# I pit recycling snobs **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 13, 2008, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-recycling-snobs/477010 "2008-12-13T13:55:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2008, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-recycling-snobs/477010/21 "2008-12-13T21:02:26Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > No, an idiot would be someone who thinks bottles are heavier when empty than they were when they were brought home from the store full, and an idiot would make some random point about recycling not being cost effective when I never made any counter point other than the OP is motivated to lug those stinky dangerous bottles home from the store and sit around drinking them but can’t be arsed to put the empties in a separate container due to the hustle and bustle of life, _after_ claiming to _try_ to recycle. That’s like saying “gosh, I _try_ to hit the toilet, but modern life is so busy, sometimes I just can’t!” 😃 > > I’ve read Cecil’s column on recycling, and I don’t recycle when it’s more trouble than I consider it worth. Did you miss the part where the OP said they don’t have recycling pickup in her area, so she’d have to lug those heavy ass broken bottles down to the car and out to whatever recycling station is nearby? That’s where the weight comes in. After high school I barbacked before going to college and a rubbermaid tub full of broken glass is fairly heavy. I can lift it no problem, but if the OP is a petite lady, has a bad back, doesn’t have a truck, or whatever I could see it being a real issue. ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2008, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-recycling-snobs/477010/22 "2008-12-13T21:08:24Z")
In a city near me, people aren’t allow to separate recyclables from “regular” trash, because it’s a union job for a city employee! You can actually be fined! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2008, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-recycling-snobs/477010/23 "2008-12-13T21:12:08Z")
> [@newcrasher](#): > > Hey my search-fu is weak. Can you find that thread? THANKS! [Here you go](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=471334). I think. I just scanned it, but the timeframe and general gist seems about right. [Here’s one Indiana recycling firm closing up shop because, “With the state of the economy causing the worst recycling material resale prices in history, the operation was projected to loose over $215,000 in recycling if continued through the end of the proposed contract.”](http://www.h-ponline.com/articles/2008/12/13/news/0721recycle.txt) [Here’s a panicked group of 'em.](http://www.contracostatimes.com/ci_11222703?source=rss) I wish I could find the story that Yahoo ran yesterday, with a picture of a guy standing in the middle of stacks and stacks of broken down cardboard boxes. He was turning away residents’ drop offs of recyclables, because he couldn’t find a buyer. That article said that the drop in the economy has made the price of recyclables fall so far that the guy in question was having to pay haulers to take his stuff away, instead of taking money for it. I’m not saying recycling is a bad thing; in fact, I think it’s an important habit to get into, so that when we really are scarce of resources, it isn’t so painful to do. And certainly there are areas, like NJ, with special concerns that change the equation. But I think people tend to pat themselves on the back for recycling without reducing and reusing FIRST, and think that because they toss their greasy cardboard pizza box in the blue container instead of the black that they’ve done their part. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2008, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-recycling-snobs/477010/24 "2008-12-13T21:26:03Z")
> [@Lobohan](#): > > Did you miss the part where the OP said they don’t have recycling pickup in her area, so she’d have to lug those heavy ass broken bottles down to the car and out to whatever recycling station is nearby? That’s where the weight comes in. After high school I barbacked before going to college and a rubbermaid tub full of broken glass is fairly heavy. I can lift it no problem, but if the OP is a petite lady, has a bad back, doesn’t have a truck, or whatever I could see it being a real issue. Did you miss the part where the OP is apparently strong enough to lug the full bottles home? Did you miss the part where the OP has time to sit around drinking with friends but the hustle and bustle of life counter-indicates putting empty bottles into a recycling container? Make bringing your empties back part of the routine of buying more. I highly doubt the OP is running a bar or generating that amount of bottles. But who knows? But hey, if recycling is a waste of time money and energy where you live, then don’t do it. and don’t claim you try, and do tell your friend to bugger off and why. I throw away anything that requires more than the merest rinse. That pisses off my SO who likes to let garbage soak in the sink so it can be washed and this is going to somehow save penguins or something. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2008, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-recycling-snobs/477010/25 "2008-12-13T21:32:31Z")
Thanks for the links **WhyNot**. Fairly good thread except for the misinformation from Ralph Wiggums it looks like the thread had a lot of good information. Recycled goods value should pick up again when the economy does and there is a real value to land fill savings that will in some regions at least make recycling worthwhile for that reason instead. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2008, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-recycling-snobs/477010/26 "2008-12-13T21:34:03Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > Make bringing your empties back part of the routine of buying more. Bringing them back to _where_? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2008, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-recycling-snobs/477010/27 "2008-12-13T21:35:48Z")
> [@Green\_Bean](#): > > Bringing them back to _where_? 😕 Many states have deposits on bottles and some few have stores take empties for recycling. Similar to NJ requiring battery sellers to take back dead batteries. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2008, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-recycling-snobs/477010/28 "2008-12-13T21:38:01Z")
