Your Questions About Recycling

The Expert answers:

In the case of copier paper, it is simply due to the fact that there is not quite the same economy of scale (cost per unit decreases as number of units increases), but more importantly, it is because it is more difficult to ensure an acceptable level of quality with non-virgin (e.g. Recyceld) raw material. Because of this difficulty, a lot of the finished product has to be “reworked” or sent back to be shredded and pulped again due to inferior quality; this is a significant production cost because it requires doing the same job over and over (though the rework/scrap rate is maybe only 10% versus maybe 5% for a virgin source process).

In the case of steel, actually, recycled steel is much cheaper because it is relatively easy to ensure quality, and because there is a large scale, efficient recycling system for steel (and other metals).

Therefore, not everything that is recycled is more expensive, but it often is because there is just not a mature, efficient system to do recycling, and because quality control issues area significant problem.

The Expert answers:

Our planet and all those who live here are the beneficiaries. Do I buy into the global warming??? I don’t feel I have done enough research on it to give an intellegent answer. So I will answer from my heart. I started recycling w/a grudge. I had to pay for it (not much mind you) whether I recycled or not, so I gave in. Now I cringe when I am out and have to throw something away because there is no recycle container available. I know how much my family of 6 has decreased waste. We used to have about 3 cans full (1 being a large one on wheels), sometimes 4, every week. Now sometimes we don’t even fill the large one. Stupid ppl have since helped stop the recycle program in our town (door to door pick-up). Now I have to take the recycled items in town to a large bin (they don’t take glass, so I try and reuse those if possible). It makes a mess in the back yard sometimes (with the wind), but when I think of how much less is going into the landfill by my family doing this, I must press on. We are such a wasteful nation and it’s time to realize our children’s children may not have a healthy place to live if we all don’t start doing SOMETHING, no matter how small. I have switched many (not all) of my light bulbs to those more efficient bulbs (but ppl need to know it costs more to turn those on than the regular bulbs, so if it’s a light that gets switched on and off a lot, you aren’t necessarily doing a good thing, this is the part where we must use our brains). I have also become more aware of the paper issue. I will continue the toilet paper…lol , but I am so much more aware of the fact that every time I tear a paper towel off the holder, it better be for a good reason. I buy the bounty select a size paper towels so I don’t have to use a big one, if the job only calls for a small one. We can use washable napkins. If I get a lot of napkins from a fast food restaurant, I don’t throw them away, I either put them in my glove box or take them home and use when I have a large amount of ppl over. It only takes little steps to help out. Will this help with global warming??? Who knows? But I can factually say it will save resources that will one day be gone if we all have a flipant attitude where recycling and conservation is concerned.

The Expert answers:

Recycling creates 1.1 million U.S. Jobs, $236 billion in gross annual sales and $37 billion in annual payrolls.

It takes 95% less energy to recycle aluminum than it does to make it from raw materials. Making recycled steel saves 60%, recycled newspaper 40%, recycled plastics 70%, and recycled glass 40%. These savings far outweigh the energy created as by-products of incineration and landfilling.

Aluminum – Recycled aluminum is made into new aluminum cans, pie pans, house siding, small appliances, lawn furniture—in fact, almost everything aluminum can be made from recycled aluminum.
* Recycling aluminum uses less than 5 percent of the energy used to make the original product.
* Recycling one aluminum beverage can saves enough energy to run a 100 watt bulb for 20 hours, a computer for 3 hours, or a TV for 2 hours

Plastic – Recycled plastics are made into motor oil bottles, detergent bottles, pipes, pails, carpets, rulers, benches, pallets, fiberfill, nonfood bottles or containers, and even clothing.
* Producing new plastic from recycled material uses only two-thirds of the energy required to manufacture it from virgin raw materials.
* Five 2-liter recycled PET bottles produce enough fiberfill to make a ski jacket; 36 recycled bottles can make 1 square yard of carpet.

Glass – Recycled glass is made into new glass jars and bottles and other glass products such as fiberglass insulation.
* Producing glass from virgin materials requires 30 percent more energy than producing it from crushed, used glass.
* Recycling 1 ton of glass saves the equivalent of 10 gallons of oil.

Steel – Recycled steel is made into steel cans, building materials, and tools—in fact, almost everything steel can be made from recycled steel.
* Recycling steel cans uses between 60 and 74 percent less energy than producing them from raw materials.
* Using recycled steel to make new steel saves energy. In fact, the steel industry saves enough energy in one year to electrically power 18 million homes for one year.
* One ton of recycled steel saves the energy equivalent of 3.6 barrels of oil and 1.49 tons of iron ore.

