Cary Elections- Fall 2023

Election Day is October 10th, 2023

Want to vote for a candidate that represents your values?

 

To help you make an informed decision, Toward Zero Waste has asked candidates, running in the October 2023 elections, to answer a few environment-related questions. Click on the position to see candidates answers. If you don’t see answers, please reach out directly to the candidates themselves and/or attend a candidate town hall in your area.

Please note that Toward Zero Waste is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization which cannot endorse any candidate. This information provided is the unedited responses we received to our questionnaire from the candidates for whom we were able to find contact information for and subsequently responded. There may be additional candidates running so please check the NC Board of Elections website for all of the details regarding your local election.

 

Directory

Mayor | Town Council At-Large | Town Council District B | Town Council District D


Mayor

*Not Answered Yet*
  1. With the Dillon Rule permitting the NCGA to limit what municipalities can do, how can Cary encourage or incentivize waste reduction, landfill diversion, and carbon-capturing behaviors among private citizens and businesses?
  2. Following the successful implementation of Cary’s Food Waste Recycling Drop-off, along with Cary’s long standing backyard composting initiatives, do you support curbside composting as a public utility in Cary? 
  3. What are your thoughts on the recycling crisis? How do you see the Town of Cary’s role in  addressing this issue? 
  4. What role do you feel Cary can play in addressing plastic pollution? Do you support a plastic bag fee or ban? 
  5. Given current challenges of contamination in Cary’s public recycling bins, what ideas do you have to improve waste management in public spaces, events and the new Social District? Should Cary be moving from single or dual stream (trash and recycling), to triple stream (adding organics) waste stations like some other municipalities? 
  6. Thanks to a 2019 Waste Characterization Study, we have specific numbers on what Cary residents send to the Wake County landfill (which is projected to hit capacity by 2040 with no plan B). These numbers do not include most businesses or apartment complexes. What responsibility do you feel Cary has to help residents in apartments, business owners and even local public schools to divert waste?
  7. Please share what your top environmental accomplishments are from your current term.
  8. What pro-environment initiatives have you advocated for during your current term?

