Why is it that most Americans don't Bring themselves to recycle?

Question

Me and my family do, and my neighborhood does well at recycling, but it seems everyone else doesn't. Why is that?

Answer 1

I don't personally know "most Americans" so I can't speak for them all.  I do know the ones I know all recycle to the best of their ability--and have been recycling for a long, long time.  At first, there weren't facilities available to handle recycling so we had to wait until the industry caught up with our needs.  At first, our refuse company (which, by law, we have to use) gave us a refund (minor) for recycling.  But that stopped when the company figured they could just pocket the profits and we couldn't do a thing about it.  We do recycle just about everything we can now--including food scraps for composting.  But, our apartments were never designed to accommodate the collection of recycling so that sometimes gets real annoying (have to move the bins to get out the door, have to move the stack of paper to open the cupboard, etc.).

I don't think "Americans" in general are any worse at recycling then any other nationality.  I think people find taking potshots at American a real easy (and lazy) thing to do without having much information to back it up with.

Answer 2

I don't think it's accurate to say that most Americans can't bring themselves to recycle. The key is your neighborhood has the mindset and most likely, the infrastructure to recycle.

In my neighborhood, for instance, it is very easy to recycle. I live in a small community with a recycling center including a "still good" shed for people to drop off items that they no longer need but could be used by someone else. There are separate facilities for glass, paper, plastic, cardboard, etc. The facility is very easy to use (that's the key!) and people seem to like it.

As waste disposal becomes more and more expensive and as societal pressure is brought to bear on wasteful consumption, more people will recycle. Keep the faith, promote recycling as the right thing to do without being judgmental. Congratulations to you, your family and your neighborhood.

Answer 3

Hello. I am in Australia and they really help people and re educate people in the recycling. Alot of people are to lazy or are not sure how 2. My brother is over there and has been for over 5 years now and he says people do not just care about it as it takes up to much of there time. I hope this helps a little. Take care and keep smiling.

Answer 4

Because a lot of people feel that it's too inconvenient to separate their garbage.  They think it's too much trouble, so they toss everything in one trashcan and forget about it.

Answer 5

My family recycles because we want to, and I would do it even though it wasn't required by our county.  I'm amazed when I drive by houses on garbage day and see garbage bags with things like milk containers in them.  It's just sheer laziness.

My in-laws live in a small midwestern town where recycling is a choice and they choose not to.  It makes me so angry.  They are leaving this world to my children's generation (and their children and so on) in a mess.

Answer 6

My town is too dumb to start this.  I think if the Feds want to make new jobs, this would be a good start.

Answer 7

Since when don't most Americans recycle? Most municipalities have a recycling program, with separate trash and recycle pickup. I see people's recycle  cans out like they should be on recycle pickup day.

Answer 8

I know many people that do not do it. Infact one person told me that she has so much waste that she puts it in the recycle bin, and she really does not see the point in recycling. When I explained to her briefly the importance of recycling, her reply was "well, its not going to happen in my life time!

I also know people that do recycle. - which is great!

I think it depends on the person, if they care about the world around them =  they recycle. But if they are not aware of environmental/world conditions and do not care to learn then they do not recylce!

if you go other countries you will see the difference, in europe people have been recycleing for many decades. - in "third world" countries peolpe seem to be more aware of environemtnal factors then your average person in America. yes, I kow that seems harsh, - if you do not believe me, do an experiment! see if it is true or not!

Answer 9

SAVE OUR  EARTHQUAKE/TSUNAMI FREE

HELLO

I am S.Riya Subbu. I want to save our Earth with your help.

We are living under the control of Pancha Bhoot ( Water,Air,Fire,Earth, Universe).

Now frequently Earth Quake/Tsunami/Typhoon  is coming  all over World and destroying all Human beings/Livelihood/House/Building/Bridges... Stock  within a second. Also now days Global Warming is going on Alarmingly. Excess Rain/Flood destrying our Life.

Recently Canada  also face Earth Quake Problem. In Indonesia also facing Earth Quake Problem  frequently.

Please you all join with me to save our EARTH.

Do the following simple Systems in your House/Office/Working Place/Your Street/Your Society/Flat.

1.Are you saving  the following items in your House/Office/Work Place?

1. Current

2. Water

3.Petrol/Diesel/Kerosene

4.Gas ( LPG & CNG).

