CNN Poll: Is it fair to fine people who don't recycle?

[Gothic Sponge]

I say YES! Asolutely! I can't stand people that won't take the time to help our environment!


http://www.cnn.com/

[stepnw1f]

1. If It Costs Other Tax Payers More When People DOn't

Then Hell Yes. I believe it costs more to clean up pollution so yes it should be a fine.

[7th_Sephiroth]

9. recycleing (ecept for cans) is bullshit

recycling process for paper leaves a nasty sludge, most trees that are made into paper are trees grown on tree farms SPECIFIACLLY for making paper, the paper companies arent cutting down each and every forrest for paper, and its cheaper and more efficent to make new plastic than recycled old plastic, and the food and organic matter in landfills create methane gas wich is siphoned into a power station and used to power homes, buisnesses schools hospitals ect. watch penn & Tellers Bullshit sometome, also theres the gas used by the special trucks to haul the recycled materials to a different facility sometimes up to 100 miles away

[stepnw1f]

11. So Its not Beneficial Environmentally to Recycle Paper?

Does the process do more harm in the long-run? Can you support this with a credible source?

[Kellanved]

17. it is beneficial

It all depends on the grade of paper recycled, but it is far better:
-not nearly all paper is made from tree-farm wood; much of it is still harvested in rain-forests.
-the process of recycling needs far less water and energy than making new paper
-fewer dangerous chemicals are used for recycling
-less pollution (if you've ever seen, or rather smelled, a paper mill, you know what I mean)

[7th_Sephiroth]

18. the de-inking process alone

leaves a nasty inky sludge

[gmoney]

2. no, not really...

lets put those enforcement resources to work elsewhere.

[Gothic Sponge]

8. You're right

The hell with our environment.

[gmoney]

10. It's not a matter of "to hell with our environment"

It's just a matter of impracticality of enforcement...you say we will pay the garbage haulers to go through the trash bags and see if there are recyclables mixed in? Why not just pay them to sort it? And you're giving trash haulers the power to enforce laws and levy fines?

And let's say you catch some guy and fine him $25. He'll just start finding other ways to dispose of his trash. Throw it in his neighbor's bin, or in the dumpster behind the office park. Then, when the neighbor or the office park get fined, they'll protest and it will waste even more time and resources.

And you really want our courts tied up with people contesting their garbage fines?

I just don't see that it's workable. Those enforcement resources should go towards prosecuting industries and power plants that pump TONS of pollutants into the air and water, instead of one guy who didn't recycle six beer cans. Or rounding up stray cats that kill songbirds. Or pulling over drivers whose cars belch black smoke. Or forcing factory farms to responsibly dispose of all the animal waste. Or working to enact envonmental standards in other industrialized countries, like Mexico or China. Or working to stop poachers in Africa, where they're down to like the last 20 or so White Rhinos.

I'm all for recycling when it's practical, but there are still too many reports of trash haulers who throw all the separated trash in together, nullifying recycling efforts. And then there's the idea that the consumer should pay MORE to have recycling services, when presumably the haulers get some payment for the cans, bottles and glass they turn over.

Also, with so many different types of glass, cans, plastics, paper, etc. and the amount of water and energy it takes to sort, transport, manage and clean them for recycling, we may be expending more water and energy than we gain in reclaimed materials. Water and energy are currently in the shortest supply.

That said, personally I DO make the effort to separate recyclables from other trash. But I don't think I should be fined if I screw up and put a can in the wrong bag. And I'm not wild about the idea of my garbage being inspected every week.

I'm also for reduced packaging...and biodegradable packaging. Let's put our legislative and enforcement resources towards reducing the amount of waste produced, or making packaging so that its more readily recycled or even re-used, if not entirely eliminated.

Just because I'm not an eco-terrorist doesn't mean I don't care about the environment. But fining the little guy is NOT the answer.

[stepnw1f]

13. Save the Hubble, but Screw someone's Neighborhood?

[Taverner]

3. Um...I say no

Really depends on the recycling company that does the recycling. Apparently in some cities, most of the recycling ends up in the landfill anyway, and more energy is used in recycling the products than is saved.

On the other hand, some cities do it right. We need a good standard first - recycling alone wont do anything.

And fining people for not recylcing is just plain FASCIST.

[stepnw1f]

12. Not Fascist if its Public, NOT private!

[Raven]

4. I just don't know.

In my town we have to use clear plastic bags at the dump. There is a sign saying that recycling is manditory and that they can search your bags. I hate that! I've been tempted to put some cat litter (used of course) and coffee grounds and other yukky things in a bag and offer to let them search it. I do it because I know it's a good thing to do but I wonder about elderly people and disabled people.

[stepnw1f]

14. It Enforced In Germany

No problems there.

[mongo]

5. Not really.

It would be more fair to charge based on the weight of your garbage - with recycling for free.

I read something a few years back about 1 town that had started to do this. They provided the big roll-out containers and put a bar code on each one. The truck which lifts the container up has a scale attached. The consumer is charged a fixed price/pound of garbage. It made recycling go way up.

[bahrbearian]

7. Every weekend out dumpster at works gets filled up, buy

people to cheap to pay for they own waste. I guess we should just let people litter or dump in vacate lots. To hell with the Environment.

[flamingyouth]

15. That's what we do in Seattle

I actually put our very little garbage in my can each week. Lots of recycling, though, and who knows what really ends up with that. I also compost, which cuts on a lot of food waste.

[stepnw1f]

19. They Do It In Astoria, NY As Well

[Kellanved]

16. that's the way it is handled in Germany

Recycling is free (glass/paper/bio/packaging); the remaining garbage's removal is quite expensive.

[bahrbearian]

6. 51% say Yes.

[HamHocks4Kerry]

20. I recycle, but in my own home. I reuse items for multiple purposes...

From what I learned in a Michael Moore documentary, a lot of stuff sent for recycling actually goes to landfills anyway.