• Question: Why do people see recycling as a chore when it could benefit our world?

    Asked by flissboo to Claire, Kate, Matt, Rob, Sam on 24 Jun 2013.
    • Photo: Sam Geen

      Sam Geen answered on 24 Jun 2013:

      Because it’s effort, and because people don’t see the effect immediately. People sometimes don’t like believing things that will happen in decades from now but will stop them being richer now. One problem in the USA is that its politics has been taken over by “movement conservatism” – a group of rich people who want to change politics to benefit them rather than everyone else. These people don’t want to stop global warming because it would cost money, so they pretend it isn’t happening. Not all conservatives believe this, of course – in fact the first British politician to mention global warming was Margaret Thatcher (who started out as a chemist).

      Again, it’s hard to persuade people to do something now that won’t benefit them until a few decades later. We just have to keep trying.

    • Photo: Claire Lee

      Claire Lee answered on 24 Jun 2013:

      Yup, it does take effort.

      Some places actually collect the recycling from your house, along with (but separate to) your normal rubbish. But most places you have to take it to the recycle place yourself. I keep all boxes, glass, and recyclable plastic to take to the dump, but it is annoying to have that stuff stacking up for a while until I can take it away.

      And as Sam says, there’s no immediate effect. (though one thing rubbish companies in Germany have started doing is charging you on the weight of your rubbish. Suddenly recycling those 6 wine bottles makes a bit more sense!)

      Fun fact: last year, Sweden, known for recycling, had to import waste from Norway because it didn’t have enough! (Sweden burns waste for power)
      http://newswatch.nationalgeographic.com/2013/01/04/sweden-needs-more-trash/

    • Photo: Matthew Pankhurst

      Matthew Pankhurst answered on 25 Jun 2013:

      Yes it’s hard to get everyone to see the long term benefits. As scientists we have to keep trying! Maybe you can come up with a way of making recycling fun?! Or making it competetive so there is more instant reward? Or maybe we could install chocolate dispensers where the public could go and put their recyclable rubbish in…. and they’d get a little chocolate… But you’re right, benefitting our world should be reason enough!

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