Residents will be getting new, larger recycling containers when the program launches.

St. Petersburg is looking to live up to its promise of sustainability now that universal recycling is set to begin operations this summer. The program is replacing the current subscription-based service utilized by some residents and has been in the works since Mayor Rick Kriseman took his oath of office in 2014.

Beginning the first week of May, 2015, the first of 76,000 homes will receive their blue 95-gallon recycling containers. Approximately two weeks after households get their containers the soft opening of the recycling collection will commence.

But how is it all really going to play out? Is St. Petersburg capable of living up to the high expectations set forth by the mayor?

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St. Pete Beach, Fla.

Florida is known for many things: Disney World, hanging chads, and wacky headlines. Of all of the things that come to mind when people from around the country hear of Florida, its beaches are usually a topic of conversation.

Trip Advisor’s yearly Traveler’s Choice Awards aggregates the top reviewed travel destinations in the world, and also in each country. The list of top 10 for the U.S. includes 6 Florida beaches, with the nation’s top beach located in Siesta Key. Not to be too outshined, St. Pete Beach came in at number two in the nation.

Travelers rated their visits to the world’s beaches, and Trip Advisor compiled the results from the past 12 months to come up with the top 332 beaches in the world with the best ratings. While Siesta Beach, Siesta Key topped the list for the U.S., it came in at an honorable 14^th place worldwide.

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Local shops on Central Avenue in downtown St. Petersburg.

We all have heard the phrase, “buy local.” It’s the new, hip thing to do. I’ve even overheard someone say, “You’ve got to buy local. All the cool kids are doing it.” And he was dead serious when saying that phrase. But, are all the “cool kids” really buying local? And why?

            Most major cities around the country have an organization making a case for its citizens to buy local, and there is no shortage of support for those purchasing habits. But is it really that important to invest in local produce from farmer’s markets, and shop at those Mom and Pop stores?

            The short answer is yes, it is important to keep your money local. But on the other hand, cutting out the big-box stores isn’t the best for local economies either. The best option is to shop local as much as you can, but don’t forget the big-box stores in our communities employ a lot of your fellow citizens. A delicate balance is essential for the benefit of our local economies.

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The title of this post may sound a bit silly as you are reading this on your smart phone or laptop, but that’s the beauty of it. Our digital world is filled with e-readers, Facebook feeds, Tweet Decks, and instant-gratification inducing apps.

No longer do we need to wait until the news is disseminated to the audiences from newsstands, scanning the headlines as the sun slowly rises in the east. Fueled by 24-hour news networks, our urge to know what’s going on right now has grown exponentially.

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