IS RECYCLING GOOD FOR THE ENVIRONMENT?

摘要

Recycling is considered "good for the environment," but "it ain't necessarily so." Conservation of resources, energy, air and water pollution, and psycho-ogical and political aspects are often competitive, and what may help in one arena may be harmful in another. Recycling beverage containers into other products may save energy, help toreduce landfill siting pressures, and make people feel better about consuming their contents. Chemical recycling back to monomer is thermodynami-cally enviro-negative, and "closing the loop" is often an environmental handicap, rather than a benefit. The real environmental value of recycling depends on replacement of new material and comparative environmental savings, not on the good feeling we may get from doing it. Unchallenged acceptance of recycling is a diversion from the basic issue of consumption. We can accept "waste not, want not" in principle, but can't yet deal with "drink not, use not, waste even less." We are addicted to consumption and growth, and this cancer is killing us slowly.