North Bryan residents who fought against Atlantic Waste's bid to open a landfill near Black Creek have reason to celebrate, now that Atlantic Judicial Circuit Judge David Cavender  has ruled in favor of Bryan County.
That doesn't mean this case is over. Despite overwhelming objections from the public, Atlantic has tried to use the court to further its plans by suing the county, claiming its ordinances which prohibit such land use are illegal.  
Fortunately, Judge Cavender saw things from Bryan County's perspective, but if this case is appealed there's no guarantee a higher court will come to  the same conclusion. That's no knock on the esteemed Judge Cavender, by the way, merely a reflection that legal interpretations can be varied depending on who's doing the interpreting.
We side with North Bryan residents who don't want the landfill in their backyard or even their neighborhood. Surely, there must be more suitable sites for a landfill. But in fairness to Atlantic Waste, there's quite a bit of money at stake, so one can understand why they're going to such lengths to open the landfill. Trash is a big and lucrative business.
In the meantime, there can be in this a lesson for all of us about the importance of being friendlier to the planet we call home. Garbage has to go somewhere, and as the population in the Coastal Empire continues to grow there's more of it to dispose of.
Each time we roll a green garbage can to the street to be picked up, the 20, 30 or more pounds inside is going to a landfill somewhere and adding more to the waste stream, as it's known in some circles. Multiply those green garbage cans by 10s of thousands each week, week in and week out, and the stream is really more of an ocean in our community alone.
Recycling helps immensely, of course, and we urge all residents to take it seriously. By recycling we can reduce the amount of waste going into landfills, thereby reducing the need for ever more places to put our garbage.