Is recycling a good idea?

Question

Specifically, how do we know that the energy used to recycle things such as paper doesn't do more harm to the environment than growing new paper? I read that recycling wastes energy and causes far more pollution than it saves.

Answer 1

For some items, that is true. For other items, it is better to recycle.

Answer 2

Yes, it does expend a little energy to recycle. But if we don't recycle (i.e. reuse) we will be destined to lose. Growing new trees to create paper would be great, but we're destroying those trees at such a great rate that without recycling the world would eventually run out. And in case you hadn't yet heard trees do some other useful things besides just making paper, like producing oxygen for us to breath. And that's only one example besides providing homes for thousands of life forms. Yeah, you know I think I'm willing to waste a little energy to protect the enviroment. And paper production does cause Pollution, though it is just as much either way whether it be recycled paper or A TREE!! So in the end this comes down to recycling protects the enviroment, and has no control over how paper is made. You really want to make a difference, just stop using paper.

Answer 3

That is propaganda put out by companies that profit from the initial product. Aluminum, steel and glass has been recycled for decades now because the addition of the recycled content saves money, energy, resources and makes the material stronger. I guarantee that companies wouldn't do it if it didn't help. They worry only about the bottom line. Reusing and recycling keeps materials out of landfills and causes less manufacturing of the initial product. I don't see how that can waste energy and with an example such as paper, there is no, or less, need to bleach the fibers as much has already been bleached in the initial manufacturing of the item.

Answer 4

This depends on many things but specifically, do you find yourself thinking in the short term or the long term on how our society is doing?

If you think that our society is doing a good job at meeting most of our basic needs, then why recycle at all?

But, if you think that our society is doing a bad job, and that what we do now affects the lives of those that will exists after us, then recycling is a great idea.

Except, that recycling isn't nearly enough. We need to do the following:
-Precycle (be more careful on what we buy and know the different between what we NEED and what we WANT)
-Reengineer - our industrial process produces an extraordinary amount of waste in how it creates the goods that we buy...but not only in its manufacturing capabilities but also in excessive packaging.
-Recycling - we need increased recycling capabilities. Certain locales do not accept certain plastic bottles, for instancf. This can come from grassroots organizational pressure on local representatives but also from community organizing.
-Rethinking - why do neighbors each need their own lawn mower and snow blower when a shared article of each can do? Recycling is still an individual motion...what we need is more community/neighborhood cooperation.

As for the "wasting energy" thing...the article was wrong. Take an aluminum can, for instance. Once the raw materials are mined (which takes a huge amount of energy), the metal is processed, shipped, used and then discarded, all in time for another hunk of metal to go through the entire process.

It is the initial process of mining and smelting that a recycled can can save energy, not to mention all the transportation that is needed.

For paper...energy is needed to plant, tend to, and harvest the trees. Then, the wood needs to be processed and then distributed. It takes less energy to do this.

Any analysis that recycling wastes energy does not take into account the vast amount of energy that it takes to create the new item. Also, such analysis does not take into account the amount of energy that it takes to continually explore for more natural resources (for example, if an open pit aluminum mine runs out of aluminum, the mining companies must find another source).

Answer 5

I heard the same thing about recycling paper. I dont beleive in these freecycle sites that e mails are gathered the world over. It should be for a specific area only. The one that started in Tucson, Arizona is all over Europe, USA, Mexico and Canada.
I think each site should have a little site specific to their area where needy people can get things they need. It is sad when some of these people get so greedy that they grab everything they can find and then sell it in an adv or have a garage sale.

Answer 6

Most of the time recycling is not economically viable.

Recycling metals is economically viable.
Recycling newsprint and plastics are not.

Mandated recycling is a folly. The money wasted on non-economically viable recycling could be used towards a better purpose. If the environment is a concern, the money saved would be better spent in buying up wild land and keeping it wild so that developers don't build another Walmart on it.

Answer 7

With every good idea, comes a flaw. I don't know if what you said is true, I don't keep up on everything, but I'm not saying it isn't. Of course reading isn't always true, it's like the news, one minute drinking coffee is bad for your health, next, it could help you live longer, lol, we live in a messed up country, we never know anything until we find out on our own, or an extremely trusted source notifies us about which one is which. I think Recycling is a good idea, just for the simple fact, that it helps our wildlife out, with keeping new homes available for them, but, if what you said is true, then it'll eventually kill them as well, but atleast it'll be in the long run, and not immediatly. Our government already knows how to clone tree's, so why we are cutting more down, I don't know, apparently it costs too much or something to clone a tree to turn it into paper, or it seems like a waste of time and money, which would be well spent and used if you ask me.

Answer 8

Where did you get the info that recycling wastes energy? I have never heard of such a thing. It is much better to re-use products and turn them into other products than to make new products.

Answer 9

Recycling conserves resources.

Recycling paper reduces tree cutting... saving the forests.

Recycling metal, glass, and plastic reduces ecosystem destruction resulting from mining and drilling.

Recycling conserves energy. (ex.: making a new aluminum can from recycled aluminum saves 95% energy required to make a new can from virgin aluminum. (bauxite)

Recycling reduces drilling and mining, both cause air and water pollution. Recycling reduces the air pollution from burning fossil fuels. Recycling reduces incinerated waste which contains dioxins, heavy metals, lessening pollution of ground water.

SilverMoon

Answer 10

Yes of course recycling is a good idea. Where else will we put all the trash? You know that they are experimenting right now in some small town in America( I don;t kow the name) on how to produce energy for the town from converting the landfills to energy! I saw it on Current Tv on Earth day.

Answer 11

what do u recommend recycle techniques?? b greater specific in that question. yet litterally recycle. reycyling is particularly reusing issues that could b reused and not utilising issues till they absolutly ought to b used. for example, on the keep have ur very own bag (that u use each and each time) to place the groceries in. that way u dont help the bag making and each and all of the baggage finally end up in the land fill whilst they culdve been reused. and if u forgot the reuseable bag for the industry, then use those bags yet use as littl as u can. then there shuld b a bag recycling station on the industry so they are in a position to recycle it too. like u can use it earlier u positioned it in recycling. like the day earlier to this my dad went to the food market and got here back with a team of luggage that the nutrition became in. and me and my sis reused them to place trash in. we went to the creek close to my homestead (ther became countless trash) and accrued each and all of the trash and positioned it in the trash bags then we recycled what we culd otta the trash. then we cept the baggage. then we biked back to the keep and positioned those bags in the recycling! so ya.... woa......i wrote plenty lol i had no clu what u have been askin for thus i basically positioned random stuff in there lol desire it facilitates!