According to Wikipedia {the free encyclopedia} "recycling is the reprocessing of materials into new products. Recycling generally prevents the waste of potentially useful materials, reduces the consumption of raw materials and reduces energy usage, and hence greenhouse gas emissions, compared to virgin production." The recent discussion concerning global warming has focused primarily on alternative sources of fuel for the purpose of transportation. However, another very important pro-environment tool is recycling. The effort needs to involve more than the consumer and the government. It needs to involve those who sell {and profit} from those products that can be recycled. For example, the manufactures of bottles and cans along with the producers of what's sold inside them as well as the grocery stores that distribute them must take on a greater economic role in the process of recycling. The voluntary "blue bag at the curb" approach is a good start but it relies primarily on the altruism of the consumer.

The question is: does the consumer bear sole responsibility for what happens to a can or bottle that contains the product used? or should some of that responsibility be borne by those who profit from its' use? Are these responsibilities being borne already and are they equitable? Some time ago bottlers would charge a five-cent "deposit" on a bottle to be "refunded" when the consumer returned the bottle. It would seem that this concept could be reoperationalized for a whole host of products. The consumer could clean the bottle or can, return it to the grocery story for a "refund" and the grocery store would return it to the producer then to the manufacturer etcetera each receiving a "refund" along the way. When all parties involved have an economic incentive to participate, recycling will make a much larger contribution towards preserving the environment.

There's simply too much packaging nowadays. I think that the businesses should do more to reduce the waste, like replacing plastic bags with other environment-friendly alternatives. I wouldn't mind paying a bit more if that involves less waste for the landfills.

Don't forget, recycling generates a lot of a very hazardous waste, pollution, uses electricity,and definitely not a good job either - i.e. doesnt pay well, very dangerous to health too ... here in my hometown 10 years and a month ago we had a massive recycling plant fire that released so much pollution into the air, and since then several firefighters died of cancers. Recycling is very expensive, and generally recycled products cost more to the companies, so its not very feasible to the greedy profit-driven corporations. However, I have to give a little credit to the Prophet Al Gore and the whole environmental movement got a huge boost. Lot more people think of environment, but I dont think that its a smart idea to shift the blame to us because we're not the ones who make ridiculous amount of packaging, too much of that dam plastic that is so bad for the environment ...

And the worst part, many plastics are non-recyclable, because they're either too expensive to recycle if they're low quality, or too much work/time to sort, melt, adjust colours, etc. to reuse. Welcome to the plastic age!

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Well, I know that most recycled plastics are chopped up and used for barriers under landfills (In New Jersey, at least). Steel and Aluminum is easily recyclable, and so is paper. Our town has a very good recycle program that gets picked up every Friday by a robot (Seriously). We get a book, which is updated every year, explaining what is accepted (Such as plastics, cans, and paper.)


Magnetonium, you're just an idiot.

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Last edited by Marc Summers on Sep-16-2007 at 13:59

Solution:

All the garbage we dump into land fills needs to be buried underground. We take drills, and drill holes to the underground land fill. As the organic compounds in the land fill break down they produce tons of gases like methane. We siphon these gases out of the underground pit through the drills, and use the gas as energy to power our stuff.

We can also keep recycling

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quote:

Originally posted by Krypton Solution: All the garbage we dump into land fills needs to be buried underground. We take drills, and drill holes to the underground land fill. As the organic compounds in the land fill break down they produce tons of gases like methane. We siphon these gases out of the underground pit through the drills, and use the gas as energy to power our stuff. We can also keep recycling

This is already being done in some places

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quote:

Originally posted by Fir3start3r This is already being done in some places

I know. They need to expand it everywhere.

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quote:

Originally posted by Marc Summers Well, I know that most recycled plastics are chopped up and used for barriers under landfills (In New Jersey, at least). Steel and Aluminum is easily recyclable, and so is paper. Our town has a very good recycle program that gets picked up every Friday by a robot (Seriously). We get a book, which is updated every year, explaining what is accepted (Such as plastics, cans, and paper.) Magnetonium, you're just an idiot.

LMAO!!! "Most recycled plastics are chopped up and used for barriers under landfills" ... wow ... thats very environmentally friendly, oh yeah, and then not even mentioning that you're forgetting leachate factor! 20 years ago this was fine, but not by today's standards.

Yeah, we get books too ... but you dont need a machine to figure out that most people dont even read. Plus there are people who have to work AT THE RECYCLING plant working on all that shit. My dad was one of them. And he developed some serious health problems as a result.

Hahah, I am actually taking an environmental technician program right now, and one of my current classes involves learning about the recycling program ... so I guess the professors are idiots too.

Would be nice to explain yourself instead of calling people idiots ...

