… Presto! I’ll just
plagiarize myself. That’s what happens when one is not only uninspired, but
lazy. I found nothing of interest today and thought of nothing I am in a
position to share, so I’ll recycle an editorial I wrote In September 2008 for
The Register-Mail. I referred to it in a blog post a year ago (Aug. 13, to be
exact), so you’ll note the familiar territory. But it is a passion. Litter bugs
the hell out of me.
 |
| Thought I'd spare you a boring pic of cans and share this sharp bike I saw parked in front of Joe Brock's Barber Shop back in May. |
Refresh your memory…
Last month The Register-Mail published a special section on Living Green. We
highlighted local efforts to be more environmentally friendly. Stories
explained what materials are recyclable and how recycling works around here.
Officials noted that recycling has grown, though participation in the city’s
curbside program has plateaued at about 63 percent.
It’s nice to think that by recycling we’re sparing some landfill space, thus
putting off the costly process of closing one “cell” and opening another. That
saves taxpayer dollars. In the direct payoff category is the city of
Galesburg’s random recycling prize each month. One address is randomly selected
each month for a $25 prize if the residents put a recycling bin out the week
the lottery is conducted. Still, more needs to be done to encourage recycling.
One step in the right direction is a return to the container deposit of
yore. That’s right, pay an extra nickel or dime per bottle/can of cool liquid
refreshment and get your money back when you return the empty.
That’s the way it used to be done, if you’ll recall, in the days before
easily disposable (and recyclable) steel and aluminum cans and the now
ubiquitous plastic bottle. A handful of states have seen the light and enacted
container deposit laws, or “bottle bills” as they’re also known. The results
are encouraging.
According to a 2002 report titled “Understanding Beverage Container
Recycling: A Value Chain Assessment,” deposit states saw a greater recovery
rate for beverage containers — more than 71 percent, compared to about 28
percent in non-deposit states. Michigan, for example has a redemption rate of
nearly 100 percent; it also has the highest container deposit. The Michigan
Department of Natural Resources estimated that in 1990 the state’s bottle bill
was reducing the state’s solid waste by 6 to 8 percent annually.
Our neighbor Iowa is another bottle bill state. According to the Web site
bottlebill.org, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources in 1995 estimated
50,000 tons of cans and bottles were redeemed and recycled through the bottle
bill. That represented 5 percent of the 1 million tons of waste diverted from
the waste stream in 1995.
Bottle bills not only encourage recycling, they discourage littering. Oregon
was the first state to enact a bottle bill in 1971. By 1986 there were 10.
Bottlebill.org notes that seven of those states reported a reduction of
beverage container litter ranging from 70 to 83 percent, and a reduction in
total litter ranging from 30 to 47 percent after implementation of the bottle
bill.
As an alternative to the deposit law, Chicago added a nickel tax to bottled
water this year in hopes of curbing the flow of plastic bottles. Time will tell
if it has an impact — if it survives legal challenges. It already is clear,
however, that bottle bills work. Illinois should join the 11 states that
already have seen the green and pass one of its own.
Today's Stats
Temp: 70 degrees F
Distance: 5.12 miles
Weekly Total: 5.12
Treasure: 5 cans.
iPod Playlist (On Shuffle):
Let Me Know – Eric Lindell
More Than a Feeling –
REO Speedwagon
Teardrops Will Fall –
John Mellencamp
Toxic – Glee Cast
In the Air Tonight –
Phil Collins
Wait – Ben Kweller
(Beatles cover)
Dancing in the Dark –
Diana Krall
Castle Attack –
Robert Kral (Angel TV show soundtrack)
I Can Dream About You
– Dan Hartman
Poor Poor Pitiful Me –
Warren Zevon
Five O’Clock 500 –
Alabama
Baby Come On Home –
Led Zeppelin
Everything Is Comin’
Down – Bo Ramsey
