Evelyn Arnold, a senior citizen and a widow, admits it would be easier to just throw everything away and have one less thing to worry about.

But that's just not the way the Springville resident sees it.

"The most important thing is that we have this beautiful world," she said. "I think it's a shame for us to throw trash back into the earth."

Arnold said she's picked out recyclable goods from the garbage at church functions. When she heard that Springville was considering a curbside recycling program, she called every month to encourage the city.

Monday was the first pickup day for Springville's curbside recycling program. It is the end of a year-long push from residents and the city.

Like many cities, Springville has bins for newspapers and phone books at elementary schools. Residents can also drop off green waste at the sewer treatment plant and return later to pick up the compost.

Community Relations Administrator John Gleave said the community paper bins are constantly full. He's learned that recycling is something everyone in the city cares about, whether old or young.

When Springville first started talking about citywide recycling, it asked for residents to call or write if they were interested. It needed 400 names to get a company to start the program. After two articles in the city newsletter -- one in the summer of 2005, and another in December 2005 -- the city had enough names.

The Springville City Council approved the program in March and awarded the contract to Ace Disposal. The city gave the company the names of interested residents. Ace is calling everyone on the list and telling them about the program. The West Valley City-based company started a similar program in Alpine in December 2005.

Residents can choose to pay $5.41 per month for a six-month commitment, or $5.09 per month for a year commitment. It's a voluntary program, so those who aren't interested won't have to pay.

Cities choose what they want Ace Disposal to do, and then Ace determines the cost. Alpine City manages the billing, so residents there pay less than those in Springville. The voluntary aspect makes it more expensive for residents who subscribe because they are splitting the cost over a smaller number of people rather than the whole city. Provo uses a different company and does the billing -- the city adds $5 to subscribers' utility bills.

With their commitment, Springville residents receive a 95-gallon bin, as well as information on pickup dates and acceptable materials.

As of Monday, Ace has 151 customers in Springville. Sales manager Richard Hamik said the company gets more customers every day.

"We're expecting a lot of citizens to look out their window and say, 'Hey, I should probably be getting that same thing,'" Gleave said.

Ace Disposal started the program without enough customers to pay for it. To break even they need 400 customers.

"That's why we initially told the city, 'We'll start the program as soon as we have that many subscribers,'" Hamik said. "But we decided that for the good of everybody 'Let's just get going.'"

Residents participating in the program have already told Gleave that they figured out how to save money.

By paying for a recycle bin, they can return their second garbage can.

For more information, call Ace Disposal at 229-1577 or e-mail the city at recycle@springville.org.

Natalie Andrews can be reached at 344-2561 or nandrews@heraldextra.com.

This story appeared in The Daily Herald on page D1.