Taking Recycling To The Infinite Difficult Degree

[thesidekickcat]

This article from the New York Times News Service, was in our Oregonian a couple of weeks ago, but I only took the time today to try to find it online, didn't want to purchase it, so here is the free version via Google, on Forest Conservation's Portal.

The article states that the Japanese have lots of categories in which to put their recycling materials, from 10 to 44, depending on location. The people with only 10, also have a 27 page book listing 518 items. I hate to think how much space and time all this would take. And talk about peer pressure, the kids of today here have nothing to worry about compared to peer pressure there to conform to the recycling rules.

Japan's Recycling Categories are many

So the next time you put your recycle bin out to the curb, be glad it is simpler here.

God bless everyone.

[blim]

Wow!!!

In our area, we have to take recyclables 20 mi away to a center, unless we want to pay an extra $4 month (and I've SEEN the garbagemen put recycling bin items in the regular garbage truck, no thank you to the waste disposal recycling service!) So I just recycle newspapers in the winter (vegetable garden path mulch in summer) and those "evil" milk and juice jugs. TRY not to use too many cans or glass. But we are so limited with what we can recycle, Japan actually has a great idea (lipstick tubes? garbage here!) I especially liked how the husband was blamed for bad recycling I'm lucky if I can get mine to take the trash to the can!!

When I was in Denmark, there were recycling "depositories" in every neighborhood within walking distance (looked like big orange outhouses). Sure wish we had those here in MI!

Liz

[martymas]

japan is a very small country.

with over 100.000.000 people .

and that rubish has to go somewhere .

and recycling is the only answer

other wise theyd be up to there necks in s------t

in my country there are 2 islands

and the island i live on is twice as big as japan

so you can see the comparison in size .

tho we are rubbish concious .

it is a world wide problem .

my contention is we shouldnt be worrie about the bomb .

but garbage is the world wide worry.

big biznees could help by packaging.

reusable bags or disposable packaging.

we have one company who makes building bricks out of

certain typs of rubbish.

so i feel the japanese are on the right track.

weather we like it or not.

bugger having plastic bottles comming out of our ears.

marty

[marko_tomas13]

Wow so many categories....

For me it is in one of two bins....paper/cardboard ect or glass, plastic ect..

[bozodog]

Check out the recycled plastic outdoor deck boards! Old milk jugs, wood and paper made into maintanence free decking... We have come a long way to reusing our refuge.

Keep recycling folks... the good earth needs all the help it can get.

[thesidekickcat]

Here is an interesting story of one person making a huge difference in our community. His vision to reuse building parts, lumber, windows, cabinets, sinks, tubs, etc has saved a lot of older materials from going to the dump. Also saves money for those of us who want old stuff to fix up old houses. Every community needs something like this. I wish the story had the photos of the unique building, especially the variety of windows styles, that was in the Oregonian paper.

ReBuilding Center

This next link is to our Metro government's recycling info page that has many good links of what we can recycle at curb, and elsewhere, and how to use more natural products in the home and yard. We are very fortunate in this area to be able to recycle many many things, and our area recycling percentages are quite good. One of the best in the country last I heard. Though there is alot more to be done, especially for apartment complexes.

Metro (Portland Oregon area) Recycling Info

Personally we recycle alot, to many things to list individually. And we reuse, or give away unwanted things, buy quality if it will make a difference in longevity of product or in energy efficiency, buy many things second hand, and share plants and produce with neighbors and friends etc.. It is just a lifestyle for us for most of our lives to stretch money and goods as far as possible.

One of the good things about this area is it is very "cool or hip" for lack of a better name, to recycle stuff, and has been for many many years, starting with the Oregon bottle bill I think, and the 70's hippies movement, and expanded to ordinary citizens doing what they can to make a difference.

Yes those recycled plastics into deck boards, etc are better for your deck and health then the terrible chemicals used in pressure treated lumber. Never put any of the pressure treated lumber near kids use, or near edible garden plants, as the chemicals leach into the soil and produce.

The only concern I have with recycling stuff is how to make sure it is truly recycled? There have been some terrible expose's of how bad it can be when misused. Such as plastic milk jugs, and other stuff, shipped to the Phillipines or Thailand etc and put in their dumps. How to verify that this is not happening anymore is hard to find the truth out.

Gotta run, hubby is calling me to do something. Bye.

God bless everyone.