Town Council At-Large

  1. With the Dillon Rule permitting the NCGA to limit what municipalities can do, how can Cary encourage or incentivize waste reduction, landfill diversion, and carbon-capturing behaviors among private citizens and businesses?
    • I truly believe that our Cary community cares deeply about reducing waste, reducing our carbon footprint and increasing our climate resilience. First, I believe that we need more outreach, education and awareness – because when we make a program available, and make it easy, our community steps up. When we ran a program to “buy back” lawns during the drought, citizens stepped up, and our water usage declined. Adding visual digital access to water usage through Aquastar has also been a plus, saving countless homes by letting them know when WE spot leaks (think Water Heater about to bust), or toilets silently leaking, homeowners can proactively fix their issues. We need to take those successes and translate them into finding new ways to help our community reduce their waste. Some of the programs that I champion and will for the future are:
      • Moving to a compostable only program for our food truck rodeos, reducing single use plastics that are often used during those events. (And, I’d like to make that possible for ALL our events with vendors.) We DO use compostables at internal Cary events, but we can do more.
      • Moving our facilities to compostable bathrooms, and working to ensure other facilities are reducing their waste
      • Partnering with private waste management companies, to find ways to incentivize more recycling at apartments and private businesses.
      • Continuing our Solar awareness program, and doing outreach to private businesses to see what can be done to increase solar projects in private buildings.
      • Continue to promote Solar on new developments, increase safe and separated bike lanes, to encourage people to use their cars less, and bike and walk more.
      • Expand our Solar Ready education program, while continuing our rain barrel and compost barrel education and promotions.
  2. Following the successful implementation of Cary’s Food Waste Recycling Drop-off, along with Cary’s long standing backyard composting initiatives, do you support curbside composting as a public utility in Cary?
    • Absolutely. I was the originator of the idea of expanding it to west Cary, and making sure that funding for that program was identified in this year’s budget. I also made sure that we have a plan in process for looking at curbside composting in this year’s budget, as well, and participated in the early planning for that this Spring.
  3. What are your thoughts on the recycling crisis? How do you see the Town of Cary’s role in addressing this issue?
    • I’d like to see us do few things to help with recycling. Which I agree, is in a crisis situation. Council asked staff, the Environmental Advisory Board, and the Information Services Advisory Board to help us reduce the contamination rate of our recycling. We felt that not only have we recently switched Waste management companies, who have different “rules” – but the rules seem to change, and it’s difficult for our citizens to really understand WHAT is recyclable, and WHAT IS NOT. A new “sticker” and magnet are being created to provide to our citizens to help use reduce our contamination rate. But there is more I think we can do. We need to work across our Region, to find new ways to safely process recyclables. If Cary is to indeed be a leader, we need to kick off that effort, and perhaps partner with our Council of Governments, to assist. I support finding a way to make that happen. Also, we need to also find ways to reduce our OWN trash. Recently, the ISAB introduced Cary to a local company that takes the construction wrapping, and upcycles it to new products. We just received a number of tote bags made from approximately 900 yards of that wrap material, and will be selling and providing those to our citizens, upcycling something that would normally go to the landfill.
  4. What role do you feel Cary can play in addressing plastic pollution? Do you support a plastic bag fee or ban?
    • Yes, but we do not have that authority in Cary. I’d like us to find a way to do that, but it is not a currently allowed endeavor here.
  5. Given current challenges of contamination in Cary’s public recycling bins, what ideas do you have to improve waste management in public spaces, events and the new Social District? Should Cary be moving from single or dual stream (trash and recycling), to triple stream (adding organics) waste stations like some other municipalities?
    • I’m a fan of this idea, and recently interacted with our Downtown Cary Park Manager regarding our current plans. I’m waiting to learn more, but I believe our plan is to start with events and festivals, where the audience is normally concentrated in a particular area, and then to move it out to a wider geography. I am hopeful we can implement this for some upcoming events soon.
  6. Thanks to a 2019 Waste Characterization Study, we have specific numbers on what Cary residents send to the Wake County landfill (which is projected to hit capacity by 2040 with no plan B). These numbers do not include most businesses or apartment complexes. What responsibility do you feel Cary has to help residents in apartments, business owners and even local public schools to divert waste?
    • When it comes to our climate crisis, and reducing waste, we ALL have a responsibility. Sometimes, our responsibility can be by facilitating conversations, collaborations and even incentives. I’d like Cary to lead and build a coalition of ready and willing partners to start work in bringing these private sector partners into the fold. Together, we can do so much more than we can do apart. I’m not sure what that might look like, and I’m not an environmental expert, but we are lucky to have a large and growing network of people that want to help make us a more sustainable community, and it’s time for us to lead. I think part of what we should do is to join some of the Sustainable Cities programs, to learn from others. I’d like Cary to join C40 cities (https://www.c40.org/), work with Bloomberg Philanthropies and the Climate Cities Challenge, review the Climate Mayors, and Sustainable Cities, to just name a few. We should learn from those already on the front lines and making huge progress.
  7. Please share what your top environmental accomplishments are from your current term and what pro-environment initiatives have you advocated for during your current term?
    • Ensured environmental components are part of the 921 Maynard Affordable Housing Site (Solar,
      EV charging, compost support)
    • Implemented the need for the 2019 Waste Characterization Study
    • Cary earned a Gold Level Community Designation from the U.S. Department of Energy’s SolSmart
      program.
    • In 2022, I pushed for Cary to acquire a 1.8 MW solar facility at South Cary Water Reclamation
      Facility.
    • Cary distributed 1,200 trees in FY2022 in the “My Tree, Our Tree” program. I also worked with the Habitat for Humanity organization, to bring extra trees to that community, and to help them with planting and maintenance.
    • Pushed for Solar on new Town owned buildings – several projects completed, including the new 90 solar panel maintenance shed in west Cary
    • Supported Food Waste Pilot and ensured expansion to west Cary
    • Originated compost to the curb pilot to be implemented this upcoming year
    • New Anti-Idling technology in Fire Trucks
    • New Teslas for our Police Fleet, and supporting additional electric vehicles for our fleet
    • Championed more electric charging stations across town
    • Stormwater Internet of Things sensors to help with Stormwater management
    • New educational stickers coming to increase awareness and reducing contamination in recycling
    • Implemented the Watershed protection fee in our Utility Fund to protect our clean water, allowing
      us to purchase land for green infrastructure both in and out of Cary. In FY2021 watershed
      protection funding was established, and in spring 2022 Cary became co-owners (with Apex) of the Williams Property for watershed protection along Jordan Lake. The property is approximately 9.82- acres located near the American Tobacco Trail, the White Oak Greenway, and the Cary/Apex
      Water Treatment Facility. We also recently participated with the Triangle Land Conservancy for
      purchase of land outside of Cary, near Ferrington, to put land in conservatorship to keep it
      undeveloped and protect the water quality near Jordan Lake
    • Originated the return of Rain garden program grants coming this year (passed in this year’s
      budget)
    • Implemented the program to upcycle the construction wrapping to keep that material out of the
      landfill. (We will do that with the current wrapping, around the Downtown Park and the Ivey
      Ellington, as well.)
    • Leveraged new technology to help monitor our air quality, and working with others to measure and find new ways to implement climate monitoring programs
    • Added Solar panels to my own home, to make sure I also participate in reducing my carbon footprint (along with using my Tesla and riding my bike most places)
    • Supported new programs for our Urban Farm, Good Hope Farm; including a new bathroom
      (coming soon), an educational program and increased funding
    • Hiring of an Urban Forester, who helped us with many programs, including “My Tree, Our Tree” (which we doubled this year!), an Energy specialist, and many new programs to improve our
      canopy.
    • As a Jordan Lake One Water member, I lead many efforts to learn and understand how we can do
      more, in Cary, and regionally, to protect our water.
    • Promoted GoCary expanded services into Morrisville and Apex – reducing Car trips for those communities
    • Formation of Cary’s Bike Plan Focus Group, to improve biking across Cary – as well as the
      formation of the Transportation Working Group in 2021 – with the goal of taking a holistic view of
      all transportation across Town.
    • Advocated for E-Bike pilot on greenways in 2023, that is now an ordinance, allowing our citizens to ride E-Bikes on our greenways today

