The Irony of Recycling

I admit that I dragged my feet on ordering a recycling bin from the City of Jacksonville. We moved about four and a half months ago, and I just called the 630-CITY number to order my bin.

The irony? Recycling bins are on a 90-day backorder.

Really? Why in the world should it take three months to get one plastic bin to my house so I can recycle? Is the bin plated in gold? Does it have my name engraved on it? Are recycling bins in such demand throughout the state of Florida that there aren’t enough to go around?

And while I think it’s great that there are so many people in the city who want to recycle, it is also a shame that they are prevented from helping the environment because of the inadequacies of local government.

I believe that more people would recycle here if bins were provided automatically with trash cans. Admittedly, many recycling bins would sit, unused. But many more people would adopt the “why not” attitude if recycling was more convenient.

World Future Fund

As I scroll through the freelance writing job boards each morning, I look for opportunities to not only get a paying gig, but also to get a paying gig that matters. I want to use my words to make a difference. This week I applied for an editorial position with the World Future Fund. (No word, yet. I’ll keep you posted.) Update: I’m not the “write” candidate!

This nonprofit organization is committed to educating people “about the need for a greater commitment to investment in the future, particularly in the field of environmental policy.” What greater purpose could my writing expertise serve than this? I believe that we all need to be more concerned with the greater global future.

I also believe that it is our nature to focus on the present, and the foreseeable future. It is not in our nature to concern ourselves with problems that will arise fifty years from now. Or five hundred. Or five thousand. After all, it’s difficult to think about next month, much less the next millennium.

Eco-awareness groups need to focus on the lack of vision of the general public. It’s difficult to encourage conservation efforts when the people reading or hearing the message do not understand the consequences of each consumer choice.

I recently heard that the most important word used in persuasive writing is “because.” This word lends authority and reason to any argument. Groups who are trying to spread the word about conservation, recycling and eco-awareness need to use more, and better, persuasive writing to teach the public.

Recycling is important because our resources are limited. Purchasing local produce is important because it cuts down on pollution from transporting items and supports your local economy. Reducing our dependence upon oil and petroleum is important because oil supplies are rapidly disappearing.

Here’s my bit of persuasion for today: You should visit the World Future Fund website because it will provide you with substantial evidence that our ecological future is more doubtful now than it ever has been. You should read the reports section and check out the “World Future Outlook” because it will give you cause to wonder if we’re already too late with the “green” movement.