Re: [greenyes] Penn and Teller take on recycling

[OrionCA <orionca@no.address>]

On Wed, 28 Apr 2004 12:40:06 -0400, you wrote:

>Does it get more negative then this?
>
>	Thursday, April 29
>
>	It's the ultimate "feel-good" activity. But here's the truth: recycling is
>garbage.
>	The recycling industry creates pollution, has to be subsidized by the
>government because 	it's cost ineffective, and is completely unnecessary.
>Contrary to popular belief, our 	landfills are not running out of space - we
>have enough room to last for thousands of 	years! So how did the bullshit of
>recycling get started? We've tracked down the faceless 	bureaucrat who's
>responsible!
>
>I just watched a clip and they had the average "Joe" running around like a
>fool trying to sort their garbage/recycables while some guy stood behind
>them with a bull horn when they make a mistake.  It looks absolutely awful.
>
>What can we do to respond?  Eric? Jack? I know there are numbers out there
>that prove recycling is cost affective (even in areas where landfill prices
>are low) and creates jobs (more then the auto industry?!

>This is a blow for all of us - and I don't really find it all that humorous.

Always turn a negative into a positive.  Think of this as an
opportunity to raise the level of dialogue on the subject of
landfilling and recycling.  You don't have to disagree completely with
the other side's argument to make your own point, simply add to their
argument to show that yours is the better way.

Fer example, admit that there is probably plenty of room out there for
landfills for foreseeable future - if all we want to use the Earth for
is a garbage dump.  But even if there is "plenty of land", there's not
plenty of WATER and all landfills eventually leak and leach hazardous
chemicals into the ground water, contaminating it.  Land that has been
diverted into landfill usage cannot be safely reused for hundreds of
years, if even then (insert Love Canal slide here).  We're creating
messes that our grandchildren will have to deal with - if they even
can.  Say that we of course know that not all recycling efforts have
been successful but many are and we're developing new technologies to
better recycle and reuse resources in the future.  Then tell people
what you're doing - right - and how you're going to do better in the
future.  

The only effective way to counter a negative message is with a
positive one.  Show that you know what you're about and you're part of
the solution, not the problem.  The people who really care about the
subject will accept that and tune out the 'nattering nay bobs".
--
I'm on a journey in search of myself.
If I get back first, let me know that I'm 
looking for myself and don't let me leave.