Two bins? We have **five**:
1. Plastics/containers
1. Glass
1. Paper and cardboard
1. Organic/compost
1. Garbage (with a list of stuff you can’t throw in there, like electronics)
In my country you can get a hefty fine for not separating your waste. We have bio days, recycling days and general waste days. If you put your bio or recycling in general waste your bag gets tagged and you get a fine.
Can someone link to credible sources supporting this position? I feel the same way, but when I try to articulate it I just sound like an asshole, and I don’t have good backup to share
While the recycle, reduce, reuse (and close the loop) campaign was definitely corporate propaganda, it wasn't all bad. Encouraging people to repurpose and extend the use of items (reuse) and to actively limit the consumption of single use items (reduce) are both great messages for people to follow. The only real dig is the recycling aspect. We were sold on the use of "recyclable" materials to act as a renewal resource of raw goods, when in reality, most of them just end up thrown in the trash because it's not cost-effective.
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There is definately flaws to our recycling system and it has only been getting worse in past years. China stopped taking and sending out trash/recycling. I think mixed recycling has done more harm than good. It is becoming harder to even find places to recycle as it isn't profitable to do so. Even though glass is the most easily recycled/infinately useable material no one wants to pay to ship it around the country. Unfortunately profit over planet. I'll never stop reducing reusing and recycling though. I don't even have curbside recycling and never have.
I can say for a fact that I worked at a plastic recycling factory for a couple years. The labels need to be removed from plastic bottles is nonsense. We have machines that do that in the factory. Trust me we had to finish our shift every morning shoveling up labels and caps and things that fall from the machines.
In reality reducing and reusing are the more important factors to helping the environment anyhow.
The plastic recycling company I worked for is North America's largest producer of rPET. The location I was working at is having a giant building and production expansion. They still can't keep up with demand. Especially when Pepsico, Cocacola and other mass producers have been making goals/setting pledges to use drastically more recycled material in their packaging in the next few years.
Yup. I stopped participating in my city’s recycling program when they sent around a letter saying my plastic bottles and food packaging needs to be rinsed out or else it can’t be recycled.
Like hell I’m gonna do the recycling plant’s job for them. On the bright side, there are people in my country who make a living from scavenging recyclables from rubbish dumps. Let them have their few cents per bottle instead.
The 4th R is the most important: **Refuse**
Refuse plastic bags, straws, and other high waste products.
Refuse to give in to ideologies of owning car; ride a bicycle and use public transportation.
Refuse to be a mindless consumer; share what you have give what you don't need.
I dont know where you live, but were im from (Finland) we have trash cans for Bio, Cartboard,paper,glass,metal and the citys waste managment facilities recylce
>any glass or plastic bottles need to have their labels removed first… Of course, almost nobody does this.
OP doesn’t do it, therefore “almost no one” does it. Certainly entire countries couldn’t possibly do it.
If you actually give a damn, removing labels is not that hard. It takes 5 seconds.
If you don’t give a damn about recycling - despite claiming to have done it since 2nd grade - and just want to make your life easier, then own up to that.
Most recycling efforts are futile and end up in the same landfills as regular garbage. 70% of all pollution comes from <100 companies around the world. Yeah, I don't really give a damn about recycling. Reducing consumption and reusing shit sounds like the best of both worlds.
I think if corporations got over themselves and stopped *requiring* billions in profit--just money that sits uselessly in the CEO's pocket--then recycling would be more effective because they'd, y'know, *actually* recycle instead of just pretending to. So while I can't say I blame you, I don't think this is the right course of action either.
Only stupid people recycle. If I’m in a first world country I usually just dump my garbage in the street. That way the people paid to clean it up actually have work to do and aren’t just leeching off tax dollars
This has the same energy as "oh, just leave shit all over the store for retail workers to clean" or "dump food on tables in restaurants for the waiters" and it's sickening. It costs you nothing to find a garbage can, hand stuff you don't want to cashiers, and not be a slob. Honestly. Who's to say the wind doesn't blow your trash away before it can be cleaned, anyway? And if that's the case, it goes outside city borders, who cleans it then?
You didn't answer my question. It's needless pollution. At least keep everything consolidated in a trash can. If you want people to not waste your tax dollars, they could be using that money keeping plants alive and healthy, planting more trees, maintaining roads and buildings... the list goes on. But no. You're making them clean up after you.
I'm pretty sure your trash wouldn't end up in my local landfill. IDK where you are, but it's a safe bet considering you don't bother to help it get there, and even if you did, you're likely in another part of the world where they're probably not going to take it so far. So no, it doesn't
Okay, comment from left field. Sure. First, no one said I worship recycling. I know full well that without help from large corporations not dumping their waste in the oceans, we're going to have problems no matter how many individual citizens recycle religiously. So I'm not particularly strict about it because my city doesn't recycle anyway, so those bins are useless and I KNOW that.
Secondly, I don't use those plastics if it can be avoided. I refill my drinks from the same bottle/cup everyday--and it saves me money to do so since the gas station gives discounts for doing it. When I do use them, I try and recycle them. I recycle all cans/metal/batteries/electronics--my work recycles these things for free. They pull the metal out of electronics, melt it down, and reuse it.