  1. With the Dillon Rule permitting the NCGA to limit what municipalities can do, how can Cary encourage or incentivize waste reduction, landfill diversion, and carbon-capturing behaviors among private citizens and businesses?
    • Curbside recycling, food waste composting, and yard waste collection and composting are among the successful programs implemented in Cary. And with Cary’s highly educated citizenry, informing, educating, and promoting these programs is key to continued success. Cary recognizes the importance of reducing emissions, so is undertaking “Count Me In, Cary!”, a long-term plan to significantly reduce emissions and transform the town’s energy, transportation, and infrastructure to be as clean, efficient, and sustainable as possible. The town has been collecting community surveys, seeking thoughts and ideas from everyday citizens for Cary’s Climate Action Plan. From the survey process through plan completion, targeted for December 2024, each step presents opportunities to educate and inform our citizens on the critical importance of everyone’s commitment to a sustainable future in Cary. I can be counted on to actively engage in the planning process and support the strategies developed.
  2. Following the successful implementation of Cary’s Food Waste Recycling Drop-off, along with Cary’s long standing backyard composting initiatives, do you support curbside composting as a public utility in Cary?
    • Cary’s Food Waste Recycling Program is a well-developed program with clear and simple guidelines. Since the program was established in February 2022, it exceeded its initial goal by 150%, collecting 40 tons. Participation in Cary’s Food Waste Recycling Drop-off is trending upward, which is good, but daily drop-offs vary widely. So far in 2023, estimated drop-offs met or exceeded 70 on only 13 days. Before the town moves to curbside composting, participation needs to increase significantly. Convenience matters. The next necessary step will be to increase the number of drop-off centers and locate them strategically across town. I would strongly support this next step, then carefully examine the participation levels to determine when curbside composting should be undertaken. I definitely am for it if the citizens are for it, as I want my platform to be theirs.
  3. What are your thoughts on the recycling crisis? How do you see the Town of Cary’s role in addressing this issue?
    • Although costs are rising, Cary must maintain its recycling program. In 2019, Cary’s Waste Characterization Study showed that 22% of material sent to the landfill was paper and containers that could have been recycled. We need to continually educate the public about recycling opportunities. One example is Cary’s Waste Wizard – a simple, effective tool to help citizens determine whether an item is recyclable and, if so, the way it can be recycled. By promoting use of the Waste Wizard, Cary can reduce contamination of recycled materials. Analysis of Waste Wizard activity can also help the town improve its communications with the public on appropriate recycling.
  4. What role do you feel Cary can play in addressing plastic pollution? Do you support a plastic bag fee or ban?
    • Remember when we were always asked at the grocery, “paper or plastic?” Now it seems it’s up to the shopper to ask for paper. Otherwise, plastic is the norm. Unfortunately, the use of plastic bags at retail outlets is pervasive, and while major grocers offer plastic bag recycling, this does little to resolve the issue. Public opinion is having influence on some national brands, such as Wegman’s, which has ended the use of plastic bags. I would support forming a task force of representatives from major chains, as well as local independents, and including leaders in environmental organizations, to delve into the issue and make recommendations to reduce the use of plastic bags in Cary. Town Council has no authority to enact this ban, as it would be a state issue.
  5. Given current challenges of contamination in Cary’s public recycling bins, what ideas do you have to improve waste management in public spaces, events and the new Social District? Should Cary be moving from single or dual stream (trash and recycling), to triple stream (adding organics) waste stations like some other municipalities?
    • Containers in public spaces must be easily distinguishable as to the type of materials allowed in each. Major festivals and town-sponsored events offer the opportunity for volunteers to point out the appropriate containers and encourage their use. We must first focus on getting dual stream collections right, before expanding to include organics. Once accomplished, organics may be the next natural step.
  6. Thanks to a 2019 Waste Characterization Study, we have specific numbers on what Cary residents send to the Wake County landfill (which is projected to hit capacity by 2040 with no plan B). These numbers do not include most businesses or apartment complexes. What responsibility do you feel Cary has to help residents in apartments, business owners and even local public schools to divert waste?
    • Cary can and should offer opportunities to meet with apartment managers to discuss ways to make recycling convenient for their residents. The town, in conjunction with the Cary Chamber of Commerce, can work to identify businesses that are realizing successes, as well as those that are struggling to divert waste, and offer education, assistance, and advice to increase the efficiency of their waste management practices. While decisions on waste management at Wake County Public Schools is under the purview of the school system, Cary can occasionally monitor practices at public schools in Cary and offer advice.

