Some court losses turn into wins. This paper explores two Texas coast cases with wider environmental implications for any community concerned about flood control, water recycling or endangered species.
In March 2013, Houston was awarded one of five inaugural Mayor’s Challenge Prizes from Bloomberg Philanthropies for its innovative proposal “One Bin for All.” A $1 million prize was given to Houston to be used to implement a workable process utilizing cutting-edge technology to separate trash from recyclables, allowing residents to discard all materials — including kitchen garbage and other organics — in one bin and accomplish all separation and processing at a mechanical biological treatment with advanced resource recovery facility. Under the proposed One Bin plan, the city has set an initial goal of diverting 55 percent of municipal waste away from landfills, eventually increasing that to 75 percent. If Houston can succeed in pulling off this project, it will set a new standard in waste disposal that will revolutionize the industry for years to come.
