Recycling

Recycling isn't a way of getting rich. It keeps stuff that dosn't decompose out of landfills.

I don't have a problem with the bottle deposits. I think it gives people who wouldn't otherwise an incentive to recycle their cans and bottles. Not that I wouldn't recycle anyway, but not returning your cans is a good way to blow a lot of good money. Think about it--$2.40 for every 24 pack of cans that you buy. The money can add up. When I was in 4th or 5th grade, my brother and I went around our subdivision knocking on doors to collect cans to set up a memorial fund for some kids who lost their family in a car crash. Over the course of 2 days, we ended up with right around $75 worth of cans and bottles.

Jeff, I am sorry for my earlier comments, your hair is just fine. I had a bad day today.

as far as the topic goes, to each their own, but I have seen footage and read magazine articles that have shown that it is not what it is cracked up to be.

some aspects are good, but alot are a waste.

and yes someone somewhere is VERY VERY rich because we seperate our cans. If you do not believe that than you are extremely naive.

NEXT TOPIC

Wow, after reading this thread, and others I can't believe how different things are done in Ohio and Michigan compared to here in Ontario. Hearing things like "garbage bill" and "additional recyclable fees" makes me thankfun that I live in Windsor. Here all of our garbage, recycling paper, and recycling glass/tin is taken away free of charge. The garbage (unlimited amount) goes out Monday night, and the newspaper and boxes go into the red box and cans/glass/plastic go in the blue box and go out every other Tuesday free of charge. Our taxes cover all of that. Another thing that surprised me in another thread was hearing that you could buy a beer at a movie theatre. In Ontario you can buy beer at The Beer Store, and liquor at LCBO (Liquor Control Board of Ontario) and only those two places (other than bars and restaurants). There are many differences that I never realized.
*** Edited 6/10/2005 7:35:25 PM UTC by Vince982***

Wow, I didn't know that about the alcohol in Ontario. Then again, I'm not old enough to consume it, so I guess it was never critical information.
About the trash/recycling though, it really varies from city to city. Where I live, pretty much everyone I know recycles consistently because the city supplied each house with a special recycling bin for your 1s, 2s, and newspapers. It just goes out on garbage day, and a separate recycling truck comes by and sorts it at the curb. It's easy, free (well...covered by taxes. Nothing is free.), and the only bad thing is that if you accidentally put something in the bin that they don't accept, the sorters will literally throw it in the middle of your lawn. They're supposed to be helping the environment, not littering. ;)

coasterguy76 said:
as far as the topic goes, to each their own, but I have seen footage and read magazine articles that have shown that it is not what it is cracked up to be.

What does that even mean? Not burying trash is bad?

Dave: Yeah, Medina County is pulling about 30% of solid waste out and recycling it, which oddly enough is a higher percentage than in places where the consumer has to separate. Who knew our system would be better?

Chief Wahoo said:
Wow. That is the first time I ever saw anyone try to stick it to Jeff by bashing his hair.

Aside from stupid inferences based on a 90x90 pixel image, you just get used to the fact that some people can't handle it when you make being as sexy as me seem so easy. It's a blessing and a curse.

In the words of a famous little round guy known for his athletic prowess: "Good grief."

Vince, its not so much free of charge as it is free of additional charge. Your taxes cover it, which is what they should do.

When I lived in Grand Rapids we had to buy these stupid "garbage tags" for a buck apiece. then affix one to each bag that got put out for trash.

For our recyclables, we had all sorts of stuff in there but the majority of it was pizza boxes, which for two college (or just out of college) guys can add up to quite a bit over 2 weeks. Especially with a Little Ceasars with $5 hot n ready's right around the corner. One week, we actually had a notice attached to our recycling box telling us that we were to "remove the pizza goo" from the boxes before putting them out. I was just dumbfounded that the guy collecting this stuff A) cared and B) had the time to actually check through the boxes to find pizza goo.

Anyway, that's it for story time today folks.

Vince982, Ya, you guys have it great in Ontario. It doesn't cost you extra for trash pickup because you guys save tons of money by not building any landfills. You just load all your trash onto semi trucks and ship it here to Michigan. :} For those of you who don't know, this is a huge bone of contention with us Michiganders.

It doesn't cost most people extra, USUALLY it is included in your property taxes. You still have to pay for it. As for the exportation of the trash, if Jenny would stop being the brain-dead bink that she is and raise the cost of them bringing the garbage over it'd be fine.

Extra Story Time:

Growing up in Warren we had a voluntary recycling program. Yard waste was supposed to be put into clear plastic bags (probably so they could see it was all yard waste) or you could spend money on the special paper bags. The thing was, if you didn't want to volunteer for it, and just put your grass clippings in a black plastic bag, they wouldn't take it. So much for voluntary.

Grady said:
Vince982, Ya, you guys have it great in Ontario. It doesn't cost you extra for trash pickup because you guys save tons of money by not building any landfills. You just load all your trash onto semi trucks and ship it here to Michigan. :} For those of you who don't know, this is a huge bone of contention with us Michiganders.

lol, actually that trash is compliments of Toronto, about 4 hours north of here, we have a regional landfill. Landfills are good even when they are filled to capacity because near my house there is Malden Park, an old landfill which is now a beautiful park with hills, ponds, and trails to walk through the bush.

Vince, maybe we should put a little detour on the road leading from Toronto to Detroit and make them drop there trash off there in Windsor, LOL. I can't complain to much my Dad was from Canada. :}

MrScott said:
You really DON'T want a bottle deposit law in Ohio. It's a real pain in the arse for the consumer, retailer and distributer. We've have one here in Michigan for several years (decades). Is it better for the enviroment? Yes. Is it better for you, as an idividual? No. Higher prices result (Can anyone say, "$4.00 a 20oz?")

YIKES!

MrScott
*** Edited 6/9/2005 12:00:04 AM UTC by MrScott***

I would have to say that thinking like this really worries me. Do you have any idea how long it takes a plastic bottle to decompose? I think that we really have to start thinking about the environment a little bit more EVEN if it is a little bit of a hastle. I am proud to live in a state where recycling is such a priority.

Dave, I actually remember those returnable bottles from when I was a kid! I would help my parents carry them into grocery and have someone count how many we had. Then right down that number on a piece of paper and give to them to hand to cashier at checkout.

Jerry: Sounds familiar. We usually bought two cases of pop each trip, so our deposits had been paid weeks before: sixteen bottles in, sixteen drinks out.

BPMCH02: Reconsider YOUR thinking as well. It isn't that getting pop bottles out of landfills is a bad idea, it's that bottle deposits on non-reusable bottles are a VERY bad idea. Recycling those bottles is a good idea, but bottle deposits are the wrong way (read: least efficient way) to do it.

Jeff (and others): Something I have noticed. When the trash is hauled out by a commercial waste company, they are far more likely to make use of a separation system than when the trash is handled by the municipality. Indulge me here: I'm guessing that Medina contracts with a commercial waste disposal company for garbage collection. Am I right? :) Separation is expensive to set up, so it's a hard sell for cities, but it apparently pays off in the long run, or the commercial operators wouldn't do it.

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

My city which is Brooklun a surburb of Cleveland is completely indepedent with it's waste management. We have our own little city landfill. Garbage and recylcing is collected via taxes once each week. Recycling is put into a seperate provided yellow bin and newspaper is put into a brown grocery bag.

BPM: Pfft!

I'm not against recycling, I'm against bottle deposits to accomplish it.

MrScott

Dave: Yes, the city contracts with a company to pick it up. It used to be BFI, but they changed to someone new last year. It gets dumped at the county's central processing facility from there.