Should recycling be mandatory? Why? or why not?

Question

Everyone thinks recycling is a good thing. However, recycling has a bad side: it wastes energy. This is because we need recycling pick-up transportation to get the recycling goods to the factory and etc.

Sure, recycling is a good thing indeed, but should we go through all the hassle?

Answer 1

It should be optional like how it is already in california

Answer 2

No, it should be optional, like everything in the FREE country should be.

it should be a choice.

but i think ppl should take advantage of it, and recycle when neccessary.

Answer 3

This is an issue of persuasion vs. force which goes to the question of whether recycling is important enough to use the force of government, which is to use, in its ultimate conclusion, the use of lethal force.

Quick background: I live in the city of Atlanta where we have a decent recycling program. I've recycled for the 12 years I've lived here, never having had recycled before. I now compost stuff like my coffee grounds and egg shells and have moved away from the plastic grocery bags (I recycle them when I get them) towards large canvas bags. I've done all of this on my own volition. I was not even guilted into recycling. All that happened was the trash service my city provides offers me the option to easily recycle which in turn increased my conciousness in how I can lessen my negative impact in this world. I define negative impact not just in terms of garbage but the negative economic drag garbage carries. Think about it: If every household reduced their garbage by 1lb a week by composting and multiply that by 100,000 households we have 100,000 lbs less garbage a week which saves on gas for the truck and time paid and space filled, albeit temporarily as compost materials  break down very quickly. The space would be very helpful for the trucks as they would not have to make as many drop offs. I digress.

The short of it is I believe cities that provide the service without using force are using a good form of persuasion. 13 years ago I regularly tossed soda bottles in the regular trash. Any time I see that now it literally makes me uncomfortable.

I believe that recycling in metropolitan areas makes sense because the houses (pickups) are closely situated. In my particular neighborhood, there are hundreds of pickups in a mile meaning the bang for the buck on pickup of recyclables is huge. The cost of running a recycling truck and paying that labor is worth it in dense areas. However, in less populated areas there may not be any pickups for miles meaning the cost of recycling is far greater than the impact lessened.

This is to say that I think population density determines whether recycling is worth it.

In the end, I believe we should have the freedom to choose whether we recycle because I believe force should be used sparingly in what is reportedly a free society. This belief is brought home by the fact that we are not in a global or national crisis because of non recyclers. Perhaps if we ever find ourselves in crisis we should compel recycling, but short of a disaster we should be left free. Persuasion is my preferred method and it works on my street and in my relationships. I've converted at least a dozen people into dedicated recyclers.

Answer 4

Recycling doesn't waste energy.  Sure it uses energy but it save both materials, which are a finite thing, and it saves the energy of mining, transporting ore or raw materials, smelting or processing that raw material. And like I said it's finite.  Or, do you think we should use all the earths recources over a few hundred years and s***w the next few billion.?

Answer 5

well...living here in l.a...they just made spaying / neutering your animal mandatory as of today! so why not recycling?

i 1st re-use (which cuts down on the amount of recycling), then recycle everything that crosses my path.  then, i feel as if i am doing 'my part.'

i think that not enough of us are aware that we waste too much. (like throwing away a plastic bottle for every glass of water we drink, or throwing away grocery bags & then going out and buying garbage bags!)  

although i do not know if recycling actually gets sorted and recycled??

but, if you want to save transportation costs...they should have recycling in apartment buildings.  still to my knowledge, most apartment complexes do not have recycling when it is there that there is the highest concentration of people & pick up in one stop.

we must consider our future which is that of our children & do whatever it takes to make it a better place.

peace!

Answer 6

Hello NYC

I am agree with you.

But Recycle is Good process and we are wasting Current and manpower for Recycle.

Can the all the people come forwad to reduce the usage of Natural items like Paper/Water/Gas/Petrol/Aluminium/Bottle/... Plastic items.

I am not using SPRAYS/SHAMPOO/PERFUME/COKE/ICE CREAM/ PLASTIC CUPS/PLATES/ BOTTLES in daily life.

If the people come forwad to reduce the above usage, it will automatically reduce the Recycle.

Hello NYC please send e.mail.

[e-mail]

Answer 7

I don't look at recycling as a hassle.  And I don't think it wastes energy.  The waste is filling our landfills with things that we could have recycled into something else.  People need to prioritize a little better - maybe spend a little less time on the Internet or watching TV to take a few minutes to sort and recycle every day.  As far as people who live out in the country, if you have a car to transport recycling and come into the city to shop or do business on a regular basis, I don't see why it would be that much out of your way to recycle.  If you don't have a car and take a train, than I understand the inconvenience of recycling.  I would still look for creative ways to recycle.  I think it's important for our children's children.

Answer 8

Depends on the area.  I could see making it mandatory in a big city where the vehicles wouldn't have very far to go and the factories are mostly within a reasonable distance, but I live in farm country.  Our homes are up to a mile apart.  It would waste so much energy to recycle up there that the recycling itself wouldn't be able to make up for it.

Answer 9

Absolutely! If you buy it, you should recycle it! One day our grandchildren will be asking "why didn't they just take a couple seconds to recycle?" We have all gotten so lazy in this "convienant, do it faster, and cheaper" world. What is really fustrating is when you see people dumping their waste into our rivers and springs and onto the side of the roads. In Gilchrist County, inmates sort out trash from recycleable items. Not any money wasted here. There are many, many things that can be done to help the earth, (most) people are just too lazy, and don't want to be bothered by it.

Answer 10

Well it seems like a lot of hassle to me and it should be optional, however it is a good thing but I think we should be given some incentive to do it, like 10p per black bag or something.

I mean no ones likes sorting through all there trash and organizing it so we wanna get paid for using our time doing it.

Answer 11

it should be as mandatory as the seat belt law in the us.  Not that im for that one, but it is an example of how a powerful lobbying group can ram thru laws in an otherwise free society to save themselves money.  I mean, it shows that some laws are needed for the public good, since no one would bother sorting trash if there was no financial benefit readily apparent.  One way to get around making it mandatory is to start charging more for trash pickup, less trash equals less money out of your pocket.  You might not actually be getting money for the recyclables, but a couple bucks saved is a couple bucks earned.

Answer 12

Please please explain to me in greater detail how recycling is WASTING energy??  Isn't garbage wasting energy??  All those trucks traveling around and gathering trash to put in our Earth?  So what are the pros of that?  Which is better people?  And even if a little energy is wasted, isn't that a better investment for our future than landfills????

AND  YES  I THINK IT SHOULD BE MADE MANDATORY!!

And poor poor people that have to sort through their own waste and garbage to recycle what can be used again!  That is pittiful!!  And then you need incentive, like $$$??  Like that wouldn't drive up the costs of recycling??  How about your Earth as incentive and cherishing it??  Making it last for people in the future to use.

Why are we all so selfish?