How do we get more people to recycle?

Question

I am the only one on my block who recycles. And I notice that sometimes there is a lot of waste. We need to recycle to help preserve our resources for future generations so we don't turn into cannibals. Like for example, the Easter Islanders. They used up all of their resources by making these stupi stone statues. And towards the end they had no other food, so they had to east eachother.

Answer 1

Pay more.

Answer 2

I hate to tell you this but first of all if you're the only one on your block who recycles, the truck that picks up your recycleables is wasting a lot more energy/oil than is saved by actually recycling the materials. Second of all, even if your whole block was recycling, the 15-ton truck would probably still be wasting more energy picking the stuff up than would be saved from recycling the entire truckload. Think about how many empty plastic bottles and such are being carried around, it's like 500 pounds of truck (probably much more, most times) starting and stopping (like 100+ times per route) for every 2 pounds of recycled plastic.

In most situations, these days, recycling is not helping nearly as much as it's hurting. There is no shortage of places to put garbage, in thousands of years all the garbage the whole world ever produced could still be put into a couple cubic miles of space, so the only real problem with throwing things away is the concentration of highly toxic chemicals that could get into the ground/water near the landfill if it wasn't contained. All the poison ever made would have to end up in the ocean at the same time to hurt anything, I'm sure.

Once it becomes worthwhile to recycle, you won't have to pay for it, it will probably be required by law if not paid for by the state, or the manufacturers who need the recycled material and who are saving money by using recycled stuff will probably pay for it. In fact, once it becomes worthwhile, you'll probably be able to make a profit driving paper or plastic to a recycling machine that gives you money for it, like you can do with aluminum cans today in some places. Until you can make a profit driving stuff to the recycle place to get paid for it, it's pretty much all a waste of time I'm sure.

unfortunately, right now, energy is expensive and in short supply (well, monopolized and priced to appear that way) and materials are really not as limited as you probably think.

Answer 3

Why don't you take it upon yourself to find out about how you can get the whole neighborhood involved?? Post flyers, if you're married and have children , involve your kids in posting flyers and maybe picking up recyclables in your neighborhood. (It can be a good way for kids to make money too). You can start a recycling program at schools if they don't already have one in place or at your job.

There are always recycling programs in your neighborhood. Unfortunately, it's not broadcast news, so you have to research it on your own. Use your computer to search for recycling programs in your city. Or you can also go to the website of your city's Solid Waste Services, they'll likely have more info there or a phone number you can call.

Answer 4

Some kind of rewards program for persons who recycle should be offered. Kinda like air miles or a points system. And after you collect so many, you could get discounts on purchases or free stuff.

Where I'm from, the city charges a small monthly fee to recycle. Because of that I don't participate in their recycle program. We should be rewarded some how for the efforts to recycle, not charged fees to do it.

Answer 5

Make everything that is recyclable have a small deposit on it. Everyone will pay for the deposit and when the item is consumed they return it to a recycling site or a grocery store and receive their money back. It seems that everyone would do this to get their money back...similar to bottle deposits on pop and beer!

Answer 6

The easted each other? Damn, I thought for sure they were into westing each other....where did I read that.. Oh yeah, I think it was in a skull book when I was in skull.
And you are the only one who recycles on your block? Why bother? What a waste of time--you could be writing all sorts of fantastically pithy and mind-provoking questions on yahoo answers INSTEAD!

Answer 7

There has to be some sort of penalty for not recycling. Deposits on bottles, jars, plastics, etc. People will only do something if it is to their personal benefit, and they are most tender in the wallet.

Answer 8

Our local authority is talking of charging people that don't use the facilities provided.

I think though, rather than slapping another charge for people to avoid, the ones that do recycle should be rewarded with lower taxes. That would get them sorting their rubbish!

Answer 9

I like the "transfer station" idea. That's where the local garbage collection company takes the trash to the transfer station and then sorts through it and separates out the plastics, glass, paper, etc.

Most people pay a fee anyway to have their garbage collected and that way there's a place to take care of it too. :)

Answer 10

Okay, first of all, I had no idea that the Eastern Islanders did that, thanks for that great mental image. Second of all, there really is nothing we can do, dear. The 'recycle' sign is stamped and/or printed on each plastic bottle and on each metal can and yet no one notices it. We did all we could.

Answer 11

Make recycling containers more convenient and access able.