[RStar]

I'm sorry if any of this has already been said, as I only read about half this thread.

Recycling isn't always better for the planet.

Think about it. Do you know where most of the paper pulp ( like newspaper and cardboard) and steel (like cars) are recycled? From what I hear it's Japan. That's a rather large carbon footprint just shipping it there. Does it save greenhouse gasses to recycle it over mining more? I don't know. Even shipping aluminum cans around the country to recycle adds to greenhouse gasses.

I hear tell that electronic waist like old computers go to some third world country where they process them in a manner that pollutes the environment in ways that wouldn't happen in America.

And what do CFL bulbs do to the environment when tossed out compared to incadescent bulbs? I have no idea, but at least you toss out something like 10 incadescents for every one CFL bulb. And LED is even better when it come to life and energy usage. I use a lot of LED and CFLs. I have switch out of incadescents completely.

So what's one to do?

The concept is the three "R"s.

Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle.

However, I'm more for the first two. I still recycle of course. I'm fortunate to live in a house in Garden Grove where I have three trash cans provided by the city. One for land fill, which I only fill once every three weeks usually. One for recycling (green trash can of course!), and one for yard waist.

Now, I recycle my own yard waist for the most part. It goes into mulch and into my yard. This cuts back the tonnage being hauled around the city for processing, and then shipped back out again as mulch for distrabution. I even use some of my newspaper as mulch in the yard (though I'm considering cancelling and getting my news online to save trees and enrgy there also). I pull any weeds, lay down several layers of newspaper and wet them so they stay down. I trim my plants and put it in the lawn and mow it up. Then I put the chopped up plant matter on top. My sandy soil is made rich, its free, saves me time because it keeps out weeds, and it saves water and greenhouse gasses all at the same time. I've been doing this for 20 years.

I reuse when ever I can. I rarely drink bottled water, and I recycle them when I do. At least those are recycled in America (I think) and they take a lot less energy to recycle than aluminum or glass. I wonder why beer isn't sold in PET like soda. I hate beer in aluminum, so I buy it in glass (only a 12 pack a month any way).

But another big way to reduce our greenhouse gas production is to buy locally made and grown items as much as possible. Buying grapes from the central valley of California (for us Californians) is a better choice that if it was shipped in from south america.

I bought indoor/outdoor carpet from Home Depot for my patio that is made from recycled water and soda bottles. I don't know the impact to the environment, but at least it didn't use new crude oil, just energy to chop, spin, and weave it.

Also, when buying furnature and flooring, bamboo is a good way to go. It save hardwood forests from being cut, and is quickly renewable.

Going paperless on bills, paying online. It saves paper and transportation costs.

So, CP, there are other ways to help out other than recycling. The right choices can help in a big way as well.