*Not Answered Yet*
  1. With the Dillon Rule permitting the NCGA to limit what municipalities can do, how can Cary encourage or incentivize waste reduction, landfill diversion, and carbon-capturing behaviors among private citizens and businesses?
  2. Following the successful implementation of Cary’s Food Waste Recycling Drop-off, along with Cary’s long standing backyard composting initiatives, do you support curbside composting as a public utility in Cary? 
  3. What are your thoughts on the recycling crisis? How do you see the Town of Cary’s role in  addressing this issue? 
  4. What role do you feel Cary can play in addressing plastic pollution? Do you support a plastic bag fee or ban? 
  5. Given current challenges of contamination in Cary’s public recycling bins, what ideas do you have to improve waste management in public spaces, events and the new Social District? Should Cary be moving from single or dual stream (trash and recycling), to triple stream (adding organics) waste stations like some other municipalities? 
  6. Thanks to a 2019 Waste Characterization Study, we have specific numbers on what Cary residents send to the Wake County landfill (which is projected to hit capacity by 2040 with no plan B). These numbers do not include most businesses or apartment complexes. What responsibility do you feel Cary has to help residents in apartments, business owners and even local public schools to divert waste?

Town Council District B

  1. With the Dillon Rule permitting the NCGA to limit what municipalities can do, how can Cary encourage or incentivize waste reduction, landfill diversion, and carbon-capturing behaviors among private citizens and businesses?
    • Unfortunately, as you mention, municipalities in North Carolina are only granted those authorities allowed by the state. If they don’t say that we can, therefore we can’t. This is incredibly frustrating as local government knows best the needs of its citizens. That said, Cary has the strictest development, tree preservation and stormwater regulations allowed by state law, and we continue to look for those “gray areas” within the law to do more. Cary can and is incentivizing waste reduction, landfill diversion and carbon capturing among our citizens and businesses through robust education campaigns and expanding initiatives such as:

      • Adding additional food waste recycling drop off locations
      • Expanding our “My Tree, Your Tree” program which provides free trees for our citizens to plant on their own properties as trees are the number one way in which to capture carbon
      • Our current “Count me in, Cary!” campaign which, in partnership with our citizens and experts,
        is exploring the impacts of climate change to better help us identify challenges and
        opportunities, and implement solutions that work for our community.
      • Incentivize/educate about the benefits of backyard composting – host composting workshops and provide composting bins
      • Town events using 100% compostable products – lead by example
      • Continue to add electric vehicle charging stations to promote electric vehicles
      • Continue to invest in greenways, bicycle facilities and sidewalks to promote healthier living and reduce vehicle emissions.
      • Incentivize green building design, rain gardens and solar
  2. Following the successful implementation of Cary’s Food Waste Recycling Drop-off, along with Cary’s long standing backyard composting initiatives, do you support curbside composting as a public utility in Cary?
    • Most likely, yes, but we need more data on the operating costs and environmental impacts associated with such a service vs the return on that investment. We don’t want to make matters worse by having more heavy trucks driving all over town further polluting our air just to pick up food waste from a few hundred homes. While our drop-off location has far exceeded our expectations, the reality is that the overwhelming majority of our citizens still do not use it. We can do better. Continued education about the benefits of food waste composting and adding additional drop off locations will help encourage more citizens to do so, and hopefully gets us to a place where curbside composting makes both economic and environmental sense.
  3. What are your thoughts on the recycling crisis? How do you see the Town of Cary’s role in addressing this issue?
    • I think it stinks and I’m not talking about the trash. The recycling market has collapsed. Most of what is sent to the recycling centers is unusable do to contamination and even then, there is little to no market for that which isn’t contaminated, including plastic. That said, we must continue to encourage our citizens and businesses to look for ways to divert waste from the landfill. Educating our citizens about the benefits of avoiding single use plastics, promoting compostable or reusable products, backyard composting and/or using town drop-off facilities will help. I would also love to see us partner with and or recruit businesses to Cary who make goods like clothing or shoes out of recyclable materials and/or partnering with area universities and business startups who may be developing new technologies in this arena.
  4. What role do you feel Cary can play in addressing plastic pollution? Do you support a plastic bag fee or ban?
    • Cary does not have the authority to enact such a ban or fee. I do however support such legislation at the state level.
  5. Given current challenges of contamination in Cary’s public recycling bins, what ideas do you have to improve waste management in public spaces, events and the new Social District? Should Cary be moving from single or dual stream (trash and recycling), to triple stream (adding organics) waste stations like some other municipalities?
    • All cups, utensils and other single-use items provided in the downtown park’s social district will be of compostable materials. Yes, I support moving to triple stream waste stations if data indicates that it will increase the number of recyclable items.
  6. Thanks to a 2019 Waste Characterization Study, we have specific numbers on what Cary residents send to the Wake County landfill (which is projected to hit capacity by 2040 with no plan B). These numbers do not include most businesses or apartment complexes. What responsibility do you feel Cary has to help residents in apartments, business owners and even local public schools to divert waste?
    • I am sorry to keep beating this drum, but education is paramount. The town cannot solve these
      problems by itself. It takes a total team effort from everyone in our community and beyond. The more environmentally friendly our multi-family developments and businesses become, the greener our community becomes. I would like to see Cary host more educational events at area businesses and multi-family developments to further educate folks about the benefits of composting and reducing/eliminating single use plastics and packaging, provide incentives or otherwise encourage community gardens and even beekeeping on site where appropriate.
  7. Please share what your top environmental accomplishments are from your current term and what pro-environment initiatives have you advocated for during your current term?
    • Purchased over 200 acres of open space to forever preserve it from development
    • Created a stormwater working group comprised of impacted citizens, stormwater experts, engineers and town staff to model the impacts of stormwater using state of the art technology and address flooding issues in the Walnut Creek Basin in downtown Cary. Through this initiative we have helped dozens of folks who were dealing with stormwater/flooding issues.
    • Moving town vehicles to electric or at the very least, hybrid where appropriate
    • Hired Cary’s first Urban Forester/Creating Cary’s first Urban Forest Master Plan
    • Installed anti-idle technology on town fire trucks to reduce emissions
    • Ensured that the development of the downtown park included a significant stormwater mitigation component – also planted over 600 trees and 66,000 plants in the park
    • Expanded Cary’s My Tree, Your Tree program
    • Encourage the installation of solar or at the very least, the conduit for solar in new developments – additional EV charging stations in both public and private developments
    • Supported reduced parking minimums where appropriate to reduce impervious surfaces
    • Purchased the South Cary Solar Farm
    • Completing the Higgins Greenway connection into downtown – construction to begin soon
    • Black Creek Greenway renovations – ongoing
    • Numerous new sidewalk projects to promote walkability and healthier living
    • Created a new town ordinance requiring developers to model and mitigate stormwater runoff to the 100 year storm event
    • Expanded GoCary transit and in the process of planning for a new Multi-Modal Transit Facility in downtown
    • Utilization of Silva Cell Technology for all street trees in downtown to promote tree growth and improve stormwater management
    • Was successful in convincing my council colleagues to support the construction of a greenway tunnel under Weston Parkway that will connect the Crabtree Creek Greenway to neighborhoods south. Construction will begin soon
    • Autonomous vehicle pilot program in Bond Park
    • Count Me In Cary initiative

