Should recycling be given a higher exposure in the media?

Question

Landfill is now a massive problem the world over. We are burying valuable, reusable resourses at allarming rates. Recycling obviously helps our environment, so why is it not discussed more?

Answer 1

I don't know why. But I agree that we must.  I live in an apartment complex and there is not even one recycling bin on the premises.

Answer 2

This is a great question!  It's shocking how many Americans throw away things that could EASILY be recycled!  At least cities provide recycling bins for their residents.  

How can those of us who are aware help other people be better educated too?

Answer 3

Nope. Buying less should be given more exposure. Recycling cannot solve the problem of over consumption. No matter how much we recycle we are still using valuable resources at an alarming rate. We are using enough resources that we need three or four planets to keep up, recycling or not. So buy less, live more!

Answer 4

Yes if there is a benefit to the environment.  Here is "My Best Recycling Idea"  that might be useful in improving our work and home environments.

Besides recycling the plastic containers, you can improve your work or home environments by bringing live potted plants indoors.

Major items needed:

One empty plastic gallon container.   Tree Top Apple Juice is preferred, or equal in shape.

One empty plastic ½ gallon container.  Langers All Pomergranate Juice is preferred or equal.

Directions:  Lay the plastic gallon container on its side so the front label is facing up.  Place the empty plastic half gallon container on the label and with a sharpie pen outline the bottom on the Tree Top label and with a sharp knife carefully cut the outline.  Insert the half gallon into the hole until it rest on the back label of the gallon container.  Then mark and cut approximately one inch above the cut on the ½ gallon  to complete your planter container.  Remove and drill several ¼ inch holes on the bottom of the ½ gallon cut container for drainage.

Fill the cut ½ gallon planter with one inch of gravel before putting in good potting mix soil and live growing plant.

Go to NASA’s Clean Air Plant Study for the top ten plants that cleans the indoor air better than the rest.   http://www.zone10.com/tech/NASA/Fyh.htm

Answer 5

The problem is, you've bought into several myths.

You need to rent the DVD of Penn & Teller's Bullshit show, the one they did on recycling.

Landfills are not a massive problem. Seriously. That whole thing is addressed on their show, you should watch it. There is plenty of room for landfills. The problem is, the environmentalists block them anytime they try to set them up, even when they're nowhere near human beings, like that fiasco a few years ago in the desert of California.

Recycling might "obviously" help the environment, but in reality, (with the exception of cans) it HURTS the environment.

(Again, you just gotta watch that episode. it will blow your mind!!!).

1. ALL recycling, is an industrial process, that takes energy &  resources to clean, shred, process, truck to destinations, etc. They've run the numbers, and it actually takes MORE energy and MORE natural recourses for the recycling process, than it offsets.  I'm dead serious.

The only exception is aluminum cans.

2. Recycling paper is bad. Why?  Because ALL TREES FOR PAPER ARE FARMED.

Why does this matter?  More trees growing cleans the air, right?  They don't go out in the forest and cut trees down for paper, they grow EXTRA TREES just for that purpose.

So when you recycle paper, they grow less trees!!!

Add to that, again, the industrial process energy and resources required to process the paper, and it has a net negative effect on the environment.

I know, it sounds insane, but it's true. I've totally turned my thinking around on this issue now.