Thursday, July 23, 2009 at 2:50:39 PM - by Danny Vo

The city of Philadelphia is reportedly saving money with help from solar-powered trash compactors.

An Associated Press report notes that the city has recently installed 500 of the "Big Belly" solar compactors, with an eye on saving as much as $875,000. Much of the savings would reportedly come from needing the compactors to be emptied by city workers only five times a week, as opposed to the previous 19.

The wire service quoted a Big Belly Solar executive, Richard Kennelly, as saying that Philadelphia is using the compactors in a more comprehensive way than many other cities have been doing. The devices are reportedly used in 40 states and 20 countries.

Philadelphia isn't just investing in trash compactors as it embraces solar energy resources and eco-friendly policies.

Earlier this year, Mayor Michael Nutter unveiled a "Greenworks Philadelphia" plan that aims to make the city among the most green-friendly in the nation by 2015. Among the various goals are a plan to generate 20 percent of the city's electricity from renewable sources by 2020, while also planting 300,000 trees and reducing solid waste by 70 percent.