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luke
Joined: 11 Feb 2007
Location: by the sea
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Skylace
Admin
Joined: 29 Apr 2006
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
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 Posted: Mon May 21, 2007 1:56 pm Post subject: |
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I try to reuse my plastics whenever I can. Also, any plastic bands that I do have I always cut up. From cola can rings to the milk ones.
There is no recycling program here and that makes me sad. I really wish there would be more of a push towards recycling in the States overall as it would help a lot with this. |
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Marcella-FL
Don't make me pull this van over!!!
Joined: 01 May 2006
Location: KMC, Germany
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| Posted: Mon May 21, 2007 2:34 pm Post subject: |
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| It's a long article but worth the skim if not a full read. The pictures are astounding. Makes you really examine how stringent you are with recycling ... I guess we have to reduce our PLASTIC footprint as well as our CARBON footprint. |
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Aja
Reggae Ambassador
Joined: 24 Jun 2006
Location: Lost Londoner ..Nr Philly. PA
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| Posted: Mon May 21, 2007 2:53 pm Post subject: |
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Good article Luke .....It made me think of when I lived in Hollywood Florida.....on the intercoastal....and all the Manatees ....such beautiful creatures ......But so many killed or nearly killed or badley deformed ....By idiots throwing their damaged fishing lines in the ocean..... Plus all the other horrid things that happen to them.......
heres a nice pic .....
http://www.savethemanatee.org/ |
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faceless
admin
Joined: 25 Apr 2006
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| Posted: Mon May 21, 2007 3:24 pm Post subject: |
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Only about 2 months ago the council here finally provided recycling bins - they've given one wheelie-bin for each 4 houses into which we're supposed to put all our newspapers, glass and plastic, for two weeks. It's a joke. So I only use it for plastics (crushed with lids replaced to create a vacuum which means less space required) and take the rest to the big bins at the supermarket.
I invented a machine that would make the process much more cost efficient, but trying to get that idea heard is like throwing a stone at a tank. I'm surprised there aren't more companies in on it that I could go to because it's a win-win situation if you have the right equipment - people give you their stuff for nothing and you sell it to someone else for a profit. Maybe I'll end up setting a company up myself one day if I can get the backing. |
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Skylace
Admin
Joined: 29 Apr 2006
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
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| Posted: Mon May 21, 2007 3:28 pm Post subject: |
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At least they have provided something. It's a start.
I know where my in-laws live in Braintree they seem to have a pretty good program set up.
The lack of recycling we do really does amaze. Like you said Face, it's a win-win. |
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Lostinthestates
Joined: 28 Feb 2007
Location: Bethlehem, USA
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| Posted: Mon May 21, 2007 3:30 pm Post subject: |
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When I lived in Putney, the council put out one wheelie bin for all recycling! So you were allowed to throw any type of paper in it, any plastic, any cans and any type of glass! I didn't quite see the point in that as it is almost like an ordinary rubbish bin. The recycling in Germany on the other hand is first class! I think people in Germany recycle between 50-70% of their rubbish, while in England I think it is roughly 10%. I did read an article a while back on the BBC website about this and local people were saying they thought it would be a waste of their time as the stuff just gets mixed back in with the usual rubbish anyway. Now that is a lazy arse attitude if ever I have heard one  |
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Skylace
Admin
Joined: 29 Apr 2006
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
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| Posted: Mon May 21, 2007 3:33 pm Post subject: |
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| Lostinthestates wrote: | | When I lived in Putney, the council put out one wheelie bin for all recycling! So you were allowed to throw any type of paper in it, any plastic, any cans and any type of glass! I didn't quite see the point in that as it is almost like an ordinary rubbish bin. The recycling in Germany on the other hand is first class! I think people in Germany recycle between 50-70% of their rubbish, while in England I think it is roughly 10%. I did read an article a while back on the BBC website about this and local people were saying they thought it would be a waste of their time as the stuff just gets mixed back in with the usual rubbish anyway. Now that is a lazy arse attitude if ever I have heard one |
It is great over there Lost. My aunt still lives there and says it's just wonderful. My mother remembers when she was growing up there in the 40s, 50s and when she left in the 60s that it was great. She always said she was shocked when she came to the States and saw they really had nothing. |
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Lostinthestates
Joined: 28 Feb 2007
Location: Bethlehem, USA
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| Posted: Mon May 21, 2007 3:50 pm Post subject: |
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| I think in the States people just have too much - so the lifestyle is much less resourceful and much more wasteful. Just look at how many SUVs there are on the road here. And I think the same principle applies to recycling. I haven't seen any place here yet where you can return packaging to the shop where you had bought the item in, as a way of recycling. I am rather green though it seems |
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Skylace
Admin
Joined: 29 Apr 2006
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
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| Posted: Mon May 21, 2007 3:58 pm Post subject: |
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| We can return our used grocery bags to a lot of the stores here. Which is good. |
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faceless
admin
Joined: 25 Apr 2006
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| Posted: Mon May 21, 2007 4:01 pm Post subject: |
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| that's the thing about all this - it's not about being green when you consider the costs that every consumer has to pay for packaging. The drink 'Irn Bru' is still sold in glass bottles here, the bottle costs about 90p but you get 25p back if you return the bottle. It's just a standard bottle, so I'm sure that same cost would generally apply to any other product that comes in glass. |
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Lostinthestates
Joined: 28 Feb 2007
Location: Bethlehem, USA
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| Posted: Mon May 21, 2007 4:01 pm Post subject: |
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| Skylace wrote: | | We can return our used grocery bags to a lot of the stores here. Which is good. |
That's not bad at all! I usually re-use my bags anyway - so I want to hold on to them  |
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Skylace
Admin
Joined: 29 Apr 2006
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
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| Posted: Mon May 21, 2007 4:08 pm Post subject: |
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| faceless wrote: | | that's the thing about all this - it's not about being green when you consider the costs that every consumer has to pay for packaging. The drink 'Irn Bru' is still sold in glass bottles here, the bottle costs about 90p but you get 25p back if you return the bottle. It's just a standard bottle, so I'm sure that same cost would generally apply to any other product that comes in glass. |
Exactly.
And there are tons of other uses for the plastics. Teachers here will use lots of plastic bottles as seedling planters and other projects etc.
@ Lost-I generally save mine as well. But sometimes I end up with way too many and take them to the store.
I don't think it would be difficult to get good recycling programs going in the States. I know that some towns have great ones. Roswell, NM has an excellent program. But other towns don't. It's a matter of getting together a big enough group of people with influence to get it going. |
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Aja
Reggae Ambassador
Joined: 24 Jun 2006
Location: Lost Londoner ..Nr Philly. PA
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| Posted: Mon May 21, 2007 4:08 pm Post subject: |
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As far as plastic bags from the supermarket.....I bought a few canvas ones from wholefoods and Trader joes ...and just keep them in the car..........
No plastic bags in this house |
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Skylace
Admin
Joined: 29 Apr 2006
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
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| Posted: Mon May 21, 2007 4:09 pm Post subject: |
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| Aja wrote: | As far as plastic bags from the supermarket.....I bought a few canvas ones from wholefoods and Trader joes ...and just keep them in the car..........
No plastic bags in this house |
I started collecting some for that purpose as well Aja. Still trying to get enough together. I get some strange looks when I use them!  |
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