. . . and I sometimes get funny looks because of it. I'm not weird because I recycle. I'm not weird because I use re-usable shopping bags and re-usable produce bags. I'm not weird because I sometimes ride my bike to work in an effort to reduce pollution (the exercise is great too). I just happen to like the Earth. I'm not extreme. I just believe in doing the little things.
One of the biggest complaints I hear about recycling in Utah County is the cost. It costs $3 a month to have a recycle bin. The complaint is that we pay so that the garbage company or the city or whoever can pick up our recycling and make money off of it when they sell it.
To me, it seems worth it to pay the $3 (in fact, I do pay it so that my brother can have a bin that I use). Of course, I'd rather not pay and it would be nice if I got something for recycling. To some, it isn't worth the cost. This is why I was excited to read
this article by Newsweek.
The article is an introduction to RecycleBank, a company that believes we should be rewarded for recycling. Here's an exerpt:
Wilmington, Del., has seen its recycling rate jump from 3 percent to 32 percent since RecycleBank arrived a year ago. In Everett, where the program launched citywide in July, the average household now recycles the equivalent of 830 pounds a year, up tenfold since the program launched. "The recycling buzz is out there," says Everett Mayor Carlo DeMaria. "It's fun filling that thing up to the top."
Perhaps it's a commentary on the woes of Wall Street, but investors are seeing gold in garbage. With rising demand from markets like China and India, prices for scrap material like aluminum and paper have soared, which makes the economics of recycling more compelling than ever. That's why venture capitalists dumped a record $161 million into recycling firms last year, up from just $17 million in 2001, according to Cleantech Group, a green-investing consultant. And RecycleBank is one of the hottest plays, attracting $40 million from backers like Silicon Valley venture-capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, former American Express CEO James Robinson III and Coca-Cola.
According to the company's web-site, http://www.recyclebank.com/, RecycleBank recycling bins are out-fitted with RFID tags which are associated with each household's account. Upon pickup, the RFID is scanned and the bin is weighed. The weight is then converted to points and credited to the household's account. Points can be redeemed at
participating businesses.
Cool, huh? Unfortunately, RecycleBank isn't yet available in much of the Midwest. However, if it is something you are interested in, fill out
this form and RecycleBank will let you know when the program is available in your area.
The love of my life is my compact heater. It sits under my desk at work. I've thought about getting another for home but I figure I'll save $20 and just bundle up with sock, sweaters, and blankets. I don't know what I'd do without my heater. I use it year-round but especially appreciate it on days like this; days where I wear boots and a hoodie to work but I'm still cold.
. . . and I sometimes get funny looks because of it. I'm not weird because I recycle. I'm not weird because I use re-usable shopping bags and re-usable produce bags. I'm not weird because I sometimes ride my bike to work in an effort to reduce pollution (the exercise is great too). I just happen to like the Earth. I'm not extreme. I just believe in doing the little things.
According to the company's web-site, http://www.recyclebank.com/, RecycleBank recycling bins are out-fitted with RFID tags which are associated with each household's account. Upon pickup, the RFID is scanned and the bin is weighed. The weight is then converted to points and credited to the household's account. Points can be redeemed at participating businesses.