Why some people find it hard to recycle?

Answer 1

I think it's hard to recycle because it's inconvient. Humans likes things to get done fast, not matter how it's done. Recycling means that we have to take extra time to read the label to check if it's recyclable and to sort them out.

However, I do try to recycle whenever I can. I guess I never really get around to it because I'm always thinking, where am I going to store all my plastics, paper, or used batteries. Sometimes, we don't know what to do with certain waste goods like CDs that we burn and don't want anymore. I guess I'm too lazy to acutally research more into how to recycle these products and to take time to find a place to store all of these plastic. Recycling paper is easier for me because our waste management distribute tash cans for them. However, we don't get ones for glass or plastic nor do I know if they pick them up.

But really my answer, makes me realize how stupid as to let a little thing as time and storage area to prevent me from recycling...

Also, they don't really instill how important recycling is when we are kids (the most influenial age there is). I mean, come on! We only have two recycling days a year where we get a 'I RECYCLED' t-shirt. Do you even know how much paper a single school throws away, they could just easily recycle it...

Answer 2

Apathy -- a very common form of selfishness -- probably leads the reasons why people don't recycle. They can "justify" it to themselves with many excuses, but the logic typically doesn't hold up, so they're just excuses and not reasons. For example, who cares if 90% of what is meant to be recycled actually ends up in a landfill (a percentage I would argue, by the way)? It still means that thousands of tons of materials *are* being recycled. In what systems do we expect perfect efficiency before we accept them? None, so why should recycling be different?

Apart from selfish apathy, there may be logistic problems such as no local recycling, no convenient storage of items to go into recycling, etc. Some of these can be resolved (and *anybody* can "recycle" by re-using things), but recycling will never be a perfect solution. That's why reduction of consumption is another vital aspect to controlling our resource usage and waste disposal problems.

Answer 3

The sad truth is, people are lazy. I started a recycling program at school, and I find plastic bottles in a trash can ten feet away from the recycling bin. And if they do recycle, many don't even empty the pop bottles before putting it in the bin, even when there's a sink ten feet away. Just keep up the good you're doing, and hope that you will positively influence others to do the same.

Answer 4

For some people there's no place to recycle. Where i'm at the only recyclable place accepts metals but not plastics , glass or paper. I save up my cans and go to it when I have to drive by it. It's a town or two over.

Answer 5

I agree with the poster who said people are lazy. I think people just want to throw everything out in the same container and put it outside to be picked up. Also some areas of the country only recently started recycling so it hasn't yet caught on.

Answer 6

I tried recycling but ended up with bags of cans, boxes and glass. I believe that is not clear instructions on what is recyclable; it is not as convenient as just throwing stuff in the trash bin. So if someone could make is simpler it might work better!

Answer 7

People get into a pattern in which they do the same thing daily. Like your grand mother or great grand mother she would not recycle. But if you make a habit of doing it than it works and other people are lazy too.

Answer 8

Most stuff that is "recycled" ends up in a landfill. I'm talking like 90% of it. What's the point?

Answer 9

Lack of trust that items are really recycled. I think easy things like glass and aluminum are, but paper and plastic...I am not convinced.

Answer 10

They may be thinking that the government is making money with their garbage, so they fight back by not recycling.