Finally all of Tampa will have the option to recycle using curbside pick-up services. For more than a year, only certain parts of the city received curbside recycling, but after deliberation, the city has decided to offer it to everyone because they all pay the same amount for trash pickup. This is great because as resources dwindle, the recycling should help in the effort to conserve and preserve the environment.

Environmentalism is a huge issue in Florida where citizens are highly active and vocal in the movement. So far, its citizens have shouted down oil drilling off its coasts, sought to protect endangered species, and now the Tampa Bay area is winning another battle with the increase in curbside recycling.

The city plans to spend a little more than $1 million a year on the program. This is minute when one considers the number of trees and the amount of energy that will be saved because of the program.

However, the environment is not the only one set to gain. The new program should create more jobs in the area, thus helping to stimulate economic growth and employment rates. Residents who were on the borders of or far from areas where curbside recycling exists will also benefit. They were paying just as much as those who had the service, but were getting little in return for their payments.

Finally, the city has decided to not only be fair in its treatment of its citizens, but also compassionate toward the delicate environment in which they live. Such programs should be expanded across the nation in an effort to reduce waste and landfills and to increase employment.

Especially in this time when economic recession appears to be looming on the proverbial horizon, curbside recycling programs could provide a much-needed boost for several communities across the nation.