An Update on Recycling

[OldShooter]

For the same reason, you should never vote.

I don't.

 

[Midpack]

My town recently started cracking down on too much recycling. Apparently, many items heretofore "recycled" were actually being rejected by China, and in turn charged the recycling companies penalties, who in turn are threatening our town (and presumably others)with penalties if we do not comply with the stricter standards.

That changed radically in the last two years. In the beginning they were accepting almost anything, but they have their own waste issues nowadays, so they're no longer willing to accept our poorly sorted and/or contaminated recyclable waste streams anymore. It's no surprise that's happened.

While individuals can't do much, imagine if no one used single use plastic bags, single use plastic bottles or single use plastic straws anymore - that would make a dent. I'm not under any illusion that would ever happen - we could collectively do a lot more, but we won't...

 

[Midpack]

Plastic is made from petroleum. It's fuel. Recycling plastic is difficult and inefficient. Burning it to generate electric power is far easier and makes a lot more sense.

Not this again.

Plastic waste to energy incinerators spew dioxins, furans, heavy metals, et al. They still create toxic ash that ends up in landfills, and those high-temp fires emit more carbon than a coal plant. And they distract us from the real solutions, opponents say, which should be recycling and composting, not simply burning. In some places, communities have to supply a certain amount of garbage to a waste-to-energy plant to keep it in the black – which can mean perfectly good recyclables end up diverted to the flames.

 

[Alan]

This past year there has been a lot of publicity on the real fate of exported UK recycled plastics and the supermarkets are changing some of their practices in response to the bad publicity.

Much of the fresh produce is now sold loose and even the single use paper bags for that produce is not available in our local supermarket, instead one uses see through light fibre mesh bags that you buy for 30p and then use many, many times. We keep them with our reusable shopping bags.

We no longer buy milk in plastic bottles, it comes in glass bottles which are collected and re-used. Even the cardboard boxes we buy our eggs in are returned to be re-used by our local supplier.

We use tablets of soap rather than shower gel and have never used kitchen wipes (Most brands contain plastic but the manufacturers are resisting labeling those that do)

 

[joeea]

Perhaps you were being sarcastic, but the math in that instance works, too. Outside of local (very local) elections, your single vote doesn't add up to a hill of beans. How many elections (with over 5,000 people voting) has the winner been decided by one vote?

I agree! I think everyone should heed this advice and not vote. (I may choose to disregard it though, for selfish reasons.) But everyone else - please don't waste your time voting!

Also, I'd like everyone else to begin their Social Security benefits at 62.

Thank you.

 

[joeea]

I don't.

Thank you.

 

[Rianne]

I used to fear someone/family/friend notice I'm wearing the same clothes. That was when I was young and stupid. Now, if anyone mentions "didn't you wear that at Christmas 5 years ago" haha, I'll feel good saying "And I'll wear it 5 years from now, doesn't it look great?" Clothes shopping isn't in my vocabulary anymore. I wear what I have, at least it still fits.

 

[OldShooter]

Thank you.

De nada.

Just out of curiosity, how many Americans will have to skip voting before you believe your vote means anything? For reference, about 140 million voted in 2016. So maybe you have to convince 139,999,900?

 

[joeea]

De nada.

Just out of curiosity, how many Americans will have to skip voting before you believe your vote means anything? For reference, about 140 million voted in 2016. So maybe you have to convince 139,999,900?

Every little bit helps.

When enough people can't be bothered, those of us who actually care will get what we want.