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Re: [greenyes] Zealots
- Subject: Re: [greenyes] Zealots
- From: Sharon_Gates@no.address
- Date: Wed, 26 Feb 2003 08:29:52 -0800
Justin-
Checking "zealot" on thesaurus.com found 17 entries: addict, agitator,
believer, bigot, die-hard, disciple, enthusiast, fan, fanatic, fiend,
follower, freak, maniac, nut, partisan, sectarian, and visionary. I'm
sure you could find something in this list that would capture your
feelings about the subject of your posting. No doubt, the man himself
would choose a different term.
It is challenging to educate the public on the difference between "what is
recyclable" and "what is recycled in your program." I often respond to
such inquiries, and am careful to say things like "you can recycle
name-your-favorite-material in Long Beach's curbside program" or "that
material is technically recyclable, but we don't accept in our curbside
program" or "if you can find someplace to recycle that, please let me
know." So you don't want to disabuse your recycling maniac/visionary to
the notion that a couch is recyclable, you just want to teach him not to
put it into your bin.
How about inviting this person to see your sorting line in action? Maybe
if he understood what really happens to the stuff he puts in the bins,
he'd be more cooperative. He might also realize that the warm glow he
gets from having "recycled" all his discards is an illusion. If more
people understood the difference between "recyclable" and "feasible to
recycle in this area," we'd have a greater base of support for expanded
recycling infrastructure, and maybe more people would pay attention to
more than just the chasing arrows on their yogurt cups.
Sharon Gates
Recycling Specialist
City of Long Beach, California
562/570-4694
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