  1. With the Dillon Rule permitting the NCGA to limit what municipalities can do, how can Cary encourage or incentivize waste reduction, landfill diversion, and carbon-capturing behaviors among private citizens and businesses?

    • Despite the limitations imposed by the State, we should continue to build relationships with our State legislators and make sure we relay the needs of our town. It could help bills be introduced that would help better meet Cary’s needs.

      I am excited about the success of our food waste collection pilot program. However, I was unaware of the program until about six months after the program began. I was not aware until I was seeking information. I would like us to do more outreach efforts to make sure more residents are aware of and take advantage of programs such as this. I have been happy to see more education and awareness happening at festivals. I would love to see the food waste collection program expanded to curbside.

      I would love to see us partner more with apartment communities for recycling and food waste collection and other entities with large amounts of waste. For example, our public schools have a huge amount of food waste. I would love to see us partner with the Wake County School Board and other partners to explore how we can cut down on waste (reduce the amount of food thrown away) and explore food waste collection specifically. For example, I have seen some schools collect trays separate from the food waste as opposed to throwing it all into garbage bags which go to landfills, but most do not. There could be additional support in the way of recycling with our public schools also.In addition, we have an opportunity for education outreach with our students too through partnerships with the WCPSS school board.

      Programs such as Count Me In, Cary for Sustainability and Climate Action have been great for educating the community and collecting feedback. I look forward to seeing published results from the surveys and seeing next steps as the town proposes strategies for a more sustainable and resilient community.

      We need to

      • support safe and expanded access to sidewalks, greenways, and safe, separated bike lanes, and Increase the frequency and number of stops for public transportation.

      • Make public buildings greener (including energy efficiency, solar panels, etc.).

      • Increase tree canopy, and

      • Expand other environmental programs

    • I would love to see more resident education about recycling as well as reduction of single use plastics.
  • 2.   Following the successful implementation of Cary’s Food Waste Recycling Drop-off, along with Cary’s long standing backyard composting initiatives, do you support curbside composting as a public utility in Cary?
    • Yes, absolutely! Cary’s Food Waste Recycling Drop-off pilot has been very successful. As I am knocking doors and talking to residents, many are expressing the desire for curbside pick up and many are paying for private services already. Many residents don’t use it because of the inconvenience of drop off especially if you don’t live near the site.I have been told to come back on another day when attempting to drop off food waste so it is clear that we are at capacity and need to expand the program. It is the right thing to do to help residents and for the environment.
  • 3.  What are your thoughts on the recycling crisis? How do you see the Town of Cary’s role in addressing this issue?