> [@Green\_Bean](#): > > Bringing them back to _where_? 😕 Oh, c’mon. Let’s not be daft. The OP’s friend grabs bottles out of the garbage and recycles them. Obviously they can be recycled. I doubt the OP’s friend carefully packages them in UPS boxes and ships them to Sweden. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2008, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-recycling-snobs/477010/29 "2008-12-13T21:46:19Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > Oh, c’mon. Let’s not be daft. The OP’s friend grabs bottles out of the garbage and recycles them. Obviously they can be recycled. I doubt the OP’s friend carefully packages them in UPS boxes and ships them to Sweden. Sadly in some places recycling is difficult. In the town I use to live in, in order to recycle I had load up the back of my car and head over to the township recycling center on a Saturday mornings every few weeks as it was only open on workdays from 10am to 3pm. If a town doesn’t do curbside pickup it can be difficult to recycle. Now I go out of my way to recycle but I understand why many don’t. Most people seem to need things made easy for them or to be motivated by personal decision to do things. ---
**Author:** ![newcrasher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b3f665/32.png) [@newcrasher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/newcrasher)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2008, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-recycling-snobs/477010/30 "2008-12-13T21:51:18Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > Oh, c’mon. Let’s not be daft. The OP’s friend grabs bottles out of the garbage and recycles them. Obviously they can be recycled. I doubt the OP’s friend carefully packages them in UPS boxes and ships them to Sweden. Hey fuckstain, I DO try to recycle, but there is no pick up here and the closest drop off is across town, in a direction I do not often go. You cannot return the bottles to the stores in my state. What do you know about my life or how busy I am to judge me? Cause I have time to have a beer? Fuck off. And bottles/plastics/aluminum are all equally easy/difficult for me to recycle, as they all are taken to the same location. Bottles are no easier than anything else. My friend happens to work near the recucling drop off. But that is not the point. The point is about holier-than-thou obnoxious fucks judging you about recycling. Thank you for providing the underscore. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2008, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-recycling-snobs/477010/31 "2008-12-13T22:05:54Z")
[QUOTE=newcrasher] Hey fuckstain, I DO try to recycle, but there is no pick up here and the closest drop off is across town, in a direction I do not often go. You cannot return the bottles to the stores in my state. What do you know about my life or how busy I am to judge me? Cause I have time to have a beer? Fuck off. [/quote] Well, pick a liquor store on that side of town. Or don’t say you _try_ to recycle and just tell your friend to do your recycling for you, if it’s that important, and you’re too lazy. > [@](#): > > And bottles/plastics/aluminum are all equally easy/difficult for me to recycle, as they all are taken to the same location. Bottles are no easier than anything else. My friend happens to work near the recucling drop off. Then let her do it, 'cause you’re too lazy, or maybe it’s just easier for her, or important to her. > [@](#): > > he point is about holier-than-thou obnoxious fucks judging you about recycling. Thank you for providing the underscore. Us holier-than-thou types are nagging you. You have to decide for yourself: are my friends nagging me because they’re holier-than-thou pricks, or am I a slacker and maybe I should listen? You toss your bottles into the garbage. You could toss your bottles into a recycle bin and ask your friend to take them to the recycling place because it’s out of your way and “oh, thanks so much, here have a beer for your trouble!” There, I’ve uncomplicated your life for you, wanna-be recycler. ---
**Author:** ![Jayn\_Newell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Jayn\_Newell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jayn_Newell)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2008, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-recycling-snobs/477010/32 "2008-12-13T22:13:28Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > Sadly in some places recycling is difficult. In the town I use to live in, in order to recycle I had load up the back of my car and head over to the township recycling center on a Saturday mornings every few weeks as it was only open on workdays from 10am to 3pm. If a town doesn’t do curbside pickup it can be difficult to recycle. Now I go out of my way to recycle but I understand why many don’t. Most people seem to need things made easy for them or to be motivated by personal decision to do things. Not to mention that you have to find someplace to put that stuff until you can drop it off, which can be difficult if you don’t have a lot of room. We take in cans, but that’s about it. I miss having a weekly pickup, it makes things so much easier. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2008, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-recycling-snobs/477010/33 "2008-12-13T22:21:05Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > Well, pick a liquor store on that side of town. Or don’t say you _try_ to recycle and just tell your friend to do your recycling for you, if it’s that important, and you’re too lazy. > > Then let her do it, 'cause you’re too lazy, or maybe it’s just easier for her, or important to her. > > Us holier-than-thou types are nagging you. You have to decide for yourself: are my friends nagging me because they’re holier-than-thou pricks, or am I a slacker and maybe I should listen? You toss your bottles into the garbage. You could toss your bottles into a recycle bin and ask your friend to take them to the recycling place because it’s out of your way and “oh, thanks so much, here have a beer for your trouble!” > > There, I’ve uncomplicated your life for you, wanna-be recycler. Boy you can really be a jerk sometimes. What the hell? I sincerely hope anyone reading this thread tries to recycle and reduce waste, but how well do you think this message looks from your posts? You have some sound ideas, but your delivery really lacks in persuasiveness. I think it usually works better to make people feel good about their actions instead of insulting them for little reason. **Jayn\_Newell** , another good point. When my wife and I were in a one bedroom apartment finding room to store the recyclables was a pain. I got good at crushing the empty plastics and cans to save room. