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"Recycling;
is it really worth it?"
  I don't really know? It has been shown from times as early as Plato, 400 BC, that resources were scarce, that archaeological studies show little waste, that dumps reveled little evidence such as ash, broken tools and pottery implying that most materials were recycled at the time. What does this mean to us? Well, it could mean less at the dump, leading to lower removal costs, and what if our waste was worth something? Like the cans and bottles we pay a deposit for? What if someone payed us for the things we use up? Or, what if it went right back into the Earth; ashes to ashes? Both have a very definite value, in one way we get back from what we pay (like most metals), and the other we give back to the life cycle. No matter what we win!

  Recycling has helped in the Great Wars of the past and world-changing occurrences. Countries encouraged people patriotically in World War II to recycle metals and conserve fibers and some of those countries, like Japan, continued to do so.

  In the post-war era recycling took on a new meaning when fuel became scarce and expensive in the 70s, and in 1987 when "The barge that went round the world", the Mobro 4000could not unload it's 3,168 tons of trash environmentalists and the media cited the situation as a waste disposal crises, that land-fills were overburdened, that the trash that were in them were polluting ground water, were creating underground fires and releasing poisonous gases. In all likelihood the Mobro led to the recycling programs of the 80s.

  In a book by William McDonough and Michael Braungart, "Cradle To Cradle" (North Point Press 2002), They stated that, "The triple bottom line has been, and remains, a useful tool for integrating sustainability into the business agenda. Balancing traditional economic goals with social and environmental concerns, has created a new measure of corporate performance. A business strategy focused solely on the bottom line, however, can obscure opportunities to pursue innovation and create value in the design process. New tools for sustainable design can refocus product development from a process aimed at limiting end of pipe liabilities to one geared to creating safe, quality products right from the start." --In other words, we can make everything eather recycable or biodegradable and still maitain the bottem line.

  At first there will be added cost as we delve into new technologies, but as with anything that is new, that is to be expected. As industry expands with continued support cost will decrease (and so will land-fills), and need will increase.

  Now lets talk about energy savings. On average recycling Aluminum saves 95% energy, and 95% air pollution, glass; 30%/20%, paper; 40%/75%, recycled plastics alone save 75% energy usage. Now don't forget recycling cardboard and paper reduces the need to cut down more trees, trees that produce oxygen, oxygen that we breath, (OK, mute point). Anyway, the more we do, the more we will have in he end. Isn't that what it's all about? Saving our Earth to save ourselves? Our children?

  I go to the dump twice a week, no garbage men in this neck of the woods--unless you want to pay--and I see people throw away everything in the main garbage container! It's a damn shame that people can't take the 10 min. that it takes to sort the paper, plastic, metals and glass that already have a place. At home I have a container for each and all I do is pull the bags out of them and I'm ready to go! I mean how, what-- I'm speechless! But, I have to admit a lot more of the people do take the time out to do the right thing, and I think that sentiment is growing all the time. But we have to really get in the faces of those who don't, make it socially unacceptable behavior. You know what I mean?

  One last thing, my Dad is 79 years old and he tells me about the days when nothing was thrown away, you used whatever you had for anything and everything! Because there wasn't much back in the days of the depression and that was it! So he understands that we take to much for granted and the day might be coming that we will be without once again, and not because we can't afford it, because it will all be gone. It's up to us....


Sincerely, Scotty



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