    • It is indeed a crisis. We need more resident education about recycling. It is so hard to know what can and cannot be recycled even as someone who tries to do it daily. It is disheartening to know that many of the things we place in the bin to be recycled are not really recycled. I am particularly concerned about plastic. The guidance on the Town of Cary’s website says “jugs, bottles, tubs, and jars” can be recycled, but we know all types of plastics are not recyclable. Many residents would make different purchasing choices if they better knew which plastics cannot be recycled.

      We should partner more with apartment communities, businesses and consider options to help the public school system with recycling education and collection.

      Cary can and should be a green leader!

  • 4.  What role do you feel Cary can play in addressing plastic pollution? Do you support a plastic bag fee or ban?

    • To address plastic pollution, we need more resident education on this. Many residents would make different purchasing choices if they had more education on the topic. Again, this is another opportunity to partner with the WCPSS school board for education outreach within our public schools. Many students are eager to learn and help the environment and a large number of our Cary homes have children in public schools. In addition, it is important to partner with businesses and apartment buildings to encourage recycling. Education about the huge problem of single use plastics needs to be a part of these conversations. Though House Bill 679 to reduce single use foodware, did not move through this session, we as a Council should continue to support these ideas and encourage our legislators to support this in the future.

      Though the Town of Cary does not have the authority to create a bag fee or ban, we should certainly support and advocate for that at the State level and educate our residents about the issue.

  • 5.  Given current challenges of contamination in Cary’s public recycling bins, what ideas do you have to improve waste management in public spaces, events and the new Social District? Should Cary be moving from single or dual stream (trash and recycling), to triple stream (adding organics) waste stations like some other municipalities?

    • The Town of Cary can do it’s part by continuing to educate the public about recycling and the extensive waste with use of single use plastics. In addition, they can work with vendors to be more eco-friendly by reducing single use plastics. The Town will also need to increase receptacles for collecting trash, recycling, and should consider adding food waste bins also.

      Regarding the Social District, the Town of Cary website indicates that “Cary will brand a recyclable aluminum solo cup to be used in the district unless a more eco-friendly option is identified.” Furthermore, “Cary will purchase the first order of cups for participating establishments. After the first order, businesses will be responsible for purchasing the branded cups.”

      I am interested in obtaining more information relating to this and making sure that policies ensure that businesses are required to purchase eco-friendly cups because the website lists the only material requirement for businesses when they purchase cups is that “The cup is not comprised of glass.”

      I support adding triple stream waste stations.

  • 6.  Thanks to a 2019 Waste Characterization Study, we have specific numbers on what Cary residents send to the Wake County landfill (which is projected to hit capacity by 2040 with no plan B). These numbers do not include most businesses or apartment complexes. What responsibility do you feel Cary has to help residents in apartments, business owners and even local public schools to divert waste?

    • The amount of waste we are sending to landfills is alarming! The Town of Cary must be responsible to educate and partner with apartment communities, business owners and local public schools to divert waste, and we should be working with other municipalities and partners such as Toward Zero Waste to bring this county wide. As I mentioned multiple times previously, education is key, but we also need to encourage and provide incentives or help in any way possible. For example, I recently learned about the huge increased costs for apartment communities to bring dumpster containment areas up to current code. I imagine there is a lot of added expense to collect recycling and/or for food waste bins also. The Town of Cary should be in conversation about helping apartment buildings, businesses, and our public schools find ways to be as cost efficient as possible for adding proper receptacles.

      As a former resident of apartment complexes that did not have recycling options, it was really hard to recycle. Many Cary residents want to cut down on waste going to landfills, and the Town of Cary needs to help in any way possible. Also, as a WCPSS teacher, I have seen unfathomable amounts of waste including unopened food being thrown away because students must take it even if they will not consume it. Thousands and thousands of pieces of single use plastic are used daily, and recycling beyond paper is virtually nonexistent. I know a lot of this is out of the control of the Town of Cary, but we need to partner with the Wake County School board and other partners to work with WCPSS to see how we can eliminate waste, recycle, and compost more.