5.White Papper/News Paper

6. Wood

7. Cooking Oil

Note: the above all necessary for Day to Day Life. Please Try to Reduce the usage.

2. Are your Keeping your House free of the following items?

1.Plastic Free. Don’t Store Plastic Bags/Cups/Spoon( for example. Take Cotton Bag with you to market/Shopping)

2.Unutilised items like broken Cycle/Old TV Cover/broken Table/Chairs/Tyres/ Un Utilised/Non Repairable items like Bike/Car/Mixer/Washing Machine/Cooler/Utensils.

Note: Please Dispose this items which is not is use. Sent it for Re-Cycle.

3. What type of Conveyance are you using?

1.Car    2.Two Wheeler  3.Cycle 4.Using Public Transportation/Train

Note: Utilise Public Transportation/Sharing Auto/Car. You can avoid Traffic Jam/Parking Problem.Keep one two wheeler/One Car/One House for each family.( Don’t buy more than that). It will help us reduce Petrol Expenses/Pollution/Parking/Traffic Jam.

4. How many Children are you having

1. one  2. Two 3. More than Two 4. Unmarried

Note: Make one or Two Children only. Give them Good Food/Education/Shelter.

If population is more pollution is more.

5. Are Short out your Cub Board/Wardrobe?

1.Once in a Month  2. Once in 6 Months 3. Not at all doing  

Note: Short out Your Wardrobe/Cup Board/Working Table/House Kitchen free of unnecessary items. Give your Books/Old Pant/Saree/Shirt  to Poor/Needy.

6.What type of Gift are you giving to your Relatives & Friends?

1.Toys/Games 2. Greeting Card  3. Flower Bouque 4.Saplings like Rose/X- MasTree

Note: Please present Flowers/Anthorium Saplings/Rose/Seeds of Different type of Seeds as Gift to your Friends/Relatives.This will reduce the waste of Plastics Paper/Balloon/Wrapper/Cartoon Box.

AVOID

1. Avoid Smoking/Chewing Tobacco/pan and avoid Smoking/Spitting in Public Place. Smoking leads to Health disorder and it is leads to Cancer.

2. Avoid wasting Food in House/Function. If food is excess, please share the food with Poor. Take limited food in your Plate. Do not throw in dust Bin.

3. Avoid dumping Materials in House/Office. Be Plan before buying any Materials.

4. Avoid unnecessary Travels. Be plan before Travel.

5. Pray Rivers. But Do not throw Plastic Bags/Garbage on River. ( I have seen many people are throwing Garbage bag in river. Rivers are very Important for our Life.

6. Do not use Coluring Agent for Hair. It will make eye irritation/Stain in Shirt collar/Pillow Cover/Bed Sheets.

7. Do Simple Marriage. This will help us to save Money/Food/Transportation/ Reduce  arrangements etc.

Please Run Cycle (if your office/School is near to your Hose) for your Health/Wealth.

Running Cycle is keep your Body Fit. Also it helps us to reduce Petrol Bill/Pollution/Weight/Bulging Stomach/Obesity/Gas trouble in stomach and of course reduce your Petrol Bill/Medical Bill.

Please spread this Message to all your Family Members/Relation/Friends/Office Colleague/To  School /College/To your village/To your Society etc

S.RIYA  SUBBU

Please share your suggestion/Views with me thro  e.mail [e-mail]

Answer 10

I don't know ANYONE who recycles by choice. My aunt recycles because she lives in a place that mandates it.

I believe that Americans are too self involved to take anything into consideration outside of their own life. Thus they don't see the "need" because they don't see the consequences.

Americans are the largest consumers of goods/services and the largest producers of waste.

Another interesting observation: the majority of Americans don't believe that bad stuff will actually happen to them or someone that they care about- bad stuff only happens to "other people."  They live in a perpetual state of denial and convenience.

Answer 11

Do you have any real data indicating that most americans don't recycle?  Your opinions and personal beliefs do not count as actual facts.  According to the USEPA, the US recycling rates are as follows:

Newspapers: 87.9%

Corrugated Cardboard Boxes: 72.0%

Steel Cans: 62.9%

Yard Trimmings: 62.0%

Aluminum Beer and Soft Drink Cans: 45.1%

Magazines: 40.5%

Tires: 34.9%

Plastic HDPE Milk and Water Bottles: 31.0%

Plastic Soft Drink Bottles: 30.9%

Glass Containers: 25.3%

Looks pretty good to me.