Paper – Recycled paper is made into newspaper, tissue, paper towels, notebook paper, envelopes, copy paper and other paper products, as well as insulation, boxes, hydro-mulch, molded packaging, gypsum wallboard, compost, and even kitty litter.
* Producing recycled paper requires about 60 percent of the energy used to make paper from virgin wood pulp.
* Each of us uses approximately one 100-foot-tall Douglas fir tree in paper and wood products per year.
* Recycling 1 ton of paper saves 17 mature trees, 7,000 gallons of water, 3 cubic yards of landfill space, 2 barrels of oil, and 4,100 kilowatt hours of electricity—enough energy to power the average American home for five months.

The Expert answers:

Recycling is a scam! It is actually more harmful to the environment than responsible landfilling is. The short answer is, you will have a hard time finding someone to pay for your garbage (cardboard). With the exception of Aluminum, it is always more expensive to recycle material than it is to manufacture new material, which is why you have to pay for recycling, instead of getting paid to do it (again, with the exception of Aluminum cans). As far as your “wasting” paper goes, you are not wasting anything. Paper is made from trees, and trees are a renewable resource. It’s like saying you don’t eat french fries because we’ll run out of potatoes. The more demand there is for paper, the more trees get planted. In fact, recycling cannot even come close to filling the demand for paper, since only certain types can even be recycled, and only a certain number of times (up to 7). The best thing to do is throw your garbage away, and stop drinking the recycling propaganda kool-aid. It’s a scam!

The Expert answers:

While 13 is too young to get a legal job working for an employer, she can hire herself out for income. What are her skills, interests and experiences? What needs has she found that she can solve with either products, services or a combination??? It’s one thing to want to make money but another to DO something about it. Traditional ways that kids make money are with housework, babysitting, yard work, and dog walking but there are many other ways. In fact, other than selling alcohol, tobacco or firearms, your sister can do almost anything that an adult can do in terms of selling products. It makes more sense for her to use her skills and interests than to get into something just for the money. People buy for four reasons… To make money, to save money, to save time, or for peace of mind. Those are the key factors of setting up a mission. Once she decides what to do she has to narrow down her products or services to determine WHO to sell to. She should think about a scrapbook service, a recycling center, computer training to younger kids, designing and printing unique tshirt designs, developing a brand and logo, learning and teaching or writing, selling energy efficient light bulbs, cleaning aquariums, planting flowers, making and selling crafts, website design for small businesses, refinishing furniture, organizing, cleaning garages, hosting yard sales, performing at kid’s parties, selling makeup, writing resumes for other teens, washing/vacuuming cars, painting rooms, hooking up computers or new electronic equipment for older people, or whatever she’s really into. Business is a journey so the learning never stops. She needs to be the best at whatever she intends to do. She can sell hub caps for cars that she finds on the side of the highway or imprint a 2009 calendar with photos of her cats/dogs/fish or her own crayon artwork. She could organize groups of younger kids for field trips to museums, plays. Movies, etc to give parents a break for a few hours. She can get a unique design imprinted on umbrellas or coffee mugs or aprons (branding) or she can sell educational or entertainment software or video games or coloring books and crayons or … Well, the list of products or services go on and on. Take a few minutes to help her list her hobbies and interests and the right thing will come. Once decided learn all she can about business laws, marketing, accounting, licenses, advertising, etc. Two things worth mentioning… The library has a number of good business books for teens and tweens… And … There’s a group called Junior Achievements that can further help with networking and resources:

The Expert answers:

Wow! Your enthusiasm for getting a job is awesome!

While I don’t know about the prospects of earning money over the internet, I do absolutely know that there are people close to where you live who would pay the right person to do small household jobs that need to be done, but are troublesome for them to do. An able-bodied young person who is reliable, a good listener and focused on customer service could make good money and learn a lot.

A young man in my family started his successful career doing odd jobs and household tasks for elderly widows and widowers that knew him from his church and neighborhood. In fact, he used what he earned to put himself through school and is an attorney now…

There are many older people who still maintain their own homes and need help with tasks like doing the laundry, vacuuming, moving furniture, dusting, taking recycling, doing yard work, getting to the grocery store or pharmacy, cleaning windows and even changing light bulbs. If you play the piano or another musical instrument, you could offer to do this in the homes of older people (who have pianos for example) at family gatherings, club meetings or just in their home as a “cheerful pickup”.

