Writers:

Why Would an Eco-Chick Not Recycle?

Posted on June 24, 2008 at noon by Jill.

Because she can't.

By the end of this summer, Chicago's only city-wide recycling program will be finished. No more blue bag recycling. You can sort your recyclables all you like into any color of bag you choose, but they're headed for quiet death in the landfill, never to be seen or used again.

My ward is not slated to get the new cart system in place in 2008. No date is promised. The blue carts won't be rolled out across the whole city for THREE MORE YEARS.

In the meantime, that's a lot of aluminum I'm going be sending to be buried in the landfill. Thirty-six months' worth of Diet Coke cans.

Comments (9):

Lori commented, on June 9, 2008 at 3:15 p.m.:

You can recycle, just not from home. There are bins in front of the Nature Museum; or if you look online you can find other places to bring your Diet Coke cans. The city that calls itself the greenest makes it difficult, but it's not impossible.

Caroline commented, on June 18, 2008 at 9:24 p.m.:

Speaking of which... does anyone know where I can recycle plastics #3-7? I can bring #1 & #2 to my local recycling center (at North Park Village), but I am tired of throwing away all the rest because I don't know where to take them.

Stephenie commented, on June 21, 2008 at 2:18 p.m.:

Caroline, the bin in front of the Museum that Lori references will accept numbers 1-5 and 7. Not #6, though. These big, blue containers can be located throughout the City. Use the City's website to find one closest to you. Or bring your recyclables with you next time you visit the Museum.

Caroline commented, on June 22, 2008 at 11:37 a.m.:

Thanks Stephenie - I am at the museum nearly every week, so that's a good solution!

http://littleshoulders.blogspot.com

the green mama commented, on June 24, 2008 at 3:02 p.m.:

I know no other city where recycling has gotten so confusing and confused, but it is about to get better. In the meantime here is some more information and what to do NOW about your diet Coke cans.

The way the blue bag system has worked in Chicago is that if you had city pick-up recyclables went into blue bags and then went with all the other garbage into the truck. Then, depending on where you live, most of these trucks took all this garbage to these very high-tech facilities where everything was sorted (whether in blue bags or not) and the recyclables were pulled out using magnets, other fancy systems I don't understand, and people power. If your stuff was in blue bags it increased the chance it would be recycled, especially in the case of paper, but your stuff was probably being caught by all the fancy equipment and being recycled anyway.

Now, the way the system will work, if it isn't put in a blue cart it won't be recycled because the sorting facilities are closing.

This systems puts more responsibility on the consumer and the pilots show that more is actually recycled this way.

Until you get your blue bins, ONLY that stuff put in the blue bags will be recycled. They will simply pull out blue bags and collect the stuff inside for recycling. If, however, the site of your blue bags being dumped in with all the other garbage gets to you (knowing that the fancy sorting facility is no longer there), you are better off taking your stuff to one of the city facilities around where 95% of things end up actually recycled. Look for a city drop off location

Of course, if you are one of the many, many people who live in a building with more than 4 units, the city doesn't pick up your recycling, but a private hauler does. These companies are required to offer you a recycling program, but many of them don't. You, as the consumer, however, can change this. We just quit our company and went with another that provided separate collection recycling. That means they pick up the recyclables separately from the garbage. It cost $40 a month to add this service.

Whether you have a private hauler that isn't doing their job with your recyclables or you don't trust the blue bags, a private recycling company might be what you need. The Resource Center is a non-profit that is well-regarded and handles just recyclables, not garbage. And, they aren't expensive.

So, no excuses, keep up that recycling Chicago!

Stephenie commented, on June 25, 2008 at 2:51 p.m.:

Thanks for the updates Green Mama. And, Caroline, I hope you find bringing recyclables to the Museum to be easy and possibly fun!
For thoughts and questions about other recycling issues in the City, the Chicago Recycling Coalition is a great resource!

Rosie commented, on June 26, 2008 at 12:15 p.m.:

I moved here from California in May of 2007 and was mortified to find out that this city had 3 million people and the recycling was limited to a few locations in total (from the Chicago Recycling Coalition website).

Most of our first year I have been driving a couple miles once a week to send my recyclables to the Sanitation center's recycling bins on Devon. With 2 little kids, that was a pain, but after teaching Marine Ecology and Bioloy for several years in Orange County where recycling is the norm and those who don't get dirty looks, the guilt was eating me up!

The thing that really got me was all the high rise buildings that didn't have bins! How simple would it be to add them, and what a huge volume of potential recyclables going to waste!?

Finally, blue bins arrived in our alley and I was ecstatic! When we moved again this year to Lakeview right next to a row of restaurants throwing volumes of glass bottles right into the trash bins, my recycling efforts really looked ridiculous. But 2 weeks after we moved in, blue bins showed up. They aren't being used properly by the residents, but it's progress.

Despite the imperfections and inconveniences that come with implementing a new system, I have to applaud the city of Chicago and Mayor Daley. The theme is there to encourage us all to take responsibility. The blue bins are obvious even if some residents don't yet get the idea. Change takes time but I am just going to be thankful for the steps I have seen. Maybe the next step is to work on educating the restaurants and larger volume sources for recyclable materials how to properly use the bins?

EZW commented, on July 28, 2008 at 5:42 p.m.:

You can come on Saturday, August 23rd to the Santa Ana REI to drop off your old electronic items for recycling. Here is the information:

Saturday, August 23, 2008 from 10 AM to 3 PM
FREE Electronic Waste Recycling
REI Santa Ana
1411 South Village Way
Santa Ana, CA 92705
Contact: Lyndie Bradshaw/ The Grain Project
Phone: (714)543-4142

Event Notes: Consumers can drop-off their obsolete electronics at the ease e-waste truck that will be parked adjacent to the store. Additionally, proceeds from recycled electronics will be given to The Grain Project, a non-profit organization. As an added incentive, each individual that donates an electronic waste item will receive one 15% discount coupon from REI and a chance to win raffle prizes. ease e-waste is a California EPA certified company specializing in the collection and recycling of electronic waste. Acceptable items for drop-off include: monitors, televisions, computers, printers, copiers, fax machines, cell phones, servers, and any other item considered to be personal or office electronics. Companies with a large number of items to dispose should call ease e-waste at 1-866-548-8100 to schedule a pick-up.