Posted on 02/05/2008 12:53:26 AM PST by newbie2008
As a Swede I get to hear a lot of the myths of how wonderful a country Sweden supposedly is — the "prosperous socialism" it stands for, a role model for the rest of the world. For instance, quite a few friends from around the world have commended me on Swedish recycling polices and the Swedish government's take on coercive environmentalism.
The way it has been presented to me, Sweden has succeeded with what most other governments at best dream about: creating an efficient and profitable national system for saving the environment through large-scale recycling. And the people are all in on it! Everybody's recycling.
(Excerpt) Read more at mises.org ...
Soon to come to your city. Count on it.
I recycle all my trash...straight to the dump. Anything and everything I don’t want goes to the dump if it’s garbage. I don’t recycle anything, period.
I recycle all my trash...straight to the dump. Anything and everything I don’t want goes to the dump if it’s garbage. I don’t recycle anything, period.I don't care about recycling so much, but do you know freecycle?
Soon to come to your city. Count on it.
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It already has come to this leftist area (oregon)..Now we have to bring our own sacks to the grocery...fat chance that I will ever do that....Socialism reigns here.
Simply what will happen is people we start throwing their trash in the streets or in a ditch because there’s too many barriers in disposing of it properly.
We recycle Aluminum at my company. Aluminum chips in one dumpster, Aluminum chunks in another dumpster, and everything else in the other dumpster. The recycling place comes by and empties our Aluminum filled dumpsters whenever we tell them they’re full and then sends us a check for a couple grand based upon the weight of what they pick up. It works because it makes economic sense for us to participate and they make it easy for us to do so. They provided the dumpsters at no cost and don’t complain about how we sort the stuff.
Yes, that insanity will be here very soon.
Where can I move then?
btt
Had this nonsense is a slightly lesser form when I lived in Los Angeles. Had to recycle newspaper, glass and cans. And they CHARGED US for the recycling containers we were required to put the stuff in. And then they CHARGED US to pick it up. Then they PAID a company to take the collected material who then SOLD the stuff which was valuable and dumped the rest in the LANDFILL along with the rest of the garbage I had through out that week.
Only a government entity could manage to turn coercion into a money losing enterprise.
I really don't mind doing a modest level of recycling as long as:
1. The system is voluntary.
2. Any separation required is relatively easy.
Where I live now we actually save money by recycling because it significantly reduces the volume of our other garbage. The charge for recycling is only a small fraction of the cost to add additional cans. Separating out the dry recycled items also means fewer trips outside during the week with kitchen garbage.
Another town I have lived in has a convenient recycling center downtown. It only takes a few minutes to dump off a load of bottles and it generates money for the high school.
Both of these systems make people happy to participate. The Swedish system is obviously crazy and only generates resentment.
My town makes a ton of money with the 99 recycled garbage items we have . Separate glass, different colored glasses, aluminum ,etc etc etc . I throw it all away . If they want it they can separate it themselves.
Excellent column. Great ammo to use against those who hold up Sweden as an example of successful socialism.
Thanks for posting.
Aluminum is the only recyclable that has a high enough value ($/lb) to make it worthwhile to haul away and reuse. Everything else isn’t worth the price of gas required to move it more than a few miles.
Check out the Penn and Teller “Bullsh#t” episode on Recycling. The saddest part is when they scam some California “progressives” into sorting their trash into about 10 different bins, and the IDIOTS think it’s a “good idea”.
I bet if you back aluminum out of the equation, the other 98 items result in a net loss in income to the city.
I’m glad to hear somebody else say that!!!
In Sacramento they got all new single person garbage trucks with the “arm” to pick up the trash. Made a BIG DEAL about the efficiency and cost savings. Then they turn around and mandate recycling. So NOW the single manned garbage truck gets followed by another truck with 3 guys on it who pick up the recyclables and put them in the proper bin on the truck. Your taxes at work......
There’s no question about it. Recycling all that other stuff is a net expense so we can feel good about ourselves.
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