‘Stop treating us like garbage’ campaign aims to boost recycling efforts
August 21, 2010 at 7:13 am in Alexandria Echo Press
Annual recycling reports from counties in Minnesota show recycling rates in the state have leveled off since the 1990s. Although Minnesota has one of the higher recycling rates in the country, valuable recyclable material continues to be tossed in the garbage Continue Reading
I have been trying to step up my efforts to recycle more but there are some things that make it difficult for me to feel really good about it.
Yes, I want to do my part for our environment. I feel it is my responsibility as a good steward of this world to do what I can and recycling is one way to work toward that goal. The problem that I find is that it is rather inconvenient. Enough so that I am discouraged about doing it. Maybe part of this problem is that the process so far has been left up to the private sector for the most part and so in order for me, a consumer, to contribute I have to deliver my recyclables to multiple locations throughout the area. In some cases the closest location might be a hundred miles away or more. I have been making suggestion at our place of employment to consider opening up our recycling program to allow us employees to distribute our recyclables at work. We are there every day and it would be a tremendously convenient way for us to have a place to drop them off. So far, for various reasons, that has not yet come to pass.
Another thing that discourages me is the idea that I have to pay to recycle. That in itself is not so bad but here’s the problem. First, I pay for the packaging materials when I buy the finished product. Second, when I am finished with the package I have to deliver it to the drop-off point. Seems that I should get paid for this, don’t you think? Third, I have to pay to get rid of my recyclables. I’m delivering raw material to someone and I have to pay to get rid of it? Forth, they will turn around and sell the product. Talk about a double whammy! They get paid to take the product and paid to get rid of the product. I would surely enjoy being able to get paid on both ends of my business. Fifth, from the information I’ve read in the general scheme of things it costs less in raw materials and energy to use recycled product than to mine the raw ore. For this reason it would seem prudent that I should be encouraged to deliver my recyclables, not discouraged by inconvenience and cost.
Seems more like a scam than a program aimed at protecting our environment and for that reason one can’t help but wonder if it’s all worth it.
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