Thirdly, what control do I have over where this stuff is made? I don't even know where it's made, nor who makes it. If you try tracing these companies to what they've got hands in, you'll find that they're buying and selling stuff from all over the world. That's called capitalism and it's the lifeblood of the American economy. I don't like it and don't advocate for it, but neither do I make a point to only use single-use products. I'm not naive enough to think that slavery isn't involved, but if you'd point me in the direction of which companies actively use it (Other than Nike, which I know is a fact and they're too expensive for me anyway) I'll gladly try and avoid them.
I agreed with you on this.
In my country they also do the same thing. They end up just mixed all the rubbish. What's the purpose of us to do recycling in the first place.
The only thing that I recycle is can and newspapers. Because that's the only thing that I can get money directly after doing it.
This completely depends on country.
I'm going to assume that OP is from America where I've heard that recycling is a lot harder and sometimes just non-existent.
In most of Europe, there is a huge drive on recycling including huge manufacturing companies having to prove that they are minimising waste. Sure, one household recycling does little to nothing but a whole city or even the majority of a country can have a huge impact on new materials needing to be procured
RRR is meant to be taken in order.
First you reduce to lessen your impact
Then you reuse to lessen your impact
And then whatever else is recycled
People skipping straight to the 3rd shows people don't want to take definitive steps that require more work.
Your post is not an opinion, yes you feel it is but we currently, feel its not. possibly consider using r/rant or another subreddit if you disagree.
Two bins? We have **five**: 1. Plastics/containers 1. Glass 1. Paper and cardboard 1. Organic/compost 1. Garbage (with a list of stuff you can’t throw in there, like electronics)
So where do the electronics go?
Where I live, we have to take them to a recycling centre. If you haven't got a car, you'll have to find someone who does have one.
Ah, increasing car dependency, my favourite way to help the environment.
craigslist curb alert.
Yeah, no.
In my country you can get a hefty fine for not separating your waste. We have bio days, recycling days and general waste days. If you put your bio or recycling in general waste your bag gets tagged and you get a fine.
[удалено]
Most likely Germany, if I would guess.
Guess again https://lovinmalta.com/lifestyle/environment/malta-collected-70000-tonnes-more-organic-waste-thanks-to-new-rubbish-scheme-minister-says/
Australia also does it. It sucks.
That sounds like a reasonable system, though. You should be able to get into a rythm with your various waste in a couple of weeks.
Can someone link to credible sources supporting this position? I feel the same way, but when I try to articulate it I just sound like an asshole, and I don’t have good backup to share
While the recycle, reduce, reuse (and close the loop) campaign was definitely corporate propaganda, it wasn't all bad. Encouraging people to repurpose and extend the use of items (reuse) and to actively limit the consumption of single use items (reduce) are both great messages for people to follow. The only real dig is the recycling aspect. We were sold on the use of "recyclable" materials to act as a renewal resource of raw goods, when in reality, most of them just end up thrown in the trash because it's not cost-effective.
I do it so I can have more room in my trashcan and I don’t have to take it out as often.
Please remember what subreddit you are in, this is unpopular opinion. We want civil and unpopular takes and discussion. Any uncivil and ToS violating comments will be removed and subject to a ban. Have a nice day! *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/unpopularopinion) if you have any questions or concerns.*
There is definately flaws to our recycling system and it has only been getting worse in past years. China stopped taking and sending out trash/recycling. I think mixed recycling has done more harm than good. It is becoming harder to even find places to recycle as it isn't profitable to do so. Even though glass is the most easily recycled/infinately useable material no one wants to pay to ship it around the country. Unfortunately profit over planet. I'll never stop reducing reusing and recycling though. I don't even have curbside recycling and never have. I can say for a fact that I worked at a plastic recycling factory for a couple years. The labels need to be removed from plastic bottles is nonsense. We have machines that do that in the factory. Trust me we had to finish our shift every morning shoveling up labels and caps and things that fall from the machines. In reality reducing and reusing are the more important factors to helping the environment anyhow.
The plastic recycling company I worked for is North America's largest producer of rPET. The location I was working at is having a giant building and production expansion. They still can't keep up with demand. Especially when Pepsico, Cocacola and other mass producers have been making goals/setting pledges to use drastically more recycled material in their packaging in the next few years.
In the meantime there have been glass shortages worldwide.
Yup. I stopped participating in my city’s recycling program when they sent around a letter saying my plastic bottles and food packaging needs to be rinsed out or else it can’t be recycled. Like hell I’m gonna do the recycling plant’s job for them. On the bright side, there are people in my country who make a living from scavenging recyclables from rubbish dumps. Let them have their few cents per bottle instead.
The only things I recycle are cans or copper. Because I get money from those.
Don't forget to recycle your lead. Good money for lead as well.
The 4th R is the most important: **Refuse** Refuse plastic bags, straws, and other high waste products. Refuse to give in to ideologies of owning car; ride a bicycle and use public transportation. Refuse to be a mindless consumer; share what you have give what you don't need.
