The case for recycling
 

So my office just "went green" which includes taking away the plastic cups for our coffee vending machine and paper towels from the toilet. Now most of my info on recycling comes from the Penn and Teller show but those guys aren't always 100% with the proofs. Obviously I'm skeptical of any government produced report who's reccommendation is more government power so I'm looking for some independant info on the pro's and cons of recycling certain products using electic hand dryers vs paper towels that sort of thing.

My concern is that little stuff like this doesn't actually help the environment much if at all but it makes people feel good for no reason and stops them thinking about actual solutions to environmental issues. Much like welfare hurts the poor and it stops people worrying about the poor and actually finding solutions to poverty.

Re: The case for recycling
 

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Much like welfare hurts the poor

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Re: The case for recycling
 

I think it has to start _somewhere_. Recycling may not always be the most effective thing yet, but I think the principle is sound enough and we will definitively need it in the future.

Obviously resource management and recycling has much greater scope than environmental issues alone.

Re: The case for recycling
 

I also am limited to the Penn & Teller when it comes to recycling info. However, for those ACist, I would think they would support it as a technological achievement in efficiency for resources. So to recycle would be like being an early adopter, possibly?

Re: The case for recycling
 

Start Here:

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpag...55C0A960958260

Excerpt: "Their intentions were good and their conclusions seemed plausible. Recycling does sometimes makes sense -- for some materials in some places at some times. But the simplest and cheapest option is usually to bury garbage in an environmentally safe landfill. And since there's no shortage of landfill space (the crisis of 1987 was a false alarm), there's no reason to make recycling a legal or moral imperative. Mandatory recycling programs aren't good for posterity. They offer mainly short-term benefits to a few groups -- politicians, public relations consultants, environmental organizations, waste-handling corporations -- while diverting money from genuine social and environmental problems. Recycling may be the most wasteful activity in modern America: a waste of time and money, a waste of human and natural resources."

Re: The case for recycling
 

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I also am limited to the Penn & Teller when it comes to recycling info. However, for those ACist, I would think they would support it as a technological achievement in efficiency for resources. So to recycle would be like being an early adopter, possibly?

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That assumes that there's acually a "problem" with resources.

The fact that you have to pay someone to come get all these "valuable" plastic and paper resources should tell you that this is actually quite *less* efficient than traditional methods of obtaining those resources.

About the only recyclable anyone will actually pay you for is aluminum.

Re: The case for recycling
 

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I also am limited to the Penn & Teller when it comes to recycling info. However, for those ACist, I would think they would support it as a technological achievement in efficiency for resources. So to recycle would be like being an early adopter, possibly?

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That assumes that there's acually a "problem" with resources.

The fact that you have to pay someone to come get all these "valuable" plastic and paper resources should tell you that this is actually quite *less* efficient than traditional methods of obtaining those resources.

About the only recyclable anyone will actually pay you for is aluminum.

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copper, certain steels, car batteries, etc are all recyclable, and you can get paid for them. if you are interested look for a scrap metal place near you, and ask what rates are for what, my little brother makes a ton of money just collecting junk in the bed of his old truck and bringing it to the scrap yard a couple times a month. Everything from old aluminum bbq's to car batteries (2$/pc I think)

Re: The case for recycling
 

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Much like welfare hurts the poor

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LOL, I believe that is a concept a bit above your understanding of the principles of human behavior and economics.
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Re: The case for recycling
 

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And since there's no shortage of landfill space (the crisis of 1987 was a false alarm), there's no reason to make recycling a legal or moral imperative.

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I'm not sure I understand this quote. Yes, there is lots of land in the U.S that is currently unused, but there is still a negative effect that comes from dumping garbage there. I don't think the fact that its not imperative to recycle is enough reason to keep us from doing it.

Re: The case for recycling
 

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Much like welfare hurts the poor

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Read politics forum much?