Town Council District D

  1. With the Dillon Rule permitting the NCGA to limit what municipalities can do, how can Cary encourage or incentivize waste reduction, landfill diversion, and carbon-capturing behaviors among private citizens and businesses?
    • I think it is unfortunate that municipalities are having a limit placed on what they can do but there are a few ways Cary can encourage waste reduction. First, expanding composting will help to route food waste out of landfills. Currently Cary has a single drive-by composting site (located in central Cary) but for residents in the western parts of Cary this is very inconvenient. I partnered with another of my council colleagues to work on locating another composting location in my district. This will increase the convenience and make it easier for residents of Cary to compost. I also would like to evaluate the ability to install vehicle charging stations in our Town of Cary parks. This will allow residents to enjoy our park amenities while also having additional charging options.
  2. Following the successful implementation of Cary’s Food Waste Recycling Drop-off, along with Cary’s long standing backyard composting initiatives, do you support curbside composting as a public utility in Cary?
    • I support a pilot for curbside composting and assuming adoption I would push to make this a public utility. My concern with curbside composting are the environmental impacts of running large pickup vehicles that only get a few miles/gallon and would want to balance the positives we get from making composting easier with the negatives from additional exhaust at least until we are able to build a more energy-efficient fleet.
  3. What are your thoughts on the recycling crisis? How do you see the Town of Cary’s role in addressing this issue?
    • Unfortunately the cost of processing recycling continues to increase, which is making it more expense for the town to handle recyclables. I believe recycling is one of the best and easiest ways for citizens to get involved in reducing their waste. My guess is most families that compost started out by recycling so any way we can encourage recycling will help educate on the importance of waste reduction and will eventually lead many to focusing more on this.
  4. What role do you feel Cary can play in addressing plastic pollution? Do you support a plastic bag fee or ban?
    • I would not support a ban; however, I generally support all end-of-life type fees for products, like plastic bags, that occur an expense when at the end of their life. I don’t think we just focus on plastic bags but on other materials that are difficult to dispose of, like electronic devices. This will modify behavior and make it more likely that individuals will either choose to reuse or recycle in lue of the end-of-life fee.
  5. Given current challenges of contamination in Cary’s public recycling bins, what ideas do you have to improve waste management in public spaces, events and the new Social District? Should Cary be moving from single or dual stream (trash and recycling), to triple stream (adding organics) waste stations like some other municipalities?
    • I would love to see a triple stream setup at places like our downtown park, or areas where there is a high likelihood for food waste. I love to see diagrams of what is a “recyclable” and what is not. One thing to keep in mind is that Cary has a culturally-diverse population and many residents may not have had much experience or knowledge around what is recycling, so adding transparency should greatly increase the risk of contamination and also increase usage.
  6. Thanks to a 2019 Waste Characterization Study, we have specific numbers on what Cary residents send to the Wake County landfill (which is projected to hit capacity by 2040 with no plan B). These numbers do not include most businesses or apartment complexes. What responsibility do you feel Cary has to help residents in apartments, business owners and even local public schools to divert waste?
    • Providing opportunities to recycle and making it easier on the individual are key. I recall living in an apartment around 14 years ago and basically had no easy access to recycling like I do today in my single-family home with a trash and recycling can. I think the town needs to partner with apartments, business owners, and our school board to streamline recycling options.
  7. Please share what your top environmental accomplishments are from your current term.
    • While I am an incumbent, I’ve only been in office for 7 months so my list of accomplishments is somewhat limited. However, I have been heavily engaged in the White Oak Creek Conservation Master Planning and working with residents to understand the need for conserving this area that is mostly made-up of wetlands. It is critical to educate and promote the conservation of this area.
  8. What pro-environment initiatives have you advocated for during your current term?
    • I’m a big advocate for our goal of carbon reduction through the conversation from a traditional gas-powered fleet to an electric one. Our police department has recently acquired several electric vehicles and we have an electric garbage truck that should be delivered next year to help achieve this goal, and I support additional efforts to help in this area.

  1. With the Dillon Rule permitting the NCGA to limit what municipalities can do, how can Cary encourage or incentivize waste reduction, landfill diversion, and carbon-capturing behaviors among private citizens and businesses?
    • It’s a frustrating reality that the NCGA prevents Cary from requiring many of these initiatives, but I think the current success of programs like Cary’s Food Waste Recycling Drop-Off or, in a larger context, certifications like LEED show that many people want to be more environmentally responsible, or at least thought to be more environmentally responsible.

      We must approach businesses and individuals in different ways. I think public acclaim for efforts can be very useful for businesses, this is why there is such an epidemic of green-washing. Offering some sort of publicity and recognition to businesses that meet municipal targets could be a powerful encouragement if it was deployed thoughtfully.

      The situation with private citizens is different because there are so many more challenges when it comes to clearly explaining guidelines and programs. Often, even if individuals want to be engaged in waste reduction and carbon capture, they do not know how or they see the effort required as too intimidating. I personally own an electric car but I have not added solar panels to my house. Part of the reason for this is that buying solar panels feels like a much more mysterious and fraught process than buying a car. Public education is difficult but necessary in this case.

  2. Following the successful implementation of Cary’s Food Waste Recycling Drop-off, along with Cary’s long standing backyard composting initiatives, do you support curbside composting as a public utility in Cary?

    • I strongly support curbside composting initiatives. I own a VitaMix FoodCycler and use it to recycle food waste to add to my soil, but it is definitely a large job to keep up with and I would love to see Cary making it easier for the whole town to be gaining something from the approximately 27% of our trash that is food waste rather than putting it in a landfill.

