bins?

[an-art-worker.livejournal.com]

So I've noticed these green boxy trash bins popping up around here but until today I wasn't close to one. It looks like the entire top is a solar panel (hmm... source for solar panels.. ;-) I can't really think why a trash bin would have such a need. Is there a compactor inside? Are these tied into the grid and generating revenue? (doubtful). Can I recharge my iPod off of one?

Comments

[ruthling.livejournal.com]

it's a compactor. the idea is that the maintenance workers don't have to come around and empty them as often.

i think this is the company that supplies them

[ruthling.livejournal.com]

http://www.bigbellysolar.com/

[chaiya.livejournal.com]

And because they don't have to be emptied as often, they save us gas, man hours, etc. :)

[pierceheart.livejournal.com]

And because they don't have to be emptied as often, they save us gas, man hours, etc.

But not internet time. (http://www.google.com/search?q=somerville+solar+trash+bins&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a)

[an-art-worker.livejournal.com]

The amazing thing (to me) is that my post appears in the google results (10th) and I posted it @ 2 hours ago. They crawling that quickly?

From the articles - it appears the purchase cost for those if $4700 and that Somerville is leasing 6 units. I wonder how they plan to determine the cost effectiveness over the standard trash bin.

[infinitemorning.livejournal.com]

Well, it's a classic formula, really.

1. Buy solar-powered trash-eating monsters
2. ?????
3. Profit!

[aquastar.livejournal.com]

No one seems to be addressing the REAL question.


Yes, yes you can charge your iPod off of one.

[turil.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

Hehehehehe.

[an-art-worker.livejournal.com]

Can they send an email when they are full??

[rikchik.livejournal.com]

What, just toss it in?

[aquastar.livejournal.com]

No, that would just get it compacted with the trash DUH!

[m00n.livejournal.com]

Google crawls sites at a rate proportional to how often the site is updated. That's why their news service works. Also, davis_square probably has a pretty high ranking for searches on "somerville" so it probably checked here pretty quickly.

[m00n.livejournal.com]

But you need an adapter.

[m00n.livejournal.com]

The thing is, unless they end up being in some way totally unreliable and require constant maintenance to keep them working, they're *bound* to pay for themselves eventually. The question, though, is whether this was really the most cost effective way to cut the city's carbon footprint compared to, say, replacing all old municipal vehicles with hybrid cars or switching to smaller, more fuel efficient city trucks in places that don't really *need* bigger ones.

Oh, or how about reprimanding police officers who sit for hours at a time with their engines idling so that they can chat with other cops and keep their air conditioners running? That always bugged me a lot. Maybe we could even equip our police force with something *other* than the most inefficient non-truck in Ford's entire fleet.

Okay, I digress. That said, $4700 does seem like a lot of money to me. On the other hand, I do hate seeing litter floating around all over the place.

[theodosia.livejournal.com]

I recall seeing an article mentioning that Boston's had them for a while, and is very pleased with the results re: less frequent trash pickup and low maintenance cost.

So while we didn't get autogyros and robot maids in this the future, at least we have solar-powered trashbins.

[teele-sq.livejournal.com]

The problem we as a society need to confront is consumption. Producing less waste would cut down on the need for $4700 receptacles.

"But sir, it is our most modestly priced receptacle."

[teele-sq.livejournal.com]

The real losers here:

Homeless people
Hungry rodents