Recycling

[Mitch f]

I've really gotten into trying to figure out how I can put more stuff in my recycling can than the regular trash can, it's kind of becoming a big thing with me. 

Do you guys put old fishing line in the recycle can? What other stuff would you suggest that maybe is not thought of?

[joeD]

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/04/opinion/sunday/the-reign-of-recycling.html

[fishinwrench]

I only recycle aluminum, and in my business I generate a bunch of it.  Nothing else is worth the bother IMO.

Here's what I don't understand...   Every day I carry out a stuffed full trash bag of garbage, but we don't haul in 7 stuffed trash bags worth of anything into our house every week, not even close.

So how is my house not getting emptied out ?    More goes out than comes in.  

[joeD]

Sounds like my digestive system. And I'm still a fat a**.  Gosh bless Kohler toilets.

We are human, and we use many things that need to be disposed of. The equal in to equal out analogy does not apply here obviously. A Christmas tree bought today doesn't mean a similar tree is thrown out at the same time. For example. 

Also, I think going down a moral and ethical path with regard to recycling, while necessary and good, can sometimes go into a somewhat philosophical rabbit hole of good intentions run amok, without a  reasonable  middle ground.

[Mitch f]

I get that Joe, All I'm saying is take 5-10 minutes per week to do it, no big hassle at all,  and at least you're doing your part. I'm sure most here will clean up after themselves when they go camping, I see this as kind of the same thing, only easier.

 

[Foghorn]

In Desloge where we live, they started a recycling program years ago. They gave I guess everybody in town three plastic bins to keep the paper,glass and metal products in. This has been going on somewhere in the neighborhood of 15 years now. Not as many people are involved in it anymore if our cul-de-sac is any indication and now the boys are throwing all the recycling trash in one bin of the trash truck. It's separate from the regular trash but it has something to do with the city having to pay extra. Not sure what that's all about and don't know how it is all separated when it get's to the landfill.

[Greasy B]

Separating mixed recyclables is very time consuming and often done with primative machines that have magnets or puffs of air. People who throw used pizza boxes in the recycle bin often cause more expense than it's worth because they have to get picked out by hand, if there's too much cheese it goes in the trash anyway. Things that can't be easily separated probably aren't worth it. 

[Quillback]

When I lived in Washington state, recycling was voluntary, but you were provided with bins if you wanted to recycle and the trash company would pick it up.  But, trash collection was roughly twice what I pay here.  Paper and aluminum recycle well, but not so much glass.  It costs more to process glass than the recycled glass is worth so that needs to be subsidized.  And there is more glass waste accumulated than is recycled leading to mountains of glass needing to be stored.

[hoglaw]

I remember watching an episode of Penn and Teller's Bull$&*% about recycling.  I don't remember all the specifics, but the general premise was that recycling anything other than aluminum does more harm than good when lots of other factors were figured in - like the additional processes and chemicals involved in recycling paper and plastic and such.  I'm sure one could add or subtract processes to make the argument either way, but it was an interesting show.

[snagged in outlet 3]

I recycle paper and cardboard, that's it.

I have to take it to a bin at the City service center but I drive by it all the time so it's not a stand alone trip.

I live in an unicorporated area so the service isn't available to me.

My company recycles thousands of tons of steel per year.

Pete