Does the trend of home waste disposal indicate society has learned to recycle? I

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   tsmogposted 8 years ago

   Does the trend of home waste disposal indicate society has learned to recycle? Is there value?
   
   Over the last year I noticed I take my recycle waste bin to the street every week. I take my trash / garbage bin about every 3 weeks now. Less work for me ;-) Have I been conditioned by a new emerging society? Of course I do not cheat and follow the guidelines.

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   Ericdierkerposted 8 years ago

   Isn't recycling and reusing awesome! Wow we are doing so great at it. People should wake up and smell the coffee that was just brewed using a recycled coffee filter. We are doing great and I love it.

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   alancaster149posted 8 years ago

   Here in the UK we're trailing light years behind other countries in the EU in terms of recycling. I'm surprised the Germans haven't got round to recycling the air they've breathed the day before.
   Seriously our Continental cousins started the ball rolling with different bins in the kitchen for different types of recycling. Since we don't live in mansion-sized houses or apartments here in Jolly Old Blighty - especially in our house with its galley kitchen, hardly big enough to swing a mouse - we have to make do with.one binlet for recyclables and a bigger one for 'hopeless cases'.
   Mind you, our borough council, Newham, doesn't help. They've reduced the recyclables collection to fortnightly. So that leaves us with half empty bins for non-recyclables and bags on top of bins, that urban foxes have a field day with on the eve of collection,
   There's a limit on what we can put in the recycling bin as well, this and that but not the other (technology's lacking owing to lack of funds spent instead on non-essential services). Amen

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      Ericdierkerposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Wow -0- I thought it was easy for all developed nations peoples. That is a problem.
      Oh by the by we recycle air here but it really is a stinky

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      alancaster149posted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Depends on what you mean by 'developed'. The only thing that qualifies for that definition here in the good old UKoGB is Bankers' bonuses

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      Ericdierkerposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Sorry to say this but Shame on you as a people.

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      tsmogposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Alan are you more rural where you live too? I have always had that impression. I wonder if here in the U.S. rural affects my impression of recycling because of where I live. Thanks for inspiring to a bit more research. Maybe there is a hub?

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   Nathanvilleposted 8 years ago

   Putting a more positive spin on recycling in the UK, in spite of the fact that I am not a Green person by nature (I like my home comforts) and therefore I’ve been dragged to the concept of recycling kicking and screaming, there is some good progress being made in this area.
   
   To comply with EU (European Union) laws on landfill, since 1996 the Nation Government has imposed a tax up to £80 ($120) per tonne on local governments (Local Councils/Local Authorities) of waste dumped in landfills.
   
   This forces local governments to take recycling seriously, and dump less in landfills; the details of what is recycled and how it’s collected is left to each individual local council.  In Bristol (where I live) just about everything that can be recycled is recycled; and even the non-recyclable waste (as I learnt recently) is no longer sent to landfill sites by the Bristol Council. 
   
   Bristol City Council is a local coalition government controlled by Labour and the Green Party  (two left wing socialist political parties); and with the Green Party holding the balance of power, so not surprisingly, a lot of the local policies have a strong ‘Green’ influence.
   
   Therefore, in Bristol most waste is recycled including all organic waste which is sent to an Anaerobic Digestion Plant to produce biogas and nutrient rich fertilisers; and anything left over that can’t be recycled is burnt in a furnace to produce electricity.
   
   On the downside, as already mentioned kitchens in British homes are not large enough for all these different recycle bins (up to 5 in Bristol); and some of the recycle boxes not large enough to hold all the recyclables.  My solution was to build a long wooden box outside the back kitchen door (against the fence) into which I can place all of the smaller recyclable boxes; with the large general waste wheelie bin sitting on the side of the drive in the front garden.
   
   In Bristol, all recyclable waste is collected weekly, and the non recyclable waste fortnightly; but with so many recyclable waste boxes that don't have lids (except for the waste food bin) foxes and other vermin can be a problem.  But looking on the bright side it's early days and I'm sure in time (with enough complaints) the design of some of the recycling bin boxes will be improved!

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      tsmogposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      I have learned from Alan and your contribution my 'perception' of recycling is tainted. I took for granted my lifestyle and the communal means here were typical. I realize they are not. hmmmm . . . I wonder how to address that with a Hub? Thanks!!

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      alancaster149posted 8 years agoin reply to this

      I live in a numbered district of London, within about 6-7 miles of the City of London. The borough I live in has a tendency to over-pay its mayor and under-invest in essential services (like roads and recycling).

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      Nathanvilleposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Hi Alan, yes our Mayoral elections for London and Bristol are due in May; do you think either of the candidates for London Mayoral, Zac Goldsmith (Conservative) or Sadiq Khan (Labour) hold any promise for doing a better job than Boris Johnson?

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