Berkeley calls on residents to reduce holiday landfill waste

In advance of Thanksgiving, city of Berkeley officials are asking residents to reduce waste that goes to the landfill and adapt to a revised pickup schedule for some people.

The city said residents with garbage pickups on Thursdays or Fridays should plan to put their carts out a day later on Thanksgiving week.

Residents with usual Thursday collections should place their carts curbside by 7 a.m. on Friday, November 29, and residents with regular Friday pickups should place their carts curbside by 7 a.m. on Saturday, November 30.

Berkeley officials also said garbage collections may occur later in the day than usual.

People who have missed pickups should report them on Monday, December 2, by calling Customer Service at (510) 981-7270.

Berkeley officials advise residents to reduce what the city sends to landfills by planning ahead to use what can be re-used and sort out their recyclables and compost.

The city said cutting back on waste at the end of the year not only helps residents and Berkeley be more sustainable, it boosts a national trend toward reducing waste during the holidays.

Berkeley officials said residents can prevent wasted food by making small shifts in how they plan, store and eat their food.

They say when people waste food they also waste all the energy, water, and resources that went into producing that food and getting it into their kitchens.

City officials also said Thanksgiving food scraps make great compost.

They said residents should place their food scraps and food-soiled paper in their green compost carts because food that’s sent to landfills generates greenhouse gasses such as methane that contribute to climate change.