What do you honestly think it will take for Americans to stop being so wasteful?

Question

Um, ItsMe.......I am American, sweetie.

Wow, such ignorance really explains why we aren't making progress, doesn't it? Sad.

Answer 1

Armageddon. I hate to be so cynical, but I don't think anything less will get people's attention. Waste and greed have become part and parcel of the American way. I try to do my part, but for everyone like me who reuses and recycles, there's someone out there throwing everything in the trash just to spite the "bleeding heart liberals". I wonder if any of those people realize that they're also hurting corporations that could cut costs and increase their profits by using more recycled raw materials.

Maybe an incentive program would help. If waste pickup companies charged by the pound for trash pickup but picked up recycling for free, maybe more people would recycle.

Answer 2

I think what it will take is better infrastructure. I believe that most Americans would like to "do the right thing" and recycle.

However in many, many places the fuel you would use to recycle items does not make financial sence. For me to go recycle aluminum cans is 150 mile trip...one way. So we only go ever two or three years, when I've filled enough dog food bags with crushed cans to be worth it.

Recycling of computers simply does not exsist here in Idaho, but I could do it in Washington, the land of Microsoft...go figure.

I like that WalMart now has recycling boxes in their entryways.

Of course if people did a major revamping of their lives, and one parent stayed home with the kids, and that parent learned to cook from scratch, oh boy would that ever save on the garbage tossed out!!

Most household garbage is generated by the kitchen, and then the bathroom.

I'm making several gallons of cabage patch soup tonight. Waste from that will be two number 10 cans which will be washed and used in the bunny barn. Some plastic wrap on the hamburger, the paper wrap on it will be burned.

I don't know how many other people can make a meal that will be eaten for 3-4 days with a bunch of it conviently frozen for easy dinners in the future, and only have a single piece of plastic wrap as the trash from it. I will of course also be making a nice homemade bread to go with it (zero garbage generated there).

Unfortunatly with the way American society has gotten so hurry up busy, and with the overwhelming desire for immediate gratification there are not many people who actively cook anymore.

Sure be nice to see parents putting an real family time, and real meals together.

More recycling bins even in rural areas, more families actively cooking together, and more stress on buying quality, long lasting items instead of made in China junk.

It would all help.

~Garnet
Homesteading/Farming over 20 years

Answer 3

A complete paradigm shift in the way Americans behave. We live in a throw away society. The average American looks for almost instantaneous gratification. Instant burgers, coffee, and relatively cheap fuel. In Europe I have seen better resources to manage the limited resources. We are so large and can avoid the consequences of our actions we don't need to think in that scale. But the shift is happening and the world becoming smaller. America will wake up and make the needed changes to be less wasteful and more resourceful.

Answer 4

The world to stop spinning. And, it's not just Americans that are wasteful. All around the world people ignore the needs of our planet.

Read further down and take a look at Bohemians response. Excellent thought processing there. As you do, we cook at home making extra for the freezer using tupperware that can be reused. Neither my husband or myself are able to stay home, but we do make every effort to recycle.



sandy :O)

Answer 5

I think that to make Americans stop being so wasteful is to charge them for every bag of garbage they put out on the street! And its not only America, It happens all around the world too!

Answer 6

Maybe ads. They have convinced many people of things they think they must have. Also, movies with really good non-wasteful role models. That might help people to stop being so wasteful.

Answer 7

When Bono and Geldof Stops World Hunger and focus on the Live Earth

Answer 8

Why do you say this? Because you are wasteful?

Power conservation, recycling, and pollution control are billion dollar industries EACH!

I'm amazed that people fall for such gratuitous falsehoods. I blame the public education system.

Answer 9

Nothing we are spoiled to the max. and we shouldn't stop being so wasteful. What would the rest of the world do if we became efficent and didn't need them for anything else. Our waste is their gain.

Answer 10

I think that Americans have this reward-based psychology. If for instance they were rewarded for their efforts they would do it. Think about the average Joe that watches Sunday football, with the mindless consuming families..that's who you need to focus on!