If you did these kinds of services, you could set your own hours and have flexibility to do other things that you might wish to do this summer.

Some families of your older neighbors and friends who are worried about their family-members’ safety may be willing to pay for you to be a daytime or night time companion to one of their family members. This option would probably tie you down more and you would feel more personal responsibility for the person’s ongoing well-being. It’s something for you to think about.

If you decide to try one or more of these ideas, you will likely find that helping and getting to know your older neighbors and friends is a great opportunity–and you will likely be amazed at the stories you will listen to and what you will learn! You will be successful if you are friendly, reliable, honest, are a good listener, work diligently, keep your word and keep the private affairs of your customers to yourself. (Don’t gossip!)

I have observed that most older people just love to dote on friendly young people who help and befriend them–whether the young person is related to them or not!

To get started, talk to your parents about your plans, decide what services you want to do and what you will charge for the services you will provide. Then, start telling people you know about your services– talk to people in your church or neighborhood and maybe make fliers with your name and phone number to put at church or in another neighborhood location.

By the way, if you enjoy doing this type of service, you could contine doing this work on a limited basis during the school year for your “best customers.”

Hope this helps! Whatever you decide to do, I hope that you have fun and will reach your financial goals!

The Expert answers:

They are lacking the ability to fact check their own talking points.
Http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2009/apr/15/joe-scarborough/heres-scoop-obama-has-worked-ice-cream-business-am/

Below, compiled from and cross-checked among a host of sources, is what we believe to be the most thorough account of the president’s work history.

1975 or 1976 — ice cream scooper, Baskin-Robbins — Honolulu — Obama claims to have lost his taste for ice cream during this, his first job.

Deli counter clerk, — Honolulu — Obama had a summer job at a deli counter in Hawaii, making sandwiches.

1980 — gift shop sales clerk — Honolulu — Obama worked at a gift shop in Hawaii selling island souvenirs the summer after his freshman year at Occidental College in California.

1981-1983 — construction worker, business name unknown — New York — Obama cleared a construction site for a summer on Manhattan’s Upper West Side while attending Columbia University, the Associated Press reported. Obama referred to this job in Dreams From My Father .

1981-1983 — New York — During his years at Columbia University, Obama worked one summer for a private company processing health records of either police or firefighters, his spokesman said during the presidential campaign.

1981-1983 — telemarketer, company unknown — New York — During one school year at Columbia, Obama was a telemarketer in midtown Manhattan selling New York Times subscriptions over the phone, his spokesman said during the presidential campaign.

1983-84 — research assistant, Business International Corporation — New York — At this firm that helped American companies do business abroad, Obama was a researcher and writer for a reference service called Financing Foreign Operations; among his duties was writing a newsletter called Business International Money Report.

1985 — project coordinator, New York Public Interest Research Group — New York — Obama mobilized student volunteers at City College in Harlem for NYPIRG, a nonprofit organization that promotes consumer, environmental and government reform. He promoted activism around issues such as mass transit, higher education, tuition, financial aid and recycling.

1985-1988 — community organizer, Developing Communities Project — Chicago — Obama advocated for asbestos removal, job training and public-works services at this community organization on Chicago’s South Side.

1988 — research assistant, Lawrence Tribe — student assistant to this Harvard Law School professor and renowned constitutional scholar.

1989 — summer associate, Hopkins & Sutter — Obama held this job the summer between his first and second years of law school.

1990 — summer associate, Sidley & Austin — After his second year of law school Obama was a summer associate for one of the world’s oldest and largest law firms, where he met Michelle Robinson, his future wife.

1990-1991 — president, Harvard Law Review — Obama was the first African-American to hold this prestigious position.

1991-1992 — executive director, Project Vote — Ran a campaign that registered nearly 150,000 black voters for the 1992 elections.

1993-2004 — associate and partner (starting 1996), Davis, Miner, Barnhill & Galland — Chicago — defended clients ranging from landlords to a securities trader, and handled employment-discrimination and voting-rights cases at this Chicago law firm.

1993-2004 — part-time lecturer, University of Chicago Law School — Chicago — lectured on constitutional law.

1995 — author, Times Books — published memoir, Dreams From My Father.

1997-2004 — state senator, Illinois — senator from Illinois’ 13th District on Chicago’s South Side.

