RECYCLING: Another view

I’ve figured out the glass recycling program. I rinse jars and bottles in energy intense hot water so germs won’t grow and pests be attracted.

I carefully place clean glass in a container so it doesn’t break and cause injury. At some point, I load the glass into my car and drive it to a collection site (more energy). Alternately, I can take my daily supply of dirty glass to the collection site without rinsing.

A diesel truck makes two unnecessary trips to pick up the glass, haul it to a crusher and return to the garage (more energy).

A crusher gets paid and uses more energy to crush the glass and make a product with little or no value, destined for a land fill.

Of course, using this product in place of sand (for instance) ignores the energy wasted to this point and the cheaper, lower energy rich sand it would replace.

But I do feel much better.

JOHN McTEAR

Coeur d’Alene