I did figure something out on my own however. There was a question as to why not all plastic is recyclable. Well it is true for aluminum as well. Ever try to recycle aluminum foil? It’s not done. It is because aluminum foil and some plastics are final generation. I’ve welded aluminum so I know a little heat can make a lot of aluminum just disappear. I’m sure it is the same with a lot of plastics. Polystyrene for one. Aluminum foil and polystyrene are probably made from both waste and recycled material. They’ve gone as far as they can, they are a final product and cannot be recycled or reused further. Glass, I would think, is almost infinitely recyclable.

Wow, thanks for sharing that personal insight into your life. How great would it be to have those drawings to look back on?

I have very little from my childhood here in Edinburgh. Perhaps none. In saying that, I’m moving back to Ireland after the summer where my family live, and my mum keeps all sorts of things from the past.

My most vivid memory of that time was sitting in the play room at the hospital surrounded by the other kids and a few nurses as I drew things on a sketchpad. The nurses would put my drawings up on the walls and by the time I left the hospital they went all the way around the room.

Sorry to learn you lost your home. That must’ve been a tough time. Seems like you made it through, and probably as a stronger person?

I am no longer homeless (thanks to the good Lord and my folks) and have been recycling for about six and half years. It’s become a habit now. I have a little recycling area under the counter – plastics go here, foil there…

I realize that what it boils down to is awareness; I didn’t care about recycling before because in my mind I though What can one person do? And so I did nothing. It took loosing my home to wake me up to a lot of things, including the importance of doing one’s part for the environment.

One person can make a difference. It just takes drive and initiative. Two attributes which are sadly lacking in a large majority of people these days. Perhaps, like Paul, we could all stand to be knocked off our horse.

I’ve heard good things about the recycling system in Australia, so thanks for leaving your comparison. I hope there was a valid reason for swapping the sunshine for the rain. ;)

Trish,

Yep. I’d like to think so (about hiring sorters).

Trish

I’m not sure about that one (councils throwing everything away if different categories are grouped together). I can imagine the mixing happens a lot though. Especially in the problem areas mentioned in earlier comments.