___________________
Whenever you go and buy something, you are affecting someone somewhere, be it environment, a person, or a community - you're making a statement with what you buy. So make it a smart choice ... Its a big picture

quote:

Originally posted by Krypton Solution: All the garbage we dump into land fills needs to be buried underground. We take drills, and drill holes to the underground land fill. As the organic compounds in the land fill break down they produce tons of gases like methane. We siphon these gases out of the underground pit through the drills, and use the gas as energy to power our stuff. We can also keep recycling

Ummmm, what about leachate? What about contaminating drinking water that percolates into the ground and then circulates back to rivers and lakes ("Water Cycle")? This idea [of underground landfills] is far fetched and financially not feasable. The amount of garbage simply requires some really massive deep holes with proper insulating materials to prevent any dangerous substances from leaking out and contaminating the ground. Its a proven fact that leachate can contaminate water considerable distance away upstream from population without them knowing it. Though abandoned mines are a good option, but sometimes they dont provide a long-term and environmentally safe options.

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Whenever you go and buy something, you are affecting someone somewhere, be it environment, a person, or a community - you're making a statement with what you buy. So make it a smart choice ... Its a big picture

quote:

Originally posted by Magnetonium LMAO!!! "Most recycled plastics are chopped up and used for barriers under landfills" ... wow ... thats very environmentally friendly, oh yeah, and then not even mentioning that you're forgetting leachate factor! 20 years ago this was fine, but not by today's standards. Yeah, we get books too ... but you dont need a machine to figure out that most people dont even read. Plus there are people who have to work AT THE RECYCLING plant working on all that shit. My dad was one of them. And he developed some serious health problems as a result. Hahah, I am actually taking an environmental technician program right now, and one of my current classes involves learning about the recycling program ... so I guess the professors are idiots too. Would be nice to explain yourself instead of calling people idiots ...

I did explain. Creating a barrier from old plastics prevents contaminants in runoff. I've been involved with the democratic party here in my state for 3 years now. Environmentalism is one of our biggest tickets, especially here by the ocean. I have to meet with lobbyists from many environmental organizations year-round, discussing issues that could make or break the contribution process. If I don't know the issues, we lose contributions, and I lose my job.

But, I guess taking a course that briefly talks about recycling makes you an expert.

Wipe that blank stare off of your ugly ruski face and think once in a while.

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quote:

Originally posted by Marc Summers I did explain. Creating a barrier from old plastics prevents contaminants in runoff. I've been involved with the democratic party here in my state for 3 years now. Environmentalism is one of our biggest tickets, especially here by the ocean. I have to meet with lobbyists from many environmental organizations year-round, discussing issues that could make or break the contribution process. If I don't know the issues, we lose contributions, and I lose my job. But, I guess taking a course that briefly talks about recycling makes you an expert. Wipe that blank stare off of your ugly ruski face and think once in a while.

quote:

Originally posted by Marc Summers I did explain. Creating a barrier from old plastics prevents contaminants in runoff. I've been involved with the democratic party here in my state for 3 years now. Environmentalism is one of our biggest tickets, especially here by the ocean. I have to meet with lobbyists from many environmental organizations year-round, discussing issues that could make or break the contribution process. If I don't know the issues, we lose contributions, and I lose my job. But, I guess taking a course that briefly talks about recycling makes you an expert. Wipe that blank stare off of your ugly ruski face and think once in a while.

Yeah, sure, using CHOPPED UP plastic will prevent leachate, yes, Einstein plus plastic is whats dangerous for the environment

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Whenever you go and buy something, you are affecting someone somewhere, be it environment, a person, or a community - you're making a statement with what you buy. So make it a smart choice ... Its a big picture

Water runoff is a concern, not much as of late with better landfill designs, but groundwater contamination is a bigger issue. I will soon be learning about the role of "chopped up" plastics for landfills, but

For the recycling program in general, as I said before, decreasing packaging and materials in general will greatly decrease waste. Because no matter how much people will go around saying all the good things about recycling (*cough cough*), the consumers cant control the flow of excess packaging. Most companies dont have any contingency plans as to what to do with their materials that are rejected by the society to the landfills. Well, they should. But its just not economical, profits are harder to squeeze in an environmentally-friendly way. And so its our fault then.

Look all around you - everything you see - homes, cars, roads, wires, computers, furniture - within 100 years MOST OF THAT will go to garbage. Think of how much space will be needed for all that ... just think.

Most people still throw out their electronics with normal garbage ... and the appalling environmental effects of that are still to be calculated.

I think clay is a better agent at slowing down leachate, though there are no fesable methods to prevent eventual groundwater contamination other than building landfills far away from many of the current sites in rocky terrains where contamination will be the least concerns as rocks will prevent it.

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Whenever you go and buy something, you are affecting someone somewhere, be it environment, a person, or a community - you're making a statement with what you buy. So make it a smart choice ... Its a big picture