Unfortunately, the results from this poll are completely useless. The question is so poorly worded that the choice of responses is not directly related to the question of a national bottle bill.
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Should Congress pass a national law requiring a deposit on all beverage containers?
- Yes, the amount being trashed is getting out of hand.
- No, it takes more energy to recycle those containers than to make new ones.
- Can't decide
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<<<<there have been over 6920 responses, with the results running:
Yes 83%
No 13%
Can't decide 4%
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
My guess is that the result would be very different if the response choices were different.
What if . . .
Yes = We need a burdensome bureaucracy to cripple small businesses, increase the costs of groceries and jeopardize the health of the public.
No = we should encourage more recycling of plastic bottles by lowering taxes on new businesses, supporting tort reform, and eliminating property taxes on machinery and inventory.
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The above is merely an illustration of how a poll can be skewed to achieve any outcome.
When the NFIB (National Federation of Independent Business) conducts a poll of its members, they give the history of the question, a description of the proposal and supply a pro and con debate on the topic. Then the choices are 1) Yes, 2) No, 3) Undecided, and 4) not interested.
I can imagine that people will quote the results of this MSNBC poll and then be dumbfounded when legislation is not passed. Some might even complain of "voting irregularities."
Think it through.
Dan Weisenbach
Vice-Chairman, Ohio Department of Natural Resources - Division of Recycling and Litter Prevention Advisory Council
Weisenbach Specialty Printing Inc.
www.recycledproducts.com
On Wed, 02 Mar 2005 11:41:45 -0500, Christine McCoy wrote:
>
>
> Plastic bottles pile up as mountains of waste
> Americans are guzzling more water out of plastic bottles than ever
> before, but recycling fewer -- in part because so many of the
> bottles are used outside the home.
> http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5279230&&CM=Em">http://g.msn.com/0MNBUS00/2?http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5279230&&CM=Em
>
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