Some Thoughts on Untrashing L.A.

Re “The Waste Queen” (Dec. 29): As a working mother with six children, my days are very busy without sorting out my trash. Even though I am well aware that we are overflowing our landfills, I can only do so much.

I feel people like myself are more the rule than the exception. Who has time to bundle newspapers, take bottles and cans to recycling centers, tie tree branches? Who wants to have trash accumulating in their homes? I’m always afraid the cockroaches will find the aluminum cans before they are taken to the ultimate destination.

After reading “The Waste Queen,” I asked myself what would it take for me to get behind Joan Edwards refuse plan?

This was what I came up with: Get together with a large trash-container manufacturer, and have them agree to manufacture color-coded, 30-gallon trash containers. Then have the Department of Waste Management distribute a color-coded chart of what items are recycleable and which color trash bin to use when disposing of such items. Try to put this chart on something that won’t get thrown away, and make sure everyone gets one. If we could simply throw these items into the appropriate waste can and be assured that in the near future pick-up will be provided, we can all help with little effort.

MARGARET ALEXANDER, Whittier