Officials with the West Central Iowa Solid Waste Management Association are asking citizens in its service area to fill out a survey to help keep garbage costs lower. The surveys, they say, are a critical component of the Association’s effort to “Reinvigorate Recycling” in the area. The West Central Iowa Solid Waste Management Association works as a partnership with Carroll, Crawford, Guthrie,ShelbyandCalhoonCounties.

Shelby County Engineer Dan Ahart says the Association has seen a drop in recycling and looking to see why. Ahart says the drop in recycling has been so dramatic that garbage rates could see an increase if they fall even farther because the DNR requires 25 percent recycling. If it drops below 25 percent, consumers will pay an extra $1.20 per ton buried. Ahart said that’s around $70,000 for all customers.

He says one of the reasons for the drop in recycling from consumers is the amount of garbage generated since 1988. The Association has taken quite a bit out of the landfills, including tires and appliances because the cost to consumers.

The survey takes about three minutes to complete on-line. Residents can take the survey at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/FR5F6S9.  Businesses can fill out the survey at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/B89H7B6.

With Memorial Day behind us, many Iowans are now thinking ahead to summer vacation with plans to visit the beach, the mountains or other far-away destinations. Travel advisor Chris McGinnis says gas, lodging and food costs have risen four-to-six percent from last summer, while airfares and fees are bounding, too. “Just in the last two weeks, the major carriers have increased the fee that they’re charging for changes to non-refundable tickets to $200, that’s up from $150 prior to that,” McGinnis says. “So, if you’re a family of four and you decide to make a change to your airline ticket, that could cost you up to $800.” 

McGinnis says airfares have risen four-to-five percent in the past year but he says it’s the add-ons that really add up. “Airlines are now getting about 30% of their revenue from fees,” McGinnis says. “They range from the $200 fee to make a change to a non-refundable ticket to the $25 and $35 bag fees, fees for talking to a human agent on the phone, fees for a little bit of extra legroom.” 

The days of the week you fly may make a big difference in the price you pay for a ticket. “If you can travel midweek, on Tuesdays or Wednesdays, those tend to be the least crowded and least expensive days,” he says. “The airlines are saying Thursdays and Fridays this year are going to be the most crowded and the most expensive so you may want to avoid those days.” McGinnis says expect to pay premium travel prices from late June through early August — so the entire month of July will be very expensive.

(Radio Iowa)