Sunday, June 21, 2015

ReUse v Recycling

Everyone can identify with recycling.  For decades now, people have been separating paper, cardboard, glass, metal, plastic and glass from their garbage so it can be re-manufactured into another product saving hundred of trees and eliminating mining for new, unused material.


But recycling is not the preferred method to keep garbage out of landfills.  At the top of the New York State Department of Environment and Environmental Protection Agency hierarchy is modified consumerism (buy less; use less) followed by reuse (the favorite thing to do at the New Paltz ReUse Center) followed by composting THEN it's recycling.  In order to recycle one forty cubic yard of 

Image result for bales of cardboard photo
cardboard collected at the New Paltz Recycling Center it is necessary to deliver it to the local Materials Recovery Facility "MRF" which is a thirty-two mile round trip, use heavy equipment to push in onto a conveyor belt where it is compacted into 800-1,200 pound bales, then lift the bales with heavy equipment to place it in a truck so it can be shipped several hundred miles away to a broker who finds a buyer/manufacturer to send it to,  NOT the best way to reduce our carbon footprint or keep things local.

Next time you start to fill up the recycling bin, think about alternative uses for your recyclables. Cardboard can be used as a weed barrier in your garden or shred it to add to your backyard composter.  Paper should have both sides used before it is shredded and used for animal bedding. Invest in reusable takeout/storage containers to take to the supermarket or your favorite restaurant to reduce plastic.  It can be the next fun and creative challenge to helping New Paltz reach its Zero Waste goals.

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