Forget the war on trash, I’m launching a war on noise
The irony of redirecting resources for something that has a perceived savings is never realized by those who think they have the solutions for whatever problems ails society. Especially when the actual price of redericted resources is factored in to create these savings. Such is the case with Wendy Prakop of O’Fallon, MO, a member of O’Fallon Recycling Committee.
It sounds noble, probably heroic to the advocate, who’s waging a war on something. Whether it’s a war on illegal drugs, a war on global warming, or in Wendy‘s case, the “War on Waste”. I doubt however, she’s wearing combat fatigues.
I’m sure Wendy can rapid fire off a repertoire of statistics that on the surface support her “War on Waste”, such as “the steel industry saves 74 percent in energy costs when using recycled materials instead of mining of raw materials”, I’d just like to know who said so, and how those statistics were arrived at. Here’s a different way of looking at that figure: “While the steel industry is saving 74 percent in energy cost when using recycled materials, the mining of plentiful raw materials and the 12,000 jobs lost annually because of using recycled materials, doesn’t measure equally in the cost vs. savings analysis.” If Wendy isn’t citing sources for her statistical analysis I shouldn’t be expected to either. I’ll wager though that 12,000 laid off steel workers who read about this don’t like Wendy very much right about now.
Every week I see thrice as many refuse trucks rumbling up and down neighborhood streets engaged in this recycling nonsense than the normal one that just picks up the good ole trash. But no one has bothered to calculate the infrastructure damage to roads these enormous trucks cause. Along with the energy expended for the plants that recycle. The forest needed to be cut for additional paper for billing all this recycling. The fuel expended in this happy war. And last, but not least, should anyone forget the “War On Global Warming”, what happens to all the emissions released for this ongoing war on the “War On Waste”?
I have one trash can, and all my garbage goes in that trash can. If everyone did the same thing the creation of another landfill will never out cost the imaginary savings supposedly created on the “War On Waste”. Plus it would be a lot quieter on trash day mornings with just one truck rumbling up and down the street instead of three. It’s my own “War On Noise”, and I hope you’ll join me in this effort. Besides, statistics on excess noise say…
Michael G. McCluskey
Manchester
(1 votes, average: 1 out of 5)
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You sorta left some things out, Michael McCluskey. What about the increase in jobs for more trash workers? What about the jobs making trash trucks, maintaining them, and etcetera? The market giveth, the market taketh away. It all equals out but in this case, it makes more jobs, not less and probably better ones than working in somebody’s mine.
The only thing that’s halfway accurate is the trucks tearing up the streets but that’s a governmental foul up. Taxes are collected from trucking companies to maintain the roads. If they aren’t getting there, complain to your congressman who’s probably having dinner with a trucking company lobbyist as you read this.
Mostly, I think Michael might be too lazy to separate his trash. Lots of people are. They’re usually the same ones that throw it out of their car windwows.