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Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Quintessence

Consults with Trees
Staff member
Premium Member
I don't have a disagreement, but I've been told that recycling actually causes more pollution and I was curious to see if anybody else had heard that.

Well, whenever you produce goods, there are production costs associated with that regardless of where your materials are sourced from. Yes, producing glass from recycled waste requires energy, and, therefore, can create pollution. But when it comes to assessing environmental impact, the big picture needs to be considered. That you are eliminating usable resources from a waste pile in of itself is a good thing. Using post-consumer waste encourages less exploitation of virgin resources in the pipeline as well, which is also a good thing. The energy actually used to manufacture recycled products will depend on the producer.

At any rate, recycling is a small part of the phrase, and it's listed last for a reason. The best thing to do to reduce mismanagement of natural resources and improve sustainability is to reduce - to not consume needlessly in the first place. The second best thing to do is to reuse - to make use of produced products that are already available or repair things that are broken instead of insisting on something new. These two should be emphasized an order of magnitude above recycling, and it's why they are listed first. If you want to live green, the number one thing you should do is consume less and consumed used whenever possible.
 

Revoltingest

Pragmatic Libertarian
Premium Member
I think you misconstrue my diabolic advocacy. I am one of those tree-hugging, holier-than-thou fanatics.
I suspected as much!
But I really want to say what I did anyway.

But I'd also like to stress that the average consumer contributes to the problem more by being a consumer than can be alleviated by recycling a bit of the unnecessary stuff he's encouraged to consume.
Aye.
 

The Sum of Awe

Brought to you by the moment that spacetime began.
Staff member
Premium Member
Well, I can't see how it'd make the situation worse. There are various methods to dispose of things without polluting. I personally contribute to Reusing and Recycling, but probably not for the common reason. I reuse things because I'm cheap, and I recycle things because I can.
 

Jake1001

Computer Simulator
What is the difference between reuse and recycle ? Reduce may not be necessary if we recycle, everyone agree ?
 

Revoltingest

Pragmatic Libertarian
Premium Member
I'm working on a program to greatly reduce my replacement frequency for lead acid batteries.
Tis just to save money & improve reliability, but it's also very very green.
Read....
http://www.pulsetech.net/Content/Battery-Recovery-LP.aspx
I use Pulse Tech solar chargers on mobile equipment....not to cut
my electric bill, but because of the convenience of not having to
have extension cords all over the driveway & under snow.

Ain't it great that greed leads to green!
 

VioletVortex

Well-Known Member
Melting down plastic probably creates more pollution than throwing it away...also, people think that they can just make a difference with small lifestyle changes, when really, positivity is what is bringing the world towards its end.

Just let civilization collapse already...that will solve the problem.
 
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