green?

Recycling rates are falling in the city with the country's first Green MP. Despite an improving national trend for reusing household waste, Government figures show just 27.45% was recycled in Brighton and Hove in 2009/10. This is down from 29.5% for 2008/9 and below the regional average of 35%.

The support for the green party in the city doesn't end at Caroline Lucas as they also currently have 13 of the current 53 council members. So what is going wrong for them then? A high profile general election victory and seemingly 25% of the city supporting their aims should result in an increase in recycling rates.

Is it that the greens managed to get every single supporter of their cause to vote for them while other parties couldn't so the results are skewed in their favour above and beyond the will of the general population of the city?

Is the large transient student population affecting the results in their favour?

Is it that people think that voting green is sufficient to save the planet* and they have therefore 'done their bit'?

Is it that the council has overcomplicated the recycling system which has confused and annoyed the vast majority of the residents?

Maybe other locals have started their own illegal recycling projects that then don't appear in the official figures?

I don't know the answers but it makes me want to laugh.











*assuming they think the planet needs saving