Posted on 11/30/2007 11:18:26 AM PST by redrunner
The whole issue of recycling has been clouded by green ideology. The EU set it targets for increasing recycling back in 1999 without properly questioning whether that is always the best way of disposing of rubbish... Recycling your plastic bottles may make you glow with virtue, but if they have to be carted halfway around the world to be recycled, and then large quantities of energy are consumed in the recyling process, it is far from obvious that you are doing the planet a good turn.
Alternatively, your plastic bottle could be burnt in a power station, its stored energy used to generate electricity that would otherwise require fossil fuels, and the waste heat distributed to local public buildings and homes. This is exactly what happens in the case of the Eastcroft combined heat and power plant, which has been consuming nearly a third of Nottinghamshire’s waste since it opened in 1973. Further development on waste incinerators in Britain has stalled, however, thanks to the assumption that waste must be recycled at all costs.
In a retrospective attempt to justify the policy on recycling, ... recently asked the Technical University of Denmark to undertake a review of worldwide research on the debate between recycling and incineration and their respective contributions towards greenhouse gas emissions. The review has been quoted by green groups wanting to “debunk the myth” that recycling isn’t all it is cracked up to be. But it fails to debunk anything. Of 37 studies into the issue of paper recycling, for example, six arrived at the conclusion that paper is better incinerated than recycled, and nine indicated it makes little difference environmentally either way. Of 42 studies into plastic recycling, eight concluded that plastic is better incinerated and two said there was little difference.
(Excerpt) Read more at timesonline.co.uk ...
I’ve often wondered especially at the times Politicians tout more controls of emissions as in increasing restrictions on Automotive, Electrical Power Generation, etc. whatever did the initial steps of the ‘50’s, ‘60’s and since truly accomplish? I notice no difference in the air quality for the Billions of dollars in fines, fee’s, and costs perpetrated upon industry in the Los Angeles area, nor here in Riverside. The air quality isn’t seemingly that much better if at all.
Seems we are upfront constantly with what we should do Politically for cleaning up our fragile environment, but never seem to receive information regarding the effectiveness of such efforts.
-don’t have a shed and the carport is about as organized as a library with the Dewey decimal system
-live in South Florida...not much need to cover the plants
-served as a good protest statement to the city.
-I hate clutter...don’t “save” stuff...My motto is; “throw it away/give it away/put it away”...learned that from messies anonymous
...but I do understand your perspective.
that is interesting....it costs more to recycle plastic than it does to buy new plastic...until it becomes cost efficient, it is just a lib feel good thing...
Old tires are finding many good and very commercially valid (economic) uses (price of products sold are greater than cost of collection, production, marketing and overhead).
I always thought glass was easy and economic to recycle (apply enough heat and it’s no longer a solid again and can be merged and divided again into new shapes in as good a quality as originally), whereas good glass must first obtain reasonably pure source material (sand). Am I wrong in thinking recycled glass is not economical?
My sentiments exactly. Our disposal service will deliver nice clean recycling tubs every once in a while. The next door neighbors keep stealing ours which makes me laugh because my husband and I don't recycle. We live in the SW suburbs of Chicago so I think Waste Management has to pick through all of the recycling and garbage to look for bodies.
What about shooting bottle with BB guns or .22s?
Is there any data on that?
What is the CO2 released vs. The Fun quotient of breaking glass?
I will do some studies this weekend and get back to you.
I am for the bottle bills because it gives hobos something to do and some way to make some money.
in china they use old tires for soles on sandals. they probably would last quite a long time actually.
Great plan... Now if we could fix that darn Global Warming thing...
Maine passed a bottle bill while I was living there. The difference in the amount of roadside litter was like night and day, within a year or two. I guess that if people don't toss their bottles out the window, they don't toss McD's litter, etc etc. I dunno why, but there honestly *was* a difference.
Then, since putting a 5c deposit on cans and beer bottles was a good idea, the state legislature put deposits on $#%#$^@^ near everything that held a substance of some sort. Turned a decent, reasonable program into a royal PITA.
For all the feel good, money burning recycling programs liberals create, I do agree with the bottle deposit law we have here in Iowa. Not that I would care if people just threw away all their containers, that would be just fine if it always happened, but people litter, and glass bottles get broken, and are dangerous, very sharp and broken glass never gets dull. And since people still litter, kids and homeless are employed to clean up at least some of the glass. I wish they would raise the deposit on all glass beverage bottles to 50¢.
One per night into the fireplace at bedtime will save a bundle on home-heating & chimney cleaning expenses.
Next morning, place the cooled steel belts & reinforcing wire into a barrel; and when full, sell to the scrap yard.
People who are organized are just too lazy to hunt for stuff.
"An empty desktop is a sign of an empty head". I learned that from Children of Compulsive Cleaners Anonymous.
...but I do understand your perspective. ;)
thought it was the sign of a sick mind?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.