Japan reduces garbage by 60%

Wot? They're gonna stop shipping Pokemon re-runs around the world?

/Haven't read article yet.

//Reads article...

Ah so!

Japan already schools the rest of the world on personal garbage reduction and now they are intent on getting even better at it? Good fer them sez Spud. Spud already uses re-usable shopping bags instead of wasting paper or plastic.

Carrying yer own chopsticks sounds like a decent idear too. It would cetainly prolly help the local sushi places out too.

Everything counts in large amounts.

Be Well.

The Japanese should be applauded for this effort. It would be nice to see such an effort to reduce pollution on an individual voluntary basis take root here in America. We seem to be such a 'consumer oriented/instant gratification/think only of today" society that I imagine many Americans view this type of effort with derision and sarcasm.

We are switching to reusable grocery bags, but I'm still driving to the store in my Denali!

"I imagine many Americans view this type of effort with derision and sarcasm."

Give it a little time: we're only a few posts into this thread. Derision and sarcasm are soon to make appearances 'cause they're just jappers y'a know, not god's chosen 'Muricans.

"but I'm still driving to the store in my Denali!"

Posted by _2112

Denali... denial...

Hmmmmm....

Ain't no way that's gonna happen.

***"I imagine many Americans view this type of effort with derision and sarcasm."
MODER8

"Give it a little time: we're only a few posts into this thread. Derision and sarcasm are soon to make appearances 'cause they're just jappers y'a know, not god's chosen 'Muricans."
ZOT***

Only took four posts. Was that derision and sarcasm or just a self retort... or both?

Good for the Japanese. When you stack 130,000,000+ people into an area smaller than the state of California, with relatively few natural resources, recycling and waste disposal jump a little higher on the to do list. Kudos none the less.

Now if they could just reduce the amount of blister packaging they send here.

Clever little bastards, those nippers.

I aprove of this and I don't believe the myth of man made global warming.

Reduce Garbage by 60%????

They gonna start improving their Manufacturing processes THAT much?

OH! The stuff they dispose of-not the crap they ship here...

It would be nice to see such an effort to reduce pollution on an individual voluntary basis take root here in America.

Posted by moder8

don't hold your breath.
It's amazing the kind of crap that is marketed as "disposable" here in the States. Brushes, wipes, tupperware.....
It won't be long before disposable cars come on the market.

On a similar note, why aren't companies like Coke and Pepsi forced to pay for recycling? After all, it was their decision to switch to disposable containers and they reap the profits from this decision. Why do our taxes go to subsidize their profits?

***"On a similar note, why aren't companies like Coke and Pepsi forced to pay for recycling? After all, it was their decision to switch to disposable containers and they reap the profits from this decision. Why do our taxes go to subsidize their profits?"***

Not sure I'm understanding you, why should Coke and Pepsi pay for recycling? And how are taxpayers subsidizing their profits? Not picking a fight, just curious.

We used to have a 5 cent deposit, but I guess it was too much watching people walk around with bags picking cans and bottles up.

Other states with deposits have had a hard time collecting from the companies.

As kids we used to ride along the roads on our bikes and pick up bottles. 5 bottles = 10 cents = a cold bottle of soda at Wherle's Market. And on a hot summer day Don Wherle would let us stand by the door in the AC while we drank it.

My biggest objection to the cans is that tossed into the weeds they make perfect hatcheries for mosquitoes. All you have to do is add enough rain to form a mini-puddle in the can and mosquitoes.

That alone should provide a reason to offer an incentive for collection.

Not sure I'm understanding you, why should Coke and Pepsi pay for recycling? And how are taxpayers subsidizing their profits? Not picking a fight, just curious.

Posted by jwil72

They are the ones who made the decision to switch from deposit bottles, which they then took back, sterilized and then used again, to disposable containers. They did this to maximize profits of course. Now the taxpayers have to pay for recycling to avoid all the litter and landfills that is the result of that decision.

Don't drink Coke. How's that?

Don't drink Coke. How's that?

Posted by Jomama

I don't, which makes it even more frustrating that my taxes go to subsidize their profits.

"...which makes it even more frustrating that my taxes go to subsidize their profits."

Yes. I agree. Break everything. Good plan. Meet me on the quad at 3 and we'll protest.

***"Now the taxpayers have to pay for recycling to avoid all the litter and landfills that is the result of that decision."***

Once the government collects the cans, wouldn't they then sell the raw or recycled product in order to offset the cost. I agree with you that the companies made the switch to maximize profits, which is not a crime, but I'm not sold on the idea that the corporations should pay for the recycling and that taxpayers are carrying a huge burgen because of this. From what I've seem, most recycling takes place at the local/county level. I live in a major metro county that has very low taxes but does have a very large recycling program. I wouldn't mind seeing some figures illustrating the breakdown and burden to the taxpayer.

That's a good point JWIL72, but I imagine the cost of all those trucks and sorting facilities cost offset any money to be made by selling the collections. I'd be surprised if they broke even.