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Business Buzz: June 24, 2008
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Positive trash talk
Extending the life of Collier County’s vital landfill facility is behind a move to encourage commercial recycling on Marco Island.
Naples recently adopted just such a program, and should Marco decide to go ahead, this would leave only Everglades City out of the commercial recycling loop.
Last year, about 938,000 tons of waste was dumped in the 312-acre landfill, which has about 20-25 years of life remaining.
That lifespan has actually increased over the past couple of years as a result of successful commercial recycling, according to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
Recycled material from Collier nearly doubled, from 56 tons in 2005 to more than 110 tons in 2006, according to Collier Solid Waste specialist Danette Huff.
The program would involve costs, but these could be fairly well offset through businesses not having to pay for regular disposing, said Dan Rodriguez, Collier County solid waste management director.
Rodriguez touted the concept at the most recent City Council meeting, following up on a 2007 letter of interest sent by the city.
He acknowledged that — as with Naples — limited space for the containers in alleyways might be an issue.
In addition, he said, commercial recycling cannot be “single stream” and requires more than one container to accommodate different materials.
This aspect concerned restaurateur Joey Oliverio, who acknowledged that while recycling is obviously desirable , space would indeed be an issue.
Oliverio, who is also president of the Marco Island chapter of the Florida Restaurant Association, said losing parking spaces could also be a problem, as could the single stream requirement.
The city is to discuss the move further at an upcoming meeting.
Staff Writer Kelly Farrell contributed to this report.
Market insight
Knowledge is indeed power, something Realtor Natalie Kirstein has had reaffirmed to her.
Kirstein, a Realtor with Premier Properties of Southwest Florida, Inc., attended the Christie’s Great Estates 2008 Conference in New York City on June 16 and 17.
The conference featured some of the top luxury Realtors in the United States and abroad, Kirstein said, and its theme was “Changing Markets and New Opportunities.”
The conference, she said, focused on international buyers, luxury consumers, real estate market updates, and also strategies for success in today’s changing market.
Experts also updated the attendees on the state of the mortgage market, and trends in the art market.
Premier Properties of Southwest Florida, Inc., is the exclusive affiliate of Christie’s Great Estates for Marco Island, Naples, and Bonita Springs.
Suffer the little children
Tough economic times are even tougher for the have-nots.
With this in mind, Youth Haven is partnering with Starbucks Coffee for a Summer Pajama Drive to benefit the children living in the community’s only Emergency Shelter for abused, abandoned and neglected children.
From July 1, and running through the end of the month, area Starbucks outlets will collect pajamas for distribution to the children of Youth Haven.
All pajamas should be new and unused, and be appropriate for infants, toddlers, and children through age 12.
Pajamas may be placed in designated drop boxes at the various Starbucks locations, including Marco’s outlet at the Esplanade.
More than 100 children have been placed in Youth Haven’s Emergency Shelter this fiscal year alone, according to a publicity release.
Youth Haven is Collier County’s only emergency shelter for abused, abandoned, and neglected children as well as the sole provider of an array of successful home-based family education and support programs that divert children from the foster care system.
To learn more, call (239) 774-2904 or log onto www.youthhaven.net.
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