Posted on 09/01/2007 8:14:34 AM PDT by abc123alphabetagamma
Mike Munger, professor of economics and political science at Duke University and frequent guest of EconTalk, talks with host Russ Roberts about the economics and politics of recycling. Munger argues that recycling can save resources, of course, but it can also require more resources than production from scratch. Some curbside recycling, for example, makes sense, while other forms (such as green glass) may be akin to a form of religious expression rather than a wise policy that is environmentally productive. The conversation is based on Munger's recent essay at the Library of Economics and Liberty.
Our Founding Fathers set up a system to measure whether or not recycling makes sense.
We should all use it.
It falls under the defination of capitalism.
If we make money recycling, we should, if we don’t, we should just throw it away.
Each of us should use that as a measure.
The do-gooders in my town sent every house a pretty blue recycling bin...and a bill for $9.85 along with a modest cost increase.
I immediately wrote the mayor and told her that I would not be using the bin and wanted my $9.85 back.
As low as they are,I have some standards. One of them is refusing to wash out my garbage before I put it on the street.
I’m still waiting for my check.
How to know when recycling makes sense: when people offer to pay you to pick up your recycled trash.
That ain’t happening, which means household recycling has negative economic effect.
Ping!
Every week my town sends one garbage truck around to collect the trash, and another truck (emitting more pollution into the air) to pick up the recyclables. How this is good for the environment has never been made clear.
Darn straight! (Thanks for the ping).
I have always been of the opinion that if it is profitable to recycle something, the private sector will make it happen. Government coerced recycling is counterproductive and should be eliminated. Jut because it makes a few greenies feel good is not a good enough reason to recycle.
While it is against a city ordinance to put certain recyclables in the trash, some end up there anyway. While we dutifully put our newspapers in brown paper bags, there is simply no place to send them to be recycled that makes any economic sense. While newspapers are collected as a recyclable, they end up in the landfill anyway.
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