Saturday
02Jan2010
Top 10 Ways To Hack Recyclebank
Sat, January 2, 2010 at 7:51
Or, If I Was The Sort Who Cheated I Might...
The people who run Recyclebank want the world to think their system is foolproof. Why even Ron Gonen, Co-founder and CEO of Recyclebank commented on this very blog but dodged the cheating issues altogether. You see, while Mr Gonen is correct in saying Recyclebank doesn't sell kiosks, he fails to admit he is selling a flawed system.
While Ron Gonen speaks of figures showing an increase in recycling rates in cities who have bought his system, he fails to note any figures that indicate how many pounds of contamination are collected in your city's recycling bins and unless you start putting a lot of pressure on your local elected leaders they'll not be releasing these figures as politicians don't like to be seen with recycled egg on their faces.
To add insult to injury, Recyclebank limits the number of pounds of recyclables you'll be credited with for any given week. This means the most avid recyclers or the recycler who has the occasional bigger than usual recycling week won't get the credit they deserve. If increased recycling is Recyclebank's goal then why would Recyclebank limit how much you can be credited with? One reason-- to reduce cheating. And with that I give you the Top 10 Ways To Hack Recyclebank and scam the Recyclebank system.
10. Glue a brick to the bottom of your recycling can.
9. Leave the lid to your recycling can open during a thunderstorm so the cardboard and paper gets thoroughly soaked. Then pour out the extra water before the truck comes. You see, water weighs roughly 8 pounds per gallon.
8. Drill holes in the plastic tires of your recycling can, fill the wheels with sand and glue the holes shut. JB Weld will do a great job of filling the hole and dries to almost the same color as your plastic tires.
7. Fill a 2 liter soft drink bottle with water and screw the cap back on. The green plastic bottles are better than clear because it's harder to see the water.
6. Be sure to close your old work boots inside the box your new boots came in, then toss the whole thing inside your recycling container.
5. Fill porous containers with mud and let the mud dry before wiping the outsides and tossing them in your recycling can.
4. Steal your next door neighbors' recyclables and put them in your can.
3. When stacking identical containers for recycling, be sure to put something between each container.
2. Bribe the recycling truck driver to look the other way. Actually, if you remain coy he'll probably never notice as he's got lots more containers to empty and really doesn't have time to inspect most of the containers he empties.
1. When walking your dog, be sure to carry a recyclable in which to deposit the doggy do. Then close it up and toss it in your can.
You see, the trick is not to become overzealous about cheating the Recyclebank system. Filling your recycling container with a couple hundred pounds of rocks will probably raise the ire of your local recycling enforcement officers but if you cheat just a little every week the odds are slim you'll ever be caught.
Yes, I know thousands of Americans are in love with Recyclebank and the discount credits you get for doing what you should have been doing all along but while Ron Gonen wants to paint a pretty picture of Recyclebank, your's truly actually works in the recycling industry and catches people doing these very things on a daily basis. Ron Gonen has yet to publicly address the issues I've repeatedly raised and I think you deserve to know the facts and figures before one more city buys into Recyclebank. After all, if Recyclebank's test kiosk was as successful as they claim then why has Columbia University not expanded their own Recyclebank system?
And did I mention how Recyclebank credits actually encourage excessive consumption?
The people who run Recyclebank want the world to think their system is foolproof. Why even Ron Gonen, Co-founder and CEO of Recyclebank commented on this very blog but dodged the cheating issues altogether. You see, while Mr Gonen is correct in saying Recyclebank doesn't sell kiosks, he fails to admit he is selling a flawed system.
While Ron Gonen speaks of figures showing an increase in recycling rates in cities who have bought his system, he fails to note any figures that indicate how many pounds of contamination are collected in your city's recycling bins and unless you start putting a lot of pressure on your local elected leaders they'll not be releasing these figures as politicians don't like to be seen with recycled egg on their faces.
To add insult to injury, Recyclebank limits the number of pounds of recyclables you'll be credited with for any given week. This means the most avid recyclers or the recycler who has the occasional bigger than usual recycling week won't get the credit they deserve. If increased recycling is Recyclebank's goal then why would Recyclebank limit how much you can be credited with? One reason-- to reduce cheating. And with that I give you the Top 10 Ways To Hack Recyclebank and scam the Recyclebank system.
10. Glue a brick to the bottom of your recycling can.
9. Leave the lid to your recycling can open during a thunderstorm so the cardboard and paper gets thoroughly soaked. Then pour out the extra water before the truck comes. You see, water weighs roughly 8 pounds per gallon.
8. Drill holes in the plastic tires of your recycling can, fill the wheels with sand and glue the holes shut. JB Weld will do a great job of filling the hole and dries to almost the same color as your plastic tires.
7. Fill a 2 liter soft drink bottle with water and screw the cap back on. The green plastic bottles are better than clear because it's harder to see the water.
6. Be sure to close your old work boots inside the box your new boots came in, then toss the whole thing inside your recycling container.
5. Fill porous containers with mud and let the mud dry before wiping the outsides and tossing them in your recycling can.
4. Steal your next door neighbors' recyclables and put them in your can.
3. When stacking identical containers for recycling, be sure to put something between each container.
2. Bribe the recycling truck driver to look the other way. Actually, if you remain coy he'll probably never notice as he's got lots more containers to empty and really doesn't have time to inspect most of the containers he empties.
1. When walking your dog, be sure to carry a recyclable in which to deposit the doggy do. Then close it up and toss it in your can.
You see, the trick is not to become overzealous about cheating the Recyclebank system. Filling your recycling container with a couple hundred pounds of rocks will probably raise the ire of your local recycling enforcement officers but if you cheat just a little every week the odds are slim you'll ever be caught.
Yes, I know thousands of Americans are in love with Recyclebank and the discount credits you get for doing what you should have been doing all along but while Ron Gonen wants to paint a pretty picture of Recyclebank, your's truly actually works in the recycling industry and catches people doing these very things on a daily basis. Ron Gonen has yet to publicly address the issues I've repeatedly raised and I think you deserve to know the facts and figures before one more city buys into Recyclebank. After all, if Recyclebank's test kiosk was as successful as they claim then why has Columbia University not expanded their own Recyclebank system?
And did I mention how Recyclebank credits actually encourage excessive consumption?
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Reader Comments (4)
Instead of telling people how to ruin a good system you should discreetly send to staff at Recycle Bank so they can prevent these kind of things.
Brendon,
I've already had that discussion with the CEO of Recyclebank and others who work there but they refuse to admit the truth. The fact is: Recyclebank is a POOR system filled with flaws but your municipal "leaders" fear to admit they've bought into a system that isn't what they'd hoped it would be.
Has anyone actually gotten the haulers to pick up their recycled goods? I registered in NYC, and they don't actually have service there. The RecycleBank website makes it sound so easy, efficient, and automatic. Turns out i have to like call my municipal leaders and haulers and organize them to actually get my recycling counted.
I asked the recyclebank representative, "Well, where do you have service?"
He responded, "You know, a lot of places."
I think this kind of system can only be pulled off by government entities.
John, don't make that call, you'll only live to regret it.Recyclebank's entire business is built upon selling their "services" to local governments and as you and I well know, anything governments pay for, we pay for.
Be afraid, be very afraid!
PS. I just looked at your website and I'm adding it to my blogroll.