Saturday
23May2009
One Recycling Day At A Time
Sat, May 23, 2009 at 7:47
Or, Green Superheroes Gone Bad?
In this, my fifth article in my series, Recycling Isn't Green, I explain the realities of recycling.
While it's true that metals have been recycled for thousands of years, many of today's more modern "recyclables" simply aren't worth the energy required to recycle them. That's why you'll not find privately owned recycling companies in states that don't currently have bottle buy back laws who are willing to recycle plastic bottles and plastic bags. And while I've repeatedly suggested what I believe could become a profitable market for post consumer plastics, until my idea or some other high volume use for waste plastic is developed this isn't going to change.
Asphalt, the stuff roads are made of, is the most recycled product in the nation today as paving companies now have the technology to grind up old roads and turn them into new roads at the point of use but billions of pounds of asphalt in the form of old roofing shingles make their way to landfills and construction dumps every year because the cost of recycling old shingles exceeds the cost of recycling old roads.
And while Republicans are quick to point to "clean coal" and shale oil they completely ignore the potential in Waste to Energy Plasma Conversion-- a clean form of energy capable of turning anything-- even Republicans-- into renewable energy.
RecycleBill used to be a recycling zealot but the realities of working in and managing a recycling business have taught me that recycling can often require more natural resources than not recycling. Metals should always be recycled as the energy required to make new metals and the natural resources saved far outweigh the energy and natural resources that are expended when we don't recycle.
As for everything else: I think we need to continue searching for new options that reduce our energy and resource needs, move towards Waste to Energy Plasma Conversion of wastes that cost too much to recycle, reduce the amount of waste we produce, pay as we throw, shift back to single stream collection of municipal waste and take recycling one day at a time.
Now, I think I'll enjoy a homemade breakfast made from organic eggs from the chickens I keep in my back yard chicken coop made from recycled junk before moving on to restoring the found antique windows and doors I plan to use in my new solar heated and cooled green room made from recovered building materials. When I'm finished I'll post pictures.
Continue reading Waste To Energy Plasma Conversion Explained.
In this, my fifth article in my series, Recycling Isn't Green, I explain the realities of recycling.
While it's true that metals have been recycled for thousands of years, many of today's more modern "recyclables" simply aren't worth the energy required to recycle them. That's why you'll not find privately owned recycling companies in states that don't currently have bottle buy back laws who are willing to recycle plastic bottles and plastic bags. And while I've repeatedly suggested what I believe could become a profitable market for post consumer plastics, until my idea or some other high volume use for waste plastic is developed this isn't going to change.
Asphalt, the stuff roads are made of, is the most recycled product in the nation today as paving companies now have the technology to grind up old roads and turn them into new roads at the point of use but billions of pounds of asphalt in the form of old roofing shingles make their way to landfills and construction dumps every year because the cost of recycling old shingles exceeds the cost of recycling old roads.
And while Republicans are quick to point to "clean coal" and shale oil they completely ignore the potential in Waste to Energy Plasma Conversion-- a clean form of energy capable of turning anything-- even Republicans-- into renewable energy.
RecycleBill used to be a recycling zealot but the realities of working in and managing a recycling business have taught me that recycling can often require more natural resources than not recycling. Metals should always be recycled as the energy required to make new metals and the natural resources saved far outweigh the energy and natural resources that are expended when we don't recycle.
As for everything else: I think we need to continue searching for new options that reduce our energy and resource needs, move towards Waste to Energy Plasma Conversion of wastes that cost too much to recycle, reduce the amount of waste we produce, pay as we throw, shift back to single stream collection of municipal waste and take recycling one day at a time.
Now, I think I'll enjoy a homemade breakfast made from organic eggs from the chickens I keep in my back yard chicken coop made from recycled junk before moving on to restoring the found antique windows and doors I plan to use in my new solar heated and cooled green room made from recovered building materials. When I'm finished I'll post pictures.
Continue reading Waste To Energy Plasma Conversion Explained.
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Reader Comments (2)
When you're finished eating your breakfast, you'll post pictures of the empty plate? :) Just joking. Thanks for these thoughts - they continue to speak up on an important subject that many in our world just don't want to hear.
As for "Waste to Energy Plasma Conversion", I have to admit I haven't heard of this. Perhaps you've already posted about this and I've missed it but if not, could you please create a post that explains this technology?
Ron,
Thanks! I've posted an article explaining W2EPC.. Well, you know how links work,