Why Recycle At Home But Not When You Are Out?

I took my daughters to the park the other day since it was nice out and they had a bit of energy that needed sapping. As they ran around on the play area I sat and watched people going by, something I must admit I enjoy doing from time to time. Now I don’t know if it was my heightened sensitivity due to last year’s garbage hoarding, or a jackpot time to be there, but I was fairly shocked at what I noticed.

All around me people were throwing plastic water bottles and soda bottles into the garbage. I’m not naive, I recognize that this happens all the time, but what shocked me was who was doing it. I’m the first to say that you can’t judge people by how they look, but when the guy with the “Save the Rainforest” hat and the lady with the “Recycle” shirt (I kid you not and no, they were not together) are throwing plastic in the trash, it makes you think.

I’m going to go out on a limb and say that these two, among others (including a few people I knew personally, who were there) would have recycled their bottles had there been a bin or had they been at home where a bin was accessible. And yet, they didn’t seem to think twice about throwing their bottles “away.” Why?

I’m afraid the answer is the same that lies at the heart of most of the problems at hand–convenience. It’s inconvenient to bring the bottle home with them and then dispose of it, and much more convenient to chuck it in the garbage where they are. I can see that as plain as anyone else can. I guess what gets me is that no one forced them to bring a plastic water bottle to begin with, it was their choice. And yet, they don’t feel a responsibility to deal with their choices once the choice to deal with them becomes an inconvenience.

The bottom line of all this is this. We should all be trying to do our best by recycling and using less in the first place, but that should extend beyond our immediate homestead and out into our lives as a whole.

Why recycle at home but not do so when away from home? Is it less important? Do we get a time out?

Why refuse to bring Styrofoam into your house and then use it at the office? Is it less damaging to the environment?

And why hang at the park with your kids and chuck a plastic water bottle in the trash, when you would have most likely recycled it were you at home?

It just doesn’t make sense.

There are no time outs in the battle to clean up our bad habits and we must all make a stronger effort to walk the walk no matter where we are. We would all be better off to not use these products in the first place, but should we make the choice to do so, we must accept the responsibility to deal with them accordingly. After all, a backpack full of empty bottles may be an inconvenience, but the alternative is much worse.

Dave Chameides is a filmmaker and environmental educator. His website and newsletter are designed to inspire thought and dialogue on environmental solutions and revolve around the idea that no one can do everything, but everyone can do something. “Give people the facts, and they’ll choose to do the right thing.”

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Katherine S.

7:13PM PDT on May 23, 2011

RECYCLE RECYCLE RECYCLE!!!!
WHEREVER YOU ARE!
I make my friends recycle their trash wherever they are, especially at school where there are recycle bin!

send a green star

Darla G.

2:41PM PST on Jan 26, 2011

convenience needs to become obvious to the suppliers of garbage containers... having a recycle box near... are so helpful....

Cindy C.

7:28PM PDT on Jul 31, 2010

Most people throw things in the trash. Next to most garbage cans should be a bin for bottles and cans.Recycling is up to EVERYONE not just people passing by. Parks departments need to do their share.

Katia D.

3:51PM PDT on Jul 23, 2010

Right on! I always carry that sort of thing home with me to recycle or I drop it in someone else's recycle bin if there happens to be one handy - even when it gets me odd looks.

CAROLYON H.

2:09PM PDT on Jul 13, 2010

We here at work recycle plastic bottles and paper we do try to be green every little bit helps

KS G.

2:22AM PDT on Jul 13, 2010

Thanks for the article.

Joyce N.

2:17AM PDT on May 7, 2010

I've decided to TRY and make a difference at work. Plastic bottles from water, soda cans for starters. Have to ask of course, but I'd like to put up a garbage can at the end of every hall, with a recycling sign, and perhaps I can get the ball rolling to make the employees more aware of just how much unnecessary waste is going into landfills.

Trudi G.

10:59AM PDT on May 6, 2010

OK- HOW'S THIS FOR A PUZZLE- WHO IS WORSE, THE IDIOT PUTTING THEIR PLASTIC TAT IN A PARK BIN, OR THE BIGGER ONES LEAVING THEIR PLASTIC BOTTLES, SODA CANS, NEWSPAPERS, SANDWICH CONTAINERS AND WRAPPERS ON THE UNDERGROUND TRAIN THAT I RIDE ON EVERY SO OFTEN???
LET'S NOT FORGET THE SLOBS WHO JUST PITCH THEIR JUNK ON THE PAVEMENT- THE ONLY REASON I DON'T WALK UP AND HAND THE RUBBISH STRAIGHT BACK TO THEM IS BECAUSE THEY MOSTLY ARE TEENAGE SAVAGES WHO TERRIFY THE BEJESUS OUT IF ME.

Ve G.

9:33PM PDT on May 5, 2010

Recycle!!!!

Past Member .

3:49PM PDT on Apr 22, 2010