We're always looking for better ways to recycle, and we strive to buy products that are ultimately recyclable. However, every once in a while we hear little whispers in the blogosphere about the big recycling "scam."And we wonder: Is the wool being pulled over our eyes on this issue? This month, we looked to Popular Mechanics for an answer...
This is pretty timely for us -- just last week we read this post at Treehugger: Recycling is Bullshit; Make Nov. 15 Zero Waste Day, not America Recycles Day. In the post, Lloyd Alter writes: "Recycling is simply the transfer of producer responsibility for what they produce to the taxpayer who has to pick it up and take it away." We agree with some of Alter's points; e.g. companies like Coke and Bud and Coors, that produce bottles and cans, should take more financial responsibility for our recycling programs.
But, is recycling really bull$%*t?
Well, Popular Mechanics doesn't necessarily think so. They look at 5 popular recycling half-truths: (Hint: One of these is true. Can you guess which one?)
image via Popular Mechanics
© 2009 Apartment Therapy
Thank you for writing about Alter's article in a sensible way - and bringing the Popular Mechanic's article to my attention (I hadn't seen it). I'm sure you noticed that most of the commentary took issue with the (albeit wonderfully provocative) Treehugger headline, but agreed with the sentiment of the article.
I think it's great too, that more people are adding the "4th R" (repair) into their repetoires.
Cheers as always to AT
view mysoultokeep's profile
"Repair" is an interesting one, mysoultokeep. We have a few broken kitchen whitegoods (blender, slow cooker) that probably just need a small part replaced or something. But it's really hard to find someone interested in looking at this kind of stuff, particularly someone who'll do it for less than the price of a new one. I'm interested in whether this will change in the future and how...
view hughbert's profile
No joke, hughbert, about smaller appliances electronics and the dearth of old-school appliance repairmen. Most of them went out of business once producers implemented planned obsolescence lower price points. That guy who fixed toasters, and possibly shined shoes is no longer to be found - which I find sad.
Depending on the appliance though, you could try a google search for spare parts - KitchenAid's a good brand for that.
It seems like "green" is going to be more than a lifestyle for many of us - it's going to be our main hobby for a while until we learn/re-learn how to do stuff. I'm really digging the whole "mending clothes" movement, especially after something's been air-dried. Wholesome and centering all at the same time. We have lifeskills to learn, I suppose. Perhaps they'll cancel out all the time we spend tethered to electronics of all sorts (I am so not giving up my Ipod - though it has problems too!).
Cheers, and good luck with those little beasts. If you give up, some of those appliance repairmen and handy types work at places like Goodwill and Salvation Army, so at least the broken blender doesn't have to go a landfill...
view mysoultokeep's profile
oops -- missing an "and" here and there -- apologies!
view mysoultokeep's profile
All of which proves that even in a depressed economy, businesses can open and flourish. Some smart folks could learn how to repair things as a business. We will all need it. So many years ago that I won't mention a number, my father had a TV repair business "on the side", before technology took off. I think he made as much with that as he did with his full time job, which was a good job. Not everyone has to be a doctor/lawyer/professor.
Most major cities have business that repair shoes, clothing, furniture and electronics, though. You just have to look.
view JacksonMarie's profile
mysoultokeep: Did you just call "mending clothes" a *movement*? Really?
Wow.
Down here amongst the proletariat, mending clothes has been a way of life since clothes were invented. Please don't act like it's this cool new thing the rich kids just made up last week.
view Jezebella's profile
I disagree with Popular Mechanics when they say we aren't running out of landfill space because we have enough for twenty years. Twenty years is the blink of a gnat's eyelash.
view KarenAnne's profile
Jezebella,
Interesting commentary from a person who uses a Swiffer rather than wring out a mop.
Jackson Marie,
Perfect point -- my only problem with fixing things lately is that plastic molded, snapped together, products are hard to open up and put back together.
How are kids learning about how things work when you can't take apart a toaster, or a radio?
Karen Anne,
Do you remember where they got that "20 years" number -- is that an average? I think it has to be -- landfills are overflowing already and one of our local ones is looking to expand (and it's already too close to a school).
Happy Sunday to everyone.
view mysoultokeep's profile
Excuse me? WTF? Swiffer?
view Jezebella's profile
Great article to use against my non-recycling friends.
Catch Us On: Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn
view aHaModernLiving.com's profile
I like when things catch on again even if they're an old concept. It's not a bad thing right? :)
#1, What does running out of space mean? I know there is a lot of space left to expand but that isn't something we want to do. I think we want to make them smaller right?
#4, Jobs are good right?
I bet number 5 is true
view Lizzykewl's profile