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Recycling Is Not Always Easy But I am Lucky

June 28, 2010 By 3 Comments

Over and over you hear about how important recycling is and how it is the easiest thing that you can do to help the environment. It should be easy but in all communities that just isn’t the case. Some cities do not have recycling and those that want to recycle have to drive more than one hour to a near by recycling facility. My grandmother, for example, is one person that has to drive 30 minutes one way to recycle because it is not offered by her township, city or county. Reducing or reusing is how she conquers this challenge but if she could only recycle her waste would be slim to none!

 I’m lucky because my county has an amazing recycling program that just upgraded! Luckily I can recycle just about everything (minus a few items), I have curb side pick up and a simple sort process where my items are only required to be sorted into two different bins for pick up. The state of the art design uses shakers, magnets, machines sorting bins and people to sort items.

It was freezing cold and we had to wear hard hats so I'm not looking so lovely!

 I was recently able to tour this amazing recycling facility and see that amount of plastics, paper and glass that comes into the facility and just how the process works. Amazing! The business of recycling isn’t one that is always lucrative because materials have markets that go up and down. Recycling facilities are not exactly cheap to run and operate but it is impressive to see a county and community so supportive and committed to recycling.

 

Do you recycle? Does your community support recycling?


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  • http://www.frazzledcomics.com Wendycomics

    Thanks Sommer. I always wanted to see how recycling is done. It makes me feel better for all the time I put into it on my end.

  • BrittanyP

    Me and my household believe in recycling very much! I must say that we are one the UNLUCKY ones. I live in South Dakota, which is a red state, and it is very hard to be envro-friendly here. My actual town has NO recycling place. The nearest recycling drop-off site is in Nebraska, 30 mile away. But the products they recycle are anything but abundant. They take the basics, newspaper, platics, and aluminum. The next place is about 120 miles away. There facility is a little better, but definitly needs improvement. It is such a struggle to get rid off recyclable around here! But I am determined. Like you mentioned REUSEING and RUDUCING, is an alternatives, perhaps maybe a better one?…And I have to mention that the nearest place to recycle mixed paper is more than 7 hours away! My last resort is just to wait for all the non comman recyclables to build up a little and drive, yes haul them all, to Colorado! ( I must say I am well fond of Colorado) Which is actually a shorter drive. I lived in Durango, CO, for a while, where is was so conveniant, there was no excuse not to recycle! It was a real shock to me when I moved back home. It is also very hard to find organic produce and products in this state.
    But nevertheless, where there is a will theres a way. And I have made it a point of mind to get more poeple involved in my community to recycle. I have made it a goal of mine to transform, at least my local community, into a more “green” friendly place. I have lots of ideas, but dont really know how to get off the ground. Starting small with helping a few families understand the recycling process….

  • Jonesklara6

    What you are doing is great. I also trying to think green but I'm a bit lazier than your grandma so I'm using some of these rubbish removal London companies. And you are completely right I'm lucky to live at that time. Thank you for the interesting article.

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