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2008, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-recycling-snobs/477010/34 "2008-12-13T22:29:05Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > Us holier-than-thou types are nagging you. You have to decide for yourself: are my friends nagging me because they’re holier-than-thou pricks, or am I a slacker and maybe I should listen? God, I wish all tests were this easy. ---
**Author:** ![newcrasher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b3f665/32.png) [@newcrasher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/newcrasher)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2008, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-recycling-snobs/477010/35 "2008-12-13T22:49:09Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > Well, pick a liquor store on that side of town. Or don’t say you _try_ to recycle and just tell your friend to do your recycling for you, if it’s that important, and you’re too lazy. > > Then let her do it, 'cause you’re too lazy, or maybe it’s just easier for her, or important to her. > > Us holier-than-thou types are nagging you. You have to decide for yourself: are my friends nagging me because they’re holier-than-thou pricks, or am I a slacker and maybe I should listen? You toss your bottles into the garbage. You could toss your bottles into a recycle bin and ask your friend to take them to the recycling place because it’s out of your way and “oh, thanks so much, here have a beer for your trouble!” > > There, I’ve uncomplicated your life for you, wanna-be recycler. You are talking so out of your ass here it is ridiculous. What could you possibly know about my life, to pass judgement that I threw a bottle in the trash? Are you inferring from that, and from the distance I have to travel to recycle, that I never do it? How could you possibly know that when I do not recycle it is because I am lazy? How could you know the challenges I face every day? The things that get in my way and take priority over daily recycling? How the fuck could you know enough to make that judgement you pathetic twat? For some reason you feel the need to piss on someone and decided to take this opportunity to do it. Well YOU are the one looking like an ass. So move along. You will have to work your fuck-butter into a lather with someone else. You don’t have the information to make the assertions you are making, and I am not interested in sharing further with you. Dismissed. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2008, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-recycling-snobs/477010/36 "2008-12-13T22:58:59Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > Boy you can really be a jerk sometimes. What the hell? > > I sincerely hope anyone reading this thread tries to recycle and reduce waste, but how well do you think this message looks from your posts? You have some sound ideas, but your delivery really lacks in persuasiveness. > > I think it usually works better to make people feel good about their actions instead of insulting them for little reason. > > **Jayn\_Newell** , another good point. When my wife and I were in a one bedroom apartment finding room to store the recyclables was a pain. I got good at crushing the empty plastics and cans to save room. 🙂 Eh. This is the pit. I’m not calling anyone fuckstain. I’m calling people lazy recyclers because they toss their beer bottles and claim they _try_ to recycle but life is too busy, then claim other people are recycling snobs. Maybe they are, maybe they aren’t. Tossing your beer bottles because someone doesn’t come to your door to pick them up isn’t much of an argument for not recycling, it’s an argument for tossing your bottles and “don’t give me shit about it.” ---
**Author:** ![Lyanthya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/aca169/32.png) [@Lyanthya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lyanthya)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2008, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-recycling-snobs/477010/37 "2008-12-13T23:59:44Z")
You know, levdrakon, I don’t post much, but you really are being a condescending ass. ---
**Author:** ![Eats\_Crayons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/278dde/32.png) [@Eats\_Crayons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eats_Crayons)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2008, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-recycling-snobs/477010/38 "2008-12-14T00:06:23Z")
> [@olivesmarch4th](#): > > I really would not invite this person over any more. Last thing I need in my life is someone’s passive-aggressive belittling bullshit. I would think it’s the last thing _anyone_ would need, you included. I can understand if you think her good points outweigh her bad, but this would be a deal-breaker for me. I agree with this wholeheartedly. Her holier-than-thou attitude would result in the demise of any friendship. She is a very poorly behaved guest. Edit: This is NOT a “recycling” issue, it’s a “being a jerk” issue. In my opinion, if the OP was the most deligent recylcer ever seen on this green earth, she’d still fault him for something else. ---
**Author:** ![Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt.Ridley_s_Shooting_Party)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2008, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-recycling-snobs/477010/39 "2008-12-14T00:16:15Z")
The best retort is simply to say “I really don’t give a fuck” when she starts on her crap about recycling, or whatever other fad is currently in vogue. Don’t bother with any passive-aggressive shit. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2008, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-recycling-snobs/477010/40 "2008-12-14T00:21:31Z")
> [@Lyanthya](#): > > You know, levdrakon, I don’t post much, but you really are being a condescending ass. Post less. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-recycling-snobs/477010.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-recycling-snobs/477010.md?page=3)