Tricking people into being EF

GLGB · November 2011

So I was born and raised in the suburbs of Portland, OR and I was just thinking of how how its funny that people tend to have EF tendencies than being EF on purpose.

For instance, my uber-conservative - tire burning (well not really) - non EF parents, recycle like crazy. And its just because thats what you do here. Recycling is so easy (and free) that everyone does it. They put everything in the recycle bin and return bottles and cans.

And everyone uses reusable bags (again, even my parents) because it is so stinking easy. I just think its really interesting how when you live can have such an impact on what people do.

Does anyone else live here or anywhere else like this and notice the same type of thing?

old_time_girl · November 2011

Eh, not here. In Ohio. My own husband when I started dating him would throw trash out the window of his truck be cause he didn't want his truck to get dirty. Huh?
I flipped out on him (It was only our 3rd or something date, haha)

But, yeah, burning trash is the norm here. If you don't want it, burn it. That way you don't have to pay for trash pick-up.

Switzerland87 · November 2011

We actually have a lot of EF initiatives run by the city and local companies. Several of our waste management companies recycle trash, whether it was sorted as recycling or not, and use the rest of the trash to power the waste management plants themselves, so no landfills. Our local buses are also hybrids, and there are very strict laws about littering and land preservation because of all the beaches and protected land areas.

kristin172429 · November 2011

We have a mix here, but the best thing out town did was go to single stream recycling for their town program. When people don't have to sort by each thing, they are much more likely to actually use the program (which is silly, but the numbers are showing it to be true!). There has been a great increase in recycling in our town since the switch. Other than that, there is not much of a "green scene" here in our little world. There are small pockets of people who pay attention to it, but most people just don't care.

nonoemily · November 2011

My partner and I always joke that all native Oregonians are a little bit hippie and a little bit hillbilly.

I also live in Portland, but I spent last year in the southwest, (mostly SoCal, Arizona, and NM) and it blew me away how difficult it is to recycle in some places, or how impossible it can be to find a co-op or some organic vegetables. I really took for granted how easy it is to be EF here. I love the desert, but I missed my home.

When we were driving through southern Arizona, the highways were lined with broken glass and there was always a plastic Walmart bag draped on a cactus somewhere... The entire five weeks I spent in AZ, I never could find a place to recycle my glass bottles. I cannot throw recyclable things away! I. Just. Can't.

But even in Sellwood this summer I watched a kid in a truck throw his Starbucks plastic cup out the window of his truck into the street. I was so annoyed. For as many people as there are who are willing to put out the extra effort, there's always some jerk who litters just to be contrary. Hmm

whatsnextnow · November 2011

old_time_girl:

Eh, not here. In Ohio. My own husband when I started dating him would throw trash out the window of his truck be cause he didn't want his truck to get dirty.
I flipped out on him (It was only our 3rd or something date, haha)

But, yeah, burning trash is the norm here. If you don't want it, burn it. That way you don't have to pay for trash pick-up.

LOL!!! I live in NKY (just across the River from Ohio), and I must say it's the same here as well. DH and I are sure that we're in the total wrong part of the country. At least we do have GIANT bins for curbside recycling here. It does cost extra, but the size of the bin certainly encourages a person to use it (if you have chosen to do it).

JustSomeChick · November 2011

A lot of people in my area recycle just because it's easy, very similar to where you live. I've also seen a lot of people using reusable grocery bags.

Birdies08 · November 2011

kristin172429:
We have a mix here, but the best thing out town did was go to single stream recycling for their town program. When people don't have to sort by each thing, they are much more likely to actually use the program (which is silly, but the numbers are showing it to be true!). There has been a great increase in recycling in our town since the switch. Other than that, there is not much of a "green scene" here in our little world. There are small pockets of people who pay attention to it, but most people just don't care.

I can see why you think it's silly, but our city has very strict requirements for the way we have to sort our recycling. Some things must be in paper bags, some must be in plastic (like batteries, which makes sense), and paper and cardboard must by bundled and tied with twine. I mean, we do it, but life would be so much easier if we could throw it all in one bin. Recycling takes up our whole back entry way and they only pick it up every other week-- I guess my point is, I can see why it's a pain for some people!

Tricking people into being EF

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