2005-2008 — U.S. Senator — represented Illinois in the U.S. Senate.

2006 — Author, Random House — published The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream.

2009 — President, United States — Washington — In his current position, Obama is the head of state of the most powerful country in the world. He runs the executive branch and serves as commander in chief of the armed forces.

There you have it. Obama earned paychecks from 11 for-profit businesses, compared to just six nonprofit or government employers.

The Expert answers:

1 in 3 jobs on merseyside are public sector jobs – so this includes:

NHS
Education
Council workers
Government departments based in Merseyside
Emergency Services

The biggest individual employers I think are:
Unilever
Amec
Pilkington
BNFL
Littlewoods
United Utilities
Matalan
Stanley Leisure
Princes Ltd
Phoenix Healthcare Distribution
European Metal Recycling
Ineos Chlor
Magnox
De Vere
Volox
Mersey Docks & Harbour Co
Bridgewater Paper

in fact here’s a list
http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/business/top100/tm_headline=the-top-100-list%26method=full%26objectid=13401483%26siteid=50061-name_page.html

After public sector I think the service industry in general is the biggest sector – hotels retail bars etc and then tourist industry and the arts.

The Expert answers:

The benefits of recycling ; it is better to recycle even if you recycle BADLY

Well-run recycling programs cost less to operate than waste collection, landfilling, and incineration.

The more people recycle, the cheaper it gets.

Two years after calling recycling a $40 million drain on the city, New York City leaders realized that a redesigned, efficient recycling system could actually save the city $20 million and they have now signed a 20-year recycling contract.
Recycling helps families save money, especially in communities with pay-as-you-throw programs.

Well-designed programs save money. Communities have many options available to make their programs more cost-effective, including maximizing their recycling rates, implementing pay-as-you-throw programs, and including incentives in waste management contracts that encourage disposal companies to recycle more and dispose of less.

Recycling creates 1.1 million U.S. Jobs, $236 billion in gross annual sales and $37 billion in annual payrolls.

Public sector investment in local recycling programs pays great dividends by creating private sector jobs. For every job collecting recyclables, there are 26 jobs in processing the materials and manufacturing them into new products.

Recycling creates four jobs for every one job created in the waste management and disposal industries.

Thousands of U.S. Companies have saved millions of dollars through their voluntary recycling programs. They wouldn’t recycle if it didn’t make economic sense.

Environmental Recycling Benefits and Facts
information supplied by: National Recycling Coalition
Recycling and composting diverted nearly 70 million tons of material away from landfills and incinerators in 2000, up from 34 million tons in 1990-doubling in just 10 years.

Every ton of paper that is recycled saves 17 trees.

The energy we save when we recycle one glass bottle is enough to light a light bulb for four hours.

Recycling benefits the air and water by creating a net reduction in ten major categories of air pollutants and eight major categories of water pollutants.

In the U.S., processing minerals contributes almost half of all reported toxic emissions from industry, sending 1.5 million tons of pollution into the air and water each year. Recycling can significantly reduce these emissions.

It is important to reduce our reliance on foreign oil. Recycling helps us do that by saving energy.

Manufacturing with recycled materials, with very few exceptions, saves energy and water and produces less air and water pollution than manufacturing with virgin materials.

It takes 95% less energy to recycle aluminum than it does to make it from raw materials. Making recycled steel saves 60%, recycled newspaper 40%, recycled plastics 70%, and recycled glass 40%. These savings far outweigh the energy created as by-products of incineration and landfilling.

In 2000, recycling resulted in an annual energy savings equal to the amount of energy used in 6 million homes (over 660 trillion BTUs). In 2005, recycling is conservatively projected to save the amount of energy used in 9 million homes (900 trillion BTUs).

A national recycling rate of 30% reduces greenhouse gas emissions as much as removing nearly 25 million cars from the road.

Recycling conserves natural resources, such as timber, water, and minerals.

Every bit of recycling makes a difference. For example, one year of recycling on just one college campus, Stanford University, saved the equivalent of 33,913 trees and the need for 636 tons of iron ore, coal, and limestone.
Recycled paper supplies more than 37% of the raw materials used to make new paper products in the U.S. Without recycling, this material would come from trees. Every ton of newsprint or mixed paper recycled is the equivalent of 12 trees. Every ton of office paper recycled is the equivalent of 24 trees.

When one ton of steel is recycled, 2,500 pounds of iron ore, 1,400 pounds of coal and 120 pounds of limestone are conserved.