Over the years, politicians in the US have been reluctant to institute new taxes on drink containers for the purpose of encouraging their recycling. Now this is a fine argument but it isn't solving the problem. Sometimes markets need help being created...and that job can only be done by government. There are numerous examples of this working well for business, re-refined motor oil being one of the best. Here in Chile, there are three main ways that materials get recycled:
1) Return of beer bottles in exchange for a new one full of new beer at reduced cost
2) The return of empty soda bottles for the same reason
3) My favorite....the most market based solution possible
This guy is one of many Chileans who you may find rifling through your garbage in the evening. He's not looking for your credit card number... he's looking for your valuable cardboard and other treasures. I love that there is a market for the materials that is strong enough to encourage this behavior. My question though is...why is there so much trash everywhere? Why aren't there opportunities for ME to recycle? How is this related to whether government plays a role? I love seeing these guys and they really work their asses off hauling their catch all over the city. And yes, he is pulling his cart uphill in the left lane...slower traffic to the right!
This guy is one of many Chileans who you may find rifling through your garbage in the evening. He's not looking for your credit card number... he's looking for your valuable cardboard and other treasures. I love that there is a market for the materials that is strong enough to encourage this behavior. My question though is...why is there so much trash everywhere? Why aren't there opportunities for ME to recycle? How is this related to whether government plays a role? I love seeing these guys and they really work their asses off hauling their catch all over the city. And yes, he is pulling his cart uphill in the left lane...slower traffic to the right!
1 comment:
dude my favorite thing about chilean recycling and the "market based-ness" of it all is less waste! for example, you will pay more than 3 bucks for a tub of philly cream cheese BUT if you save the container, next time you can buy cream cheese in foil and save about a dollar because purchasing less hard plastic/glass and tin means savings! on the other hand, chileans consume a ton of plastic bags and plastic/foil type wrapping in general and that stuff adds up for sure.
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