Why Don't People Recycle When It's Available? (global warming, costs, environmental)
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I put it down to lack of education(Wasn't shown evidence of finite resources and lack of habitable space), lack of understanding(Just can't grasp what they were shown so prefers to not believe), or indifference("As long as I'm not being affected, I could care less").
The city gave us a big blue container and since we don't have to sort, we throw a lot in it too. But we don't throw it all in there (not enough space). Trash pick up is about $15/MO, one big blue bin included. An additional big blue bin is $25/mo - whether or not it's filled or used each month. We don't come close to using our regular trash 'allotment' each week though.
So, our kids collect the metals and dh takes them to the recycling center where we get paid for it. We fill the blue bin until it's full, then the rest goes in the regular trash.
It seems to me that rubber recycling is a bigger problem here than paper (which is biodegradable) or glass (also biodegradable). But when you get new tires, you must pay THEM to dispose of them. Our small business throws TONS of rubber into our client's dumpsters everyday. We've looked into it - but thanks to liberal whack jobs, only CERTAIN people can get paid to recycle - and the rest of us have to pay those guys, or throw it in the trash. If the same geniuses whose protests and idiotic chants caused this gap want to dumpster dive for them and then pay someone else to recycle it, more power to them. Grinds my gears a bit though, because I KNOW how much $$ we're throwing away everyday - and talk about landfill fill!
I throw my garbage in pails, what the NYC sanitation does with it is not my fault. I would not obviously throw garbage in the ocean......I swim in the Ocean.
I wouldn't think you would throw garbage in the ocean. Most of it doesn't come from people who directly throw garbage in the ocean. Below is a link with a short, informative write up on trash in the seas.
Excert....
"Only a small percentage of the trash found at sea is thought to originate there. So how does the rest of it make it out to sea? It comes from a variety of sources, from the litter you see on the streets to industrial waste. Every time it rains, pollution of all kinds washes from land into storm drains and rivers, eventually reaching the ocean. Once there, the long-lasting qualities of plastic mean that it remains in the ecosystem for decades (and potentially longer), and as more trash accumulates, our oceans and the inhabitants within them are facing a crisis."
I wouldn't think you would throw garbage in the ocean. Most of it doesn't come from people who directly throw garbage in the ocean. Below is a link with a short, informative write up on trash in the seas.
Excert....
"Only a small percentage of the trash found at sea is thought to originate there. So how does the rest of it make it out to sea? It comes from a variety of sources, from the litter you see on the streets to industrial waste. Every time it rains, pollution of all kinds washes from land into storm drains and rivers, eventually reaching the ocean. Once there, the long-lasting qualities of plastic mean that it remains in the ecosystem for decades (and potentially longer), and as more trash accumulates, our oceans and the inhabitants within them are facing a crisis."
I can see this as happening, as we live near a bay here in Brooklyn, the wind kicks up the garbage from the street pails that the sanitation leaves, and blows all over the place.
Also we had a bad sewerage overflow in the Gowanus Canal after a very heavy rainstorm (see you tube for that), it was disgusting.....no seriously it was disgusting........
I do use a mug at work and wash it so as not to constantly use the paper cups, does that count for caring at least a little bit.....?????
I can see this as happening, as we live near a bay here in Brooklyn, the wind kicks up the garbage from the street pails that the sanitation leaves, and blows all over the place.
Also we had a bad sewerage overflow in the Gowanus Canal after a very heavy rainstorm (see you tube for that), it was disgusting.....no seriously it was disgusting........
I do use a mug at work and wash it so as not to constantly use the paper cups, does that count for caring at least a little bit.....?????
@nightcrawler........LOL, of course!!! Hey, I work in the environmental field, and sometimes do stream monitoring. I see lots and lots of trash. Usually, the rural areas are the worst for illegal dumping. I hate seeing that people will dump their household trash over a bridge and into the creek. ??? Just doesn't need to be that way.
The one thing about reduce, reuse,and recycle........any of us can do it. There are so many serious env. issues that it can become overwhelming.
I do have to say is my biggest "earth" pet peeve is drivers who throw garbage out the car window. I just think do myself, Where do they think this garbage goes to????
I really think this is a totally classless thing to do.....
I throw my garbage in pails, what the NYC sanitation does with it is not my fault. I would not obviously throw garbage in the ocean......I swim in the Ocean.
Hope it won't get too pollutted in for you to swim in years to come..
Our oceans are becoming more and more polluted at an alarming rate and most of the pollution is from land pollutants. And it is a problem for birds who eat that garbage and are dying because of it .
I'm sure you in particular did nothing to add to the oceans demise, but there was one person here, another there, who just didn't want to make the effort to throw something away where it belonged. It was just too much trouble for them
No one can make you do anything you do not want to do, but just think about what your doing, and if possible, do more. I'm glad you hang your laundry out to dry, I do it too (unless it is pouring out-but that doesn't happen often here )
I do as much as I can, and would like to do more. Although I do use plastic bags for groceries, I recycle them too, but I am in the process of buying the reusable bags. (I just need a lot, we have a big family )
I also try to teach and encourage others to recycle and not litter. Littering is one thing that drives me crazy as well.
I REFUSE to recycle. I drive a gas guzzling SUV too. In fact, as I have said, I do all I can to ruin the environment, etc. I'm leaving the LARGEST carbon footprint I can behind.
Why? I am sick of you left wing liberals, telling me what too do. I eat red meat; not bean sprouts (and no, I am normal weight and normal blood pressure). You want the aluminum cans and bottles out of my garbage? Drag your butt over to my house and seperate it yourself. Has nothing to do with being lazy.
Has to do with: I DONT CARE. I'm sick of you people telling me what to think, how to think, and what to do. Its YOUR choice to recycle; its MY choice not too. If you would quit being so damn militant about it, you might get somewhere.
In fact, I think I might just go dump a load of garbage and that olde loveseat on the highway...
Okay...but why not do it if it is there? Especially if it is going to help the planet ....
Often because recycling is not cost effective. Is it really energy efficient or does the energy used to recycle exceed the production energy cost of a new product?
This "help the planet" is an emotional plea and really reads like the result of brainwashing. If the OP is going to state that recycling helps the planet she should back it up with some facts.
That said, I do recycle when possible but I am not anal retentive about it. Mostly I reduce and re-use. If I had to sort out my recyclables into individual bins I'd probably revolt against recycling all together.
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