One day only event - free recycling of selected electronics
Drive Through, Drop Off, Leave
That's how easy it is!

Behind STAPLES & BEST BUY
Town & Country Cir
Knoxville, TN 37922
Saturday
January 12, 2008
9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Snow, Rain or Shine

Mmmm...sounds tasty, huh? The idea has some merit, but just the thought makes me cringe.

"On that Friday, the Orange County Water District will turn on what industry experts say is the world’s largest plant devoted to purifying sewer water to increase drinking water supplies. They and others hope it serves as a model for authorities worldwide facing persistent drought, predicted water shortages and projected growth." Link...

In its 10th year, America Recycles Day is dedicated to encouraging Americans to recycle and to buy recycled products.

Market Square Event, 11am-2pm

The Knoxville Recycling Coalition will sponsor America Recycles Day Our main feature will be a large visual display that brings awareness to the 1,600 lbs. of garbage of which over half could be easily recycled but is thrown away by the average American. We be encouraging folks to fill out E-Recycling Pledge Cards. By signing a electronic pledge card the individual is committing to the responsibility of their own waste. The pledge card will also sign them up to win a prize! We'll also be giving a compost workshop at 12:30 and 1:00 from the main stage, and selling compost bins for $50.

As happens from time to time, I saw a couple of vehicles at the recycling center next to the Bearden Kroger yesterday with Republican bumperstickers: one for Corker for Senate and a Bush/Cheney '04.

I just had to think: Why would they bother? If they support politicians who don't believe that public policy has anything to do with basic science; who don't believe that human beings affect the environment through pollution and overbuilding; who believe that it's God's will that humans use up the planet at their will; and that it's OK to blow up countless numbers of human beings and destroy vast ecosystems through wars of choice--then why bother separating their paper and plastic and hauling it down to the recycling bins?

I know that Richard Nixon established the Environmental Protection Agency, but the current crop of Republican office holders make Nixon look like Ralph Nader. And of course the Democrats are no great shakes either. But if you actively support the party that unapologetically supports destroying the environment at an ever-increasing pace, then why bother with recycling?

I buy bottled spring water. In spite of how heavy it is to drag home, I started doing this because I thought it was safer and tasted better. Now I'm having second thoughts. This article about the recent banning of bottled water in San Francisco made me take a second look at bottled water. Link...

This website also had me wondering if I should turn back to tap.
Link...

Bottled water is not safer...

The bottled water industry has created a misconception in the United States that bottled water is cleaner, safer, and healthier than tap water. In fact, both regulation and enforcement of bottled water safety is weaker than of tap water safety. Federal, state, and local environmental agencies require rigorous testing of tap water safety. The U.S. Food & Drug Administration regulates bottled water – if the water is sold over state lines, meaning up to 70 percent of all bottled water produced and sold within states is exempt from FDA regulation. Most food processing plants are not even inspected once a year and any safety testing of bottled water is performed by the companies themselves.2 A landmark study by the Natural Resources Defense Council found approximately one-third of tested bottled water brands violated, in at least one sample, an enforceable standard or exceeded microbiological-purity guidelines. The most common contaminants were arsenic and synthetic organic carcinogens.

Bottled water is bad for the environment...

Bottled water wastes fossil fuels and water in production and transport, and when the water is drunk the bottles become a major source of waste. It takes more than 47 million gallons of oil to produce plastic water bottles for Americans every year. Eliminating those bottles would be like taking 100,000 cars off the road and 1 billion pounds of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere.4 Each one of those bottles required nearly five times its volume in water to manufacture the plastic 5 and may have caused the release of nickel, ethylene oxide, and benzene.6 Then, rather than being recycled, 86 percent of them are thrown away.7 Breaking down these plastics can take thousands of years, while their components seep into our water supplies.

A comprehensive report of a study that prompted all this is at Link...

For those not familiar with that early 90's show "Dinosaurs" we can call this day- Dump Run Day.