St3v3M Loc: 35,000 feet

The world's trash crisis, and why many Americans are oblivious
http://www.latimes.com/world/global-development/la-fg-global-trash-20160422-20160421-snap-htmlstory.html

lev29 Loc: Born and living in MA.

TFP.

St3v3M Loc: 35,000 feet

Always. S-

exakta56 Loc: Orford,New Hampshire

In the old days, the 1940's, produce was sold in open lots and still more or less is, at least in my neck of the woods. The hardware business is another story. Where you would scoop out the amount of nails, bolts, nuts etc has been largely replaced with little hard plastic containers. They raise the cost about 25 to 30 percent and leave you with two exciting experiences: how to open the package without maiming yourself and then what to do with the completely unusable container afterward.
On another aspect of this issue: we kids made pretty good candy money by picking up bottles along the roads. Five cents per big bottle in 1950 is today's equivalent of about a buck!!

Opus Loc: South East Michigan

I can only speak for what is happening in Michigan. All new landfills have to have as gas recovery system (turns it to energy), for the last 30 years landfills here have been constructed to protect the environment, recycling is mandatory in many communities and optional in most others. The costs associated with trash removal have increased and anybody who follows local government knows it is an issue. My community has curbside recycling, a recycling center, separate pick up for yard waste (to be composted) and sends every citizen a yearly reminder of what it costs them to throw stuff out.

Cape Codder Loc: Cape Cod

When our town went to pay as you throw, trash went way down and recycling went way up.

As exacta said, we really need to stop a lot of trash at its source, i.e. not wrapping so much stuff in plastic and those horrible packages that are a menace to open.

Keldon Loc: Yukon, B.C.

My wife and I took an extended drive through upper Washington state over the Easter weekend. We were appalled by the amount of trash lining the ditches and tossed over the bank at every single roadside pullout. Mainly beer and soda cans but a huge amount of paper as well.

ricardo7 Loc: Washington, DC - Santiago, Chile

I believe we have already irrevocably ruined this planet. And as long as money runs the show don't expect any changes. Think about that when you vote in November.

lev29 Loc: Born and living in MA.

Are you insinuating that a certain U.S. Political Party hasn't had a candidate, since the 1950s, who might dare to oppose facilitating Big Business in their continuing endeavor to rape the environment as a means of making a short term profit? Sounds "unAmerican" to me! Let me venture a guess: you, too, are a card-carrying member of the NTW non-profit organization. If you aren't yet, consider checking it out at www.ntw.org.

NPR doesn't have words to describe them!

HAGD!! 😜👍🏻😎

ricardo7 Loc: Washington, DC - Santiago, Chile

I think you should re-read what you posted and try to turn it into something intelligible. And what the hell is NTW? National Tire Warehouse?

lev29 Loc: Born and living in MA.

NTW? Why, you never heard of them? :lol:

I discovered them decades ago in the magazine National Lampoon.
NTW stands for ...
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NUKE THE WHALES! ... :lol: 😜

HAGD! :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

ricardo7 Loc: Washington, DC - Santiago, Chile

Ha Ha Ha. I like whales! And I used to like Lampoon too. Especially the Aesop Brothers cartoons.

Collie lover Loc: St. Louis, MO

Look for a number on the container. If it's a 1, 2, 3, 5 or 7 it's recyclable. Items with a 6 can't be recycled. Also if it came on a paperboard backing, that can be recycled. Recycle it along with cereal boxes, soda boxes, baking boxes, etc.

There's a large, very nice recycling center in Kirkwood, MO that I take my stuff to. They take all of the plastics mentioned above; cardboard (corrugated); glass; paper, etc. I usually stop by after working in Maplewood before heading home to Jefferson County.

I also recycle styrofoam. I buy very little styrofoam (no plates, etc.) I have to go a little further to recycle that, but only go about every 6 months or so.

Check to see if you have something in your area that recycles.

Many schools and some churches have bins for recycling paper and aluminium. Plastic bags, which are being banned in California, are taken to my local Wal-Mart. Target and many local grocery stores will also take them.

I remember walking around when I was a kid in the 1950s looking for bottles to buy candy at the local mom and pop store.