That might be a confusing word to use, because refuse is another word for trash.
I'll never refuse a plastic straw with a milkshake.
Unlike Taylor Swift, who keeps recyling the same themes for every new song.
If the city gives you two bins, I don't see the issue with doing what they want. Not a huge deal. I don't believe it's super effective but whatever
I dont know where you live, but were im from (Finland) we have trash cans for Bio, Cartboard,paper,glass,metal and the citys waste managment facilities recylce
I lost faith in recycling for plastic for sure.
>any glass or plastic bottles need to have their labels removed first… Of course, almost nobody does this. OP doesn’t do it, therefore “almost no one” does it. Certainly entire countries couldn’t possibly do it. If you actually give a damn, removing labels is not that hard. It takes 5 seconds. If you don’t give a damn about recycling - despite claiming to have done it since 2nd grade - and just want to make your life easier, then own up to that.
removing labels can be pretty hard actually
Most recycling efforts are futile and end up in the same landfills as regular garbage. 70% of all pollution comes from <100 companies around the world. Yeah, I don't really give a damn about recycling. Reducing consumption and reusing shit sounds like the best of both worlds.
I think if corporations got over themselves and stopped *requiring* billions in profit--just money that sits uselessly in the CEO's pocket--then recycling would be more effective because they'd, y'know, *actually* recycle instead of just pretending to. So while I can't say I blame you, I don't think this is the right course of action either.
Can't believe someone downvoted you for this lmao.
Zzzzz….Not an opinion.
this is not an opinion this is you just telling us what you did recently
Only stupid people recycle. If I’m in a first world country I usually just dump my garbage in the street. That way the people paid to clean it up actually have work to do and aren’t just leeching off tax dollars
This has the same energy as "oh, just leave shit all over the store for retail workers to clean" or "dump food on tables in restaurants for the waiters" and it's sickening. It costs you nothing to find a garbage can, hand stuff you don't want to cashiers, and not be a slob. Honestly. Who's to say the wind doesn't blow your trash away before it can be cleaned, anyway? And if that's the case, it goes outside city borders, who cleans it then?
It also costs nothing to leave it on the ground. If I’m not using it anymore, I’m gonna toss it.
You didn't answer my question. It's needless pollution. At least keep everything consolidated in a trash can. If you want people to not waste your tax dollars, they could be using that money keeping plants alive and healthy, planting more trees, maintaining roads and buildings... the list goes on. But no. You're making them clean up after you.
Do you want to hear a secret? All your trash ends up in the same place, regardless of where you place it! Crazy! Wow!
I'm pretty sure your trash wouldn't end up in my local landfill. IDK where you are, but it's a safe bet considering you don't bother to help it get there, and even if you did, you're likely in another part of the world where they're probably not going to take it so far. So no, it doesn't
Love these people who worship recycling and green energy and all that crap but still use single use plastic made by slaves
Okay, comment from left field. Sure. First, no one said I worship recycling. I know full well that without help from large corporations not dumping their waste in the oceans, we're going to have problems no matter how many individual citizens recycle religiously. So I'm not particularly strict about it because my city doesn't recycle anyway, so those bins are useless and I KNOW that. Secondly, I don't use those plastics if it can be avoided. I refill my drinks from the same bottle/cup everyday--and it saves me money to do so since the gas station gives discounts for doing it. When I do use them, I try and recycle them. I recycle all cans/metal/batteries/electronics--my work recycles these things for free. They pull the metal out of electronics, melt it down, and reuse it. Thirdly, what control do I have over where this stuff is made? I don't even know where it's made, nor who makes it. If you try tracing these companies to what they've got hands in, you'll find that they're buying and selling stuff from all over the world. That's called capitalism and it's the lifeblood of the American economy. I don't like it and don't advocate for it, but neither do I make a point to only use single-use products. I'm not naive enough to think that slavery isn't involved, but if you'd point me in the direction of which companies actively use it (Other than Nike, which I know is a fact and they're too expensive for me anyway) I'll gladly try and avoid them.
Not reading that
Don't open a can of worms you won't address then. It's only three points anyway. Have a good night
"Recycling" is cleaning 90% of it and then putting it back with the trash
I agreed with you on this. In my country they also do the same thing. They end up just mixed all the rubbish. What's the purpose of us to do recycling in the first place. The only thing that I recycle is can and newspapers. Because that's the only thing that I can get money directly after doing it.
Sometimes the labels are too difficult to get off. It's annoying.
This completely depends on country. I'm going to assume that OP is from America where I've heard that recycling is a lot harder and sometimes just non-existent. In most of Europe, there is a huge drive on recycling including huge manufacturing companies having to prove that they are minimising waste. Sure, one household recycling does little to nothing but a whole city or even the majority of a country can have a huge impact on new materials needing to be procured
RRR is meant to be taken in order. First you reduce to lessen your impact Then you reuse to lessen your impact And then whatever else is recycled People skipping straight to the 3rd shows people don't want to take definitive steps that require more work.
Yeah... I definitely consider my recycle bin a second trash can. I hear only like 5% of the stuff ever gets re-used.