      A curbside composting program would make sense because, though the Food Waste Recycling Drop-off is a good first step, it is not convenient for people where I live in District D, 20 minutes away.

  3. What are your thoughts on the recycling crisis? How do you see the Town of Cary’s role in addressing this issue?

    • There are two levels on which the recycling crisis operates. Obviously, cities in the United States have been greatly impacted by China’s decision to refuse most solid waste for recycling. Though some countries in Africa are still accepting recycling, the cost of recycling has risen precipitously. This has put far more stress on municipalities when it comes to finding a place that will accept and sort recycling.

      However, even before these developments, a substantial percentage of the recycling sent to China still ended up in landfills. Unclear guidelines led to a surfeit of contamination under the past less restrictive system. The chaos caused by competing information has only gotten worse as finding places to send municipal recycling has become more expensive and complicated. This has specifically impacted Cary because we recently changed our recycling provider and, despite initial efforts to communicate the new rules for what can be recycled, many residents remain confused. This can be disastrous because even a single instance of contamination causes an entire truck of recycling to be diverted to our already congested landfill. The communication challenge is greater when companies are incentivized to claim their packaging is recyclable, when that claim may be true under only the most particular circumstances.

      I do commend Cary for the continuing efforts to keep recycling available to residents but if our efforts are being stymied by a communication issue, we need to tackle that head on, rather than rest on our laurels. I know there is a proposal to consider individual magnets or stickers that can be placed on all recycling bins. Though something like that will be expensive, I think it is worth it to put more money and creativity toward this challenge.

  4. What role do you feel Cary can play in addressing plastic pollution? Do you support a plastic bag fee or ban?

    • This is one area in which the state of North Carolina plays a problematic role for our municipality. There has already a plastic bag ban concerning the Outer Banks that was overturned. There is little reason to doubt that any other plastic bag bans would fall in North Carolina’s current legislature and there is a legal argument over whether localities even have the right to pass such regulations. Many local regulations still rely on the NCGA passing a local bill before municipalities can enact specific regulations, and this is how the Outer Banks bill was structured. From what I have read, it is far more likely that a bag fee would be a more robust legal option than a full ban. I know both Asheville and Durham are currently discussing this option. If they are successful, I would gladly join them in requiring a fee for plastic bag use.

      I am also glad that, though retailers can sometimes be antagonistic to environmental regulations, I am seeing far more grocery stores choosing to give rebates to customers who bring their own bags. I would love to engage with local businesses to see if the municipal government can help or encourage such efforts.

  5. Given current challenges of contamination in Cary’s public recycling bins, what ideas do you have to improve waste management in public spaces, events and the new Social District? Should Cary be moving from single or dual stream (trash and recycling), to triple stream (adding organics) waste stations like some other municipalities?

    • When so much of the trash hitting Cary’s landfill is food waste, and many companies are trying to provide food containers that are (ostensibly) compostable, it makes sense to provide triple stream waste stations. However, considering the expense of such a move and the issues we are already having with contamination, I would want to run a trial program to test the efficacy.

  6. Thanks to a 2019 Waste Characterization Study, we have specific numbers on what Cary residents send to the Wake County landfill (which is projected to hit capacity by 2040 with no plan B). These numbers do not include most businesses or apartment complexes. What responsibility do you feel Cary has to help residents in apartments, business owners and even local public schools to divert waste?

    • Cary absolutely has a responsibility here! There is no other plan for where our waste goes and every effort we can make to keep organic waste and recyclables out of our local landfill are helpful. I know that great efforts are taken by the staff at my daughter’s school to separate out recycling and cardboard. As with everything, there are cost benefit analyses to be made here but any work we can do diverting waste from our landfill is helpful.

*Not Answered Yet*
  1. With the Dillon Rule permitting the NCGA to limit what municipalities can do, how can Cary encourage or incentivize waste reduction, landfill diversion, and carbon-capturing behaviors among private citizens and businesses?
  2. Following the successful implementation of Cary’s Food Waste Recycling Drop-off, along with Cary’s long standing backyard composting initiatives, do you support curbside composting as a public utility in Cary? 
  3. What are your thoughts on the recycling crisis? How do you see the Town of Cary’s role in  addressing this issue? 
  4. What role do you feel Cary can play in addressing plastic pollution? Do you support a plastic bag fee or ban? 
  5. Given current challenges of contamination in Cary’s public recycling bins, what ideas do you have to improve waste management in public spaces, events and the new Social District? Should Cary be moving from single or dual stream (trash and recycling), to triple stream (adding organics) waste stations like some other municipalities? 
  6. Thanks to a 2019 Waste Characterization Study, we have specific numbers on what Cary residents send to the Wake County landfill (which is projected to hit capacity by 2040 with no plan B). These numbers do not include most businesses or apartment complexes. What responsibility do you feel Cary has to help residents in apartments, business owners and even local public schools to divert waste?