Recycling: The Last Option

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RECYCLING: THE LAST OPTION

For many environmentally conscious citizens, recycling feels like a moral responsibility. And, to some extent, it is. But the obligation you feel to put your soft plastics in the right bin, sort your lids, and save every possible item that can go to the depot, is exactly what the plastic-producing industries want. The recycling of plastic containers started in the 1970s and has definitely helped. But a Greenpeace report from December 2020 stated that half of British Columbia’s waste still ends up in landfills, incinerators, and the environment. Ultimately, recycling is not the solution. It allows the plastic industry to shift the responsibility of plastic waste onto the shoulders of consumers. This strategy enables them to continue production with maximum profit.

We have come a long way since 1983, when Canada implemented its first recycling program, but recycling is still a confusing process for many citizens. Depending on which municipality you live in, different rules apply to particular recyclable items. So, if you do not have a pamphlet that tells you which items go where, recycling can become a perplexing process. Recycling is also a procedure that has to be done right. The cans, jars and other recyclables that you put in the ‘blue bin’ must be extremely clean. Many people don’t know that if one or two items in the bin aren’t clean, all of the contaminated items can end up in the landfill.

Recycling is not the answer to reducing your environmental footprint, or helping to create a sustainable future. The key is for all of us to rethink our lifestyles and choices.

Here are some simple ways to reduce your environmental footprint today:

• Skip putting your fruits and vegetables in plastic bags. They can go directly into your reusable bags when you go shopping (or into reusable mesh bags). • Use cloth grocery bags instead of the ones sold at grocery stores (that break down easily). Or ask for a cardboard box. • Support restaurants that use compostable takeout packaging. • Buy locally grown produce at markets that don’t have any wrap. • If you eat meat, shop in the deli section or at a butcher so your purchase can be wrapped in paper instead of styrofoam. • Only buy toilet paper that is made from 100% recycled materials. • Recycle your gray dish water for your plants and garden. • Buy eco-laundry strips instead of plastic jugs. • When you stock your car with your reusable bags, include to-go mugs for when you stop for coffee. Keep reusable glass straws in your glove box. • Support companies that sell their products in recycled packaging.

Marin D. is 14 years old. She loves books and learning about the world.