11 votes

Economics of recycling

8 comments

  1. [2]
    euphoria066
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    I wish this kind of problem would push municipalities to do actually do something. Take on your grocery stores about the insane amount of packaging that food comes in. Force them to carry bulk,...
    • Exemplary

    I wish this kind of problem would push municipalities to do actually do something. Take on your grocery stores about the insane amount of packaging that food comes in. Force them to carry bulk, force them to allow people to refill their own containers. Educate the public on how to use bulk stores. (people seem really nervous about going to bulk barn etc with their own containers, but once they know how it's so easy!) Take on your local restaurants and businesses about the way they package/serve their products. Take on your constituents and teach them how to prepare their materials for high-quality recycling that makes it more valuable, and how to avoid packaging when possible. Open a city program where you educate people about and start buy-nothing groups for each neighbourhood.

    Outlaw all friggin drink bottles that aren't an aluminum can.

    Some of this stuff can be done on a consumer level, but a lot of it, especially as far as grocery stores and food manufacturers and such, will need some kind of larger pressure, and the city or provincial governments would be a great help. Also most people feel overwhelmed by the idea of try to reduce their own waste, and as someone who does try quite hard to do it, it IS quite hard. I understand how people just feel like there's no way, they don't have time, etc.

    7 votes
    1. Catt
      Link Parent
      Totally agree. Growing up, plastic straws were not the norm as was the case for a lot of the plastic we see now. I think there really needs to be a focus to change the attitude that not using...

      Totally agree. Growing up, plastic straws were not the norm as was the case for a lot of the plastic we see now. I think there really needs to be a focus to change the attitude that not using plastic is the exception and not the rule.

      1 vote
  2. [6]
    Catt
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    Second part of a three part series. In particular, the following jumped out at me: The focus to refuse/reduce is becoming the only real action for me as a consumer. A lot of my recycling is mail,...

    Second part of a three part series. In particular, the following jumped out at me:

    Aluminum pie plates and cat food tins are no longer accepted. Just pop cans and beer cans.

    The focus to refuse/reduce is becoming the only real action for me as a consumer. A lot of my recycling is mail, cat food tins and beer/soda bottles, and knowing my recycling might as well be trash is really disheartening.

    4 votes
    1. [3]
      Comment deleted by author
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      1. [2]
        Catt
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        I know what you mean. I've been exploring the zero waste for a little bit too. I definitely feel an urgency to focus more on it recently. One thing that has been stopping me is getting reusable...

        I know what you mean. I've been exploring the zero waste for a little bit too. I definitely feel an urgency to focus more on it recently. One thing that has been stopping me is getting reusable cloth bags for produce because I was just going to make them from scrap cloth I have. I didn't want to buy new, but since I just can't ever seem to get to it, I'm thinking it might be better just to bite the bullet and buy them, so I can start using them. Don't know what's more wasteful...

        3 votes
        1. [2]
          Comment deleted by author
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          1. Catt
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            I generally don't, but there's a handful of times I need something, like if I'm buying loose mushrooms, herbs. I'm not too worried about dirt either, but these items tend to get crushed if I just...

            I generally don't, but there's a handful of times I need something, like if I'm buying loose mushrooms, herbs. I'm not too worried about dirt either, but these items tend to get crushed if I just tossed them together in my reusable bag with other items.

            I do currently bring old plastic bags out with me just in general. The produce ones just aren't that reusable as they seem to get damaged a lot easier. I've been using Ziploc ones and washing them when needed.

            I also don't line bathroom or office garbage cans. Don't feel the need.

            I use to use them for kitty litter, usually having to double bag but litter is now compostable, so Ilve switched to compostable bags for that, which is generally the only waste lining I use.

    2. [2]
      Comment deleted by author
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      1. Catt
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        I would love to see more of this too. Of course, it doesn't have to be one or the other. Steps can be taken at each stage. Ultimately, I believe it's more important to refuse, which the solution...

        I would love to see more of this too. Of course, it doesn't have to be one or the other. Steps can be taken at each stage. Ultimately, I believe it's more important to refuse, which the solution you're suggesting is more at the end, as it's already before the consumer.

    3. [2]
      alyaza
      Link Parent
      it's somewhat crazy how much "recycle" actually ends up not being recyclable, either because of contamination or because there's just no way to cost-effectively recycle it. as part of a community...

      The focus to refuse/reduce is becoming the only real action for me as a consumer. A lot of my recycling is mail, cat food tins and beer/soda bottles, and knowing my recycling might as well be trash is really disheartening.

      it's somewhat crazy how much "recycle" actually ends up not being recyclable, either because of contamination or because there's just no way to cost-effectively recycle it. as part of a community college project i did we had to check some of the recycling bins around campus, and nearly all of them would have been too contaminated to be taken as recycle (and so would have been tossed as landfill). we also went to a recycling facility in town as a part of that, and a lot of things are also just straight up not readily recyclable by some recycle facilities because they don't have the machinery, so what you can even recycle in the first place generally varies by area (and how cost effective it is to recycle those materials). it's essentially a total crapshoot.

      1 vote
      1. Catt
        Link Parent
        I could have saved myself so much mental energy if I just thought of recycling as basically trash. And it would have been more honest. I feel I would have made different consumer choices knowing...

        I could have saved myself so much mental energy if I just thought of recycling as basically trash. And it would have been more honest. I feel I would have made different consumer choices knowing how little is recycled. Can't lie, I definitely fell for the green washing over the last couple decades.

        Note: I believe in Ontario single cups/lids, single use containers like for yogurt, clamshell plastics, single use clear container like for baked goods and pizza boxes are not acceptable. Really, what else is actually left?