BERMUDA may soon join the ranks of cities such as Boston and Los Angeles and organisations including Harvard University as a local entrepreneur plans to 'green' our streets, parks and buildings.

Bermudian retailer John Casling this week told the Mid-Ocean News of his plan to import large solar-powered, computer-operated trash compactors that could revolutionise the way Bermuda manages its waste.

He is currently in discussions with Government bodies and private organisations alike in the hope of launching this new waste management initiative island-wide.

Mr. Casling explained how installing a number of these waste receptacles ¿ called BigBelly solar compactors ¿ could drastically reduce the amount of time, money and energy currently wasted in Bermuda's trash pick-up efforts, all while benefiting the environment and reducing the island's carbon footprint.

"We first started a company called Happy Trash Bermuda Ltd, selling brightly-coloured trash bags," he said.

"As an extension of the business, we wanted to bring in innovative ideas for managing waste. What this BigBelly equipment does is very cool, and eco-friendly. It's completely solar-powered and compacts up to five times the trash of a normal receptacle.

"There's a unit attached for recycling cans and bottles. The lid has to be opened, so no rodents or bees can get in, and it eliminates odour."

Mr. Casling added that these solar-powered machines all connect wirelessly to a mains computer system, allowing workers to check the status of each BigBelly trash compactor before dispatching any trash trucks out on the roads.

The units take up as much space as an ordinary trash receptable, but with five times more capacity, so they use less fuel and cut greenhouse gas emissions by about 80 per cent.

"These machines have the latest technology: a wireless device, so that when it is full ¿ after compacting five times the normal amount of trash ¿ it sends a message to the main computer, which in turn sends a notification that it is full and needs picking up," he said.

"This means someone just has to check the computer in the morning, which eliminates tons of trucks on the road collecting trash. It helps the environment and creates less traffic. These garbage trucks only get 2.5 miles to the gallon!

"There is a time factor for Corporation of Hamilton workers; now they can do more important things with their time. Everyone sees the huge advantage of doing this: the wireless technology. For instance, think of some of our parks ¿ Horseshoe Bay, the Arboretum, and Botanical Gardens. The only way you can check if trash needs collecting at those places right now is by physically going, burning gas, and paying peoples' salaries in the meantime. Now, you just have to go to a computer and see which ones need to be emptied. This saves time as well as being ecologically sound."

Mr. Casling has approached a number of large Bermudian organisations with his plans, and hopes to be able to start importing these machines soon. He currently has one BigBelly compactor installed at Laffan Street in Hamilton so interested parties can see first hand what they look like and how they work.

"We have been doing demonstrations for Airport Operations, the Department of Parks, and the Corporation of Hamilton, and there has been a tremendous amount of interest," Mr. Casling said.

"Our market is basically in Government departments, parks, public and private schools, both the Cities and Corporations of Hamilton and St. George's, and Wedco ¿ all big organisations or Government infrastructure."

While he is not yet sure how many BigBelly machines will be installed island-wide, he is confident that local organisations will see the long-term benefit, both for the environment and for their budgets.

"They are not cheap; it's not like buying an empty barrel," he said.

"But all the studies we've seen show that these machines pay for themselves, and the savings go on."

The city of Boston currently has 150 BigBelly machines installed. Some of its famous landmarks, including baseball stadium Fenway Park, have been test sites for the new technology. Other areas with new BigBelly systems include the Queens borough of New York and Banff in Alberta, Canada, as well as a host of other cities, colleges, beaches, and arenas.