Recycle?
Today’s question is: why would anyone clean their recyclables out before they throw them away?
Background: This is a rhetorical question. I know the answer. It’s because for some reason they are easier to recycle if they are clean.
I do this. I clean out all things that go in the recycle bin. PW thinks I’m crazy. First of all, he doesn’t believe that half of all things in the bin are actually recycled. I do not believe that, and even if it were true, my moral obligation to recycle is met by doing the act. I can not be responsible, morally, for what the companies do with the stuff I recycle after they pick it up. It’s their moral problem, not mine. Because PW doesn’t believe the stuff is actually recycled he doesn’t make many efforts to recycle. I usually have to dig stuff out of the garbage, clean it out and then throw it in the recycle bin. I have serious moral issues surrounding recycling.
Which reminds me of a story from years back. I was pregnant and I just decided I’d let PW be in charge of the garbage. I know this is typically the man job anyway, but because PW kept putting my recycle stuff in the garbage bins I took the job away from him and made it my own. So when I was pregnant I gave it back to him, I just couldn’t be in charge of everything.
One Thursday, garbage day, when I was pulling out of the garage, I noticed two significant things. First, there were two garbage cans out. Never in the history of me being in charge of the garbage have we needed two cans, except maybe after a party or Christmas. Second, there was only one recycle bin out, and I couldn’t actually see anything in it. Upon inspection, there were three lonely containers in the recycle bin, THREE. I was steaming mad. I hopped out of the car, dug through the garbage cans to find the recyclables bags and sorted them right there, on the spot, in the alley. I called PW and asked what was up. I told him it was insulting to even put the dang recycle bin out for the recycle guy if there were only going to be three things in it. He admitted to having done this during his entire tenure as garbage boy. I could have cried, remember I was pregnant.
I took the job back after that. And six years later, it’s still my job. I’m just uncomfortable not recycling. Anyone else?
We have so much recyclable stuff now a days. So many places in the world are very strict about recycling ( Germany, parts of Europe…). There are many resources that we can re use and should. Why not be resourceful? Maybe we can cut down less trees and use less elements of nature. There is a woman in China who became a billionair by buying America’s used paper, shipping it, and recycline it in China. This recycling will become more important over time. Chicago is a bit laxed in recycling their trash when I lived there for 26 years. Why not help mother earth?
Comment by CC — December 4, 2007 @ 12:47 pm
She’s a Super Freak… Super Freak… She’s a Super Freak…. super Freak. You know the gingle. la la la la la la la.
Okay, I agree with the recycling thing, we *do* recycle as well… however actually cleaning out the stuff to be recycled…
She’s a super Freak… super Freak…
Comment by heathermc725 — December 4, 2007 @ 3:49 pm
I have been told that you spend more money on the warm water you use to rince the item to be recycled than that same recycled item saves in the long run.
We used to be avid recyclers but when we moved a few years back, we lived too far from the convenience center and stopped recycling.
It appears we have curb-side recycling here, where we live now, so I suppose we should get on the ball……….
Comment by wendy — December 4, 2007 @ 5:08 pm
You are all going to think I’m nuts about this, but as I read through these comments I’ve got some “facts” that have accumulated in my brain in the last couple of decades. I think they are true, but feel free to review them and make up your own mind…as I don’t this this is a blog about providing empirical evidence.
1. Not to pick on CC because most people have the same thoughts on trees, but every single tree that is used to produce paper in the US was planted just for that purpose. The trees would never have been grown unless the paper mills planted them. We do not use old growth or any wild ‘forest’ trees to produce paper. We are not “saving trees” by recycling. Test this fact using the following satirical example. Paper Company: “Hmmm, we need to make some paper today, let’s buy some land with trees on it”. Paper Companies, like Weyerhaeuser own land and continuously plant trees to supply our paper demands.
2. The ONLY thing we put in the garbage that requires less energy to recycle than make again from scratch is…drum roll please…Aluminum cans. Why do you think companies pay dumpster divers for cans and not glass, paper, etc?
3. When you put glass or paper in the recycling bin, it takes more energy to get it usable again then to make the item again from scratch. Where does that energy come from? Hmmmmm, think coal-belching power plants. By recycling you are actually contributing to Al Gore’s Global Warming.
4. If waste management companies only make money from Aluminum, how do they stay in business? Good question – You and I pay them the disposal fees, but this is only a fraction of where there profit comes from. Who has tons of money? Yep, the federal government pays them recycle. Think Billions of dollars going to Waste Management every time you put something other than aluminum in the blue bag.
5. The last bit of this discussion is always garbage dumps. If we didn’t recycle, would our dumps fill up? This is true to a degree, but dump technology is a little different nowadays. New garbage dumps are a safe and effective way to dispose of end-of-life items. ‘Recyclable’ items only make up a small percentage (<5-10%) of the stuff in a dump. All dumps nowadays start with a huge hole in the ground and double concrete liners to prevent seepage into the water table. When the dump is full, it is covered with grass and tree and often converted to electrical power stations running off the methane from the decomposing garbage.
So, do we recycle in my house? Of course – because facts are easier to ignore than our neighbors opinions of us and the feeling of doing something morally right. I’m with PW on this – HUGE waste of time, energy, and money – except for the aluminum cans which DO NOT NEED TO BE CLEANED. All items are cleaned at the processing center before being squashed and melted down…
Comment by hankjr — December 4, 2007 @ 7:11 pm
hank, PW never gave me that kind of description of what was really happening. Hmmm, heather may be right that I’m a super freak, now more than ever huh? I’m going to keep recycling but perhaps I’ll de-freak a little now.
I think PW is going to love you hank. Let me thank you for him….Thank you, thank you.
Comment by colette — December 4, 2007 @ 9:33 pm
hankjr – i believe you have inhabited my father’s body in order to type that response! LOL!
Comment by wendy — December 4, 2007 @ 11:02 pm
So looking at the responses, I guess this leads to a real question over why some issues are so divided along gender lines? I wonder what sc thinks about this? Is this gender marketing or something in people’s core that makes us look the other way at the other side of the story?
Comment by hankjr — December 5, 2007 @ 9:12 am
…Wow! Did I ever learn something by coming here today! Okay, ‘collette’ is a nice person a-n-d a super freak, and ‘hankjr’ is a walking encyclopedia! lol ;o)
)
…And I’m ashamed to say that we do not recycle. We live in a rural area and there are no recycling facilities or drop-offs here. Unfortunately many folks around here still think that roadside ditches and creekbeds are recycling centers…(*sigh*)
…Now if we have a large gathering we will save the cans and give them to a relative/friend who does recycle… I know, I should do more but I don’t…
…Great post! Blessings
Comment by Humble Origins — December 5, 2007 @ 10:11 am
Uh … I rinse my bottles and cans. I can’t imagine NOT. Ew.
Comment by Ann — December 5, 2007 @ 1:38 pm
hank, I do wonder if it is a guy/girl thing. I don’t know too many guys that are very into it, but I know many, many girls that are. Maybe it’s because of our nature?
Comment by colette — December 6, 2007 @ 9:13 am