On Recycling

Here are answers to some of the reasons given for recycling:

Saves energy - more energy is expended having to transport, sort, clean, and recycle materials. We already have one big, dirty diesel truck that comes by every week to pick up our trash. When a community introduces a recycling program then there will be another big, dirty diesel truck coming by every week to pick up our recyclables. That's two trucks. How is this saving energy and helping the environment?

Saves trees - Trees that are used to make paper are grown specifically for that purpose. We grow potatoes to eat as food. No one is worried that we will run out of potatoes. Likewise, we grow trees to use to make paper. We're not going to run out of trees.

Saves landfill space - We're not running out of landfill space. Landfills also help the environment. Rotting trash produces methane. Methane is collected from landfills and used as a clean burning alternative fuel. If we recycle our trash, there would be no landfills to collect methane from. Not only would we be wasting energy by recycling, but we would be missing out on this free methane fuel. Also, closed landfills can be converted into parks and golf courses. They are not scars on the landscape like eco-maniacs would have us believe. By the way, much of the materials that go to recycling plants end up in landfills anyway.

Saves money - Capitalism is great. If it is worthwhile to do something, you will get paid for doing it. We go to work and do our jobs and get paid for it because our labor is productive. We are accomplishing something. If recycling is worthwhile and productive, we would get paid for it, too. Instead it costs more money. It isn't worth doing.

There is one exception: aluminum. Recycling aluminum is productive. It saves energy, resources, and money. So, you can get paid for it. But even here you sometimes don't have to worry about recycling, it's done for you because it is profitable. Some landfills already sort the aluminum out of the garbage that is taken in.

–J.E. Heath
Enthralled by my wisdom? Get more at per-fidem.org.
Comments? Email us.

Texian Weblog © Copyright 2005, Jason E. Heath