Recycling
JOEBIALEK
Posts: 9
According to Wikipedia {the free encyclopedia} "recycling is the reprocessing of materials into new products. Recycling generally prevents the waste of potentially useful materials, reduces the consumption of raw materials and reduces energy usage, and hence greenhouse gas emissions, compared to virgin production." The recent discussion concerning global warming has focused primarily on alternative sources of fuel for the purpose of transportation. However, another very important pro-environment tool is recycling. The effort needs to involve more than the consumer and the government. It needs to involve those who sell {and profit} from those products that can be recycled. For example, the manufactures of bottles and cans along with the producers of what's sold inside them as well as the grocery stores that distribute them must take on a greater economic role in the process of recycling. The voluntary "blue bag at the curb" approach is a good start but it relies primarily on the altruism of the consumer.
The question is: does the consumer bear sole responsibility for what happens to a can or bottle that contains the product used? or should some of that responsibility be borne by those who profit from its' use? Are these responsibilities being borne already and are they equitable? Some time ago bottlers would charge a five-cent "deposit" on a bottle to be "refunded" when the consumer returned the bottle. It would seem that this concept could be reoperationalized for a whole host of products. The consumer could clean the bottle or can, return it to the grocery story for a "refund" and the grocery store would return it to the producer then to the manufacturer etcetera each receiving a "refund" along the way. When all parties involved have an economic incentive to participate, recycling will make a much larger contribution towards preserving the environment.
The question is: does the consumer bear sole responsibility for what happens to a can or bottle that contains the product used? or should some of that responsibility be borne by those who profit from its' use? Are these responsibilities being borne already and are they equitable? Some time ago bottlers would charge a five-cent "deposit" on a bottle to be "refunded" when the consumer returned the bottle. It would seem that this concept could be reoperationalized for a whole host of products. The consumer could clean the bottle or can, return it to the grocery story for a "refund" and the grocery store would return it to the producer then to the manufacturer etcetera each receiving a "refund" along the way. When all parties involved have an economic incentive to participate, recycling will make a much larger contribution towards preserving the environment.
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I think the more we are getting aware of environmental problems the more civic we will become. That responsibility should be shared by all the actors involved : recycling costs money (more or less depending on what you recycle but it has costs) and a little time (to make sure the can ends up in a recycle bin). If the consumer acts like someone responsible retribution should not be necessary, on the other hand he should not bear the recycling costs. Especially not indirectly through taxes for instance, this should be up to the manufacturer.
If governments really want a crack down so people do recycle. Have an appointed team that goes through different streets on garbage day and cut open some trash bags. More then three things in a bag that could have been in one of the recycling boxes you get tagged with a hefty ticket. No court date to fight it and waste my tax dollar. You either pay it, or end up doing time if you get caught not recycling again.
The government going through peoples garbage?....that will go over like a lead balloon.
and reveling in it's loyalty. It's made by forming coalitions
over specific principles, goals, and policies.
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Just like wire tapping..............If you recycle properly, there won't be any personal stuff in the garbage now will there.
Where does it end?...cameras in our bathrooms to make sure we aren't flushing twice?
and reveling in it's loyalty. It's made by forming coalitions
over specific principles, goals, and policies.
http://i36.tinypic.com/66j31x.jpg
(\__/)
( o.O)
(")_(")
Its already happening in Nova Scotia. The law there is to have garbage put out in clear bags so that municipal inspectors can peruse what you've put out. For real. But now there's a Constitutional argument that the clear bags violate one's right to privacy - and it looks as though that argument may actually win. The east coast is really into the whole recycling thing.
All the powers that be would have to do is only make clear garbage bags and then you either use them or you dump illegally.
Clear bags mean nothing, you can easily wrap something in a bag of Doritos(happens all the time) and hide it. In my town we have rules and ordinances but the problem is enforcement. My town does not have the budget to pay inspectors to send out and dig through trash and fine them. At best me(we as garbage men) have to do it and tell our bosses. The problem with that is I want to go home and not be out there all day. Between me and my partner we pick up roughly 600 residents at about 10-12tons per day.
www.seanbrady.net
We have one small one with a red lid for household rubbish, this would be all items that are not marked that can be recycled, any scraps that aren't fed to the dog or can't be composted and other sundry stuff. (This is collected once a week)
A large green one for green waste, lawn clippings, weeds, leaves, small branches etc. (This is collected once a fortnight by the garbos)
A large black one with a yellow lid for recyclables. That is newspapers and magazines, cardboard boxes, letters, envelopes and advertising material (supposing you don't have a not junk mail sticker on your letter box), telephone books, work and school papers, empty glass bottles and jars, empty milk cartons and juice cartons, aluminium and steel cans and foil trays, empty plastic milk, juice, soft drink and detergent bottles. Lids must be removed and I usually rinse things also. We have to check the codes on the bottoms. Only 1 2 or 3 can be recycled all else must go in household rubbish.
(This is collected on alternate fortnights to the green waste)
We also have hard rubbish collection once a year where larger trees and branches are collected, and other assorted detritus which is recycled once it's collected.
The thing that I take issue with is this. Shopping malls should ALWAYS be required to have recycling bins and not just rubbish bins. As should any public venue. Many of the products that I like buying I no longer do because they do not use appropriate packaging AND if I really like a product I've been known to write to the manufacturer and tell them why I am no longer willing to purchase their product until suitable recyclable packaging is provided.
I take green bags to the supermarket, and generally do my level best to recycle and CONSUME less wherever possible. What needs to happen is Manufacturing and Business needs to also be doing their bit. Just because they're making jobs and income doesn't make them exempt. It's all our planet and it seems ridiculous to me to have the amount of energy expended for non essential items and over packaging that we do have. If we cut out this alone the benefits would be massive!
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it really ALL depends on where you live. not just what state, but evn at the city/town/village level. where i live, we have an excellent recycling program, and i do believe most residents support it...and thus follow it. not saying that all do, or that errors are not made.....but overall, i think it's fairly successful.
in regards to bins, we have one seperate bin for glass/plastic. as to all else, we simply have different days for collection of paper....garden waste...regular trash. it IS quite doable, and i think it is EVERYon'es responsibility to reduce/reuse/recycle.
Let's just breathe...
I am myself like you somehow
I just wish I could do more dream. It bothers me that we live in such a disposable society. That things don't seem to be built to last anymore and that it's so hard to get things repaired and it doesn't seem to be encouraged. I see my grandparent's and parent's generation have stuff that they've had for ages and they just get them repaired if they break and they maintain them so much better. I mean look at mobile phones. It's almost impossible to get one of those things fixed and if you do it costs more than if you just bought a new one. Same with computers. It's not sustainable.
I'd like to see us all have to reach sustainable targets for consuming. All of us have to work at lowering our "global footprint". I never used half the stuff I do now when I was a kid growing up.
*~You're IT Bert!~*
Hold on to the thread
The currents will shift
Then I'll have a great way to get back at my annoying neighbor... just throw a bag with a few aluminum cans in his trash cans and he gets an automatic fine.
was like a picture
of a sunny day
“We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.”
― Abraham Lincoln
Good point! Those piglet students next door to me would have the whole neighbourhood fined in record time with their constant dumping of rubbish in other people's bins! That's on the days that they can be bothered putting their rubbish in the bin anyway, and not just letting it rot all over the front lawn or blow all around the neighbourhood.
*~You're IT Bert!~*
Hold on to the thread
The currents will shift