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Should a resident of CA recycle?

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John

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Should a resident of CA recycle? I have been thinking about this and decided to start recycling. My situation may be different from others but here is why I came to this decision after moving to CA.

I buy bottled water because it is convenient and I live in the desert (I'm not used to desert water at all) so I'm going to buy bottled water either way. The first time I bought a case of water I though I was getting a great deal $2.99 for a 24 pack, but then I saw the tax. It was explained to me that the tax encourages people to recycle in CA. So, here I am paying this tax for every bottle of water I buy. I can either not recycle and pay the tax or recycle and at least get my money back.

Here are the reasons why I decided to recycle.

I get my money back (very important to me)

I take money from the state that it depends on (after all, most people probably don't recycle everything)

There are reasons not to recycle as well

the state still gets income from the plastic an metals turned in (I think this is true)

it takes time to turn in (but this is worth it to me 10min/2weeks)

I'm open to change my mind on this if anyone can convince me that recycling is a bad choice in this case. Let me know what you think.

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Should a resident of CA recycle? I have been thinking about this and decided to start recycling. My situation may be different from others but here is why I came to this decision after moving to CA.

I buy bottled water because it is convenient and I live in the desert (I'm not used to desert water at all) so I'm going to buy bottled water either way. The first time I bought a case of water I though I was getting a great deal $2.99 for a 24 pack, but then I saw the tax. It was explained to me that the tax encourages people to recycle in CA. So, here I am paying this tax for every bottle of water I buy. I can either not recycle and pay the tax or recycle and at least get my money back.

Here are the reasons why I decided to recycle.

I get my money back (very important to me)

I take money from the state that it depends on (after all, most people probably don't recycle everything)

There are reasons not to recycle as well

the state still gets income from the plastic an metals turned in (I think this is true)

it takes time to turn in (but this is worth it to me 10min/2weeks)

I'm open to change my mind on this if anyone can convince me that recycling is a bad choice in this case. Let me know what you think.

The only way to reach a different conclusion would be to change your decisions or the rules under which you live.

You could choose not to drink bottled water. You have decided it is worth the cost.

As an individual, you can't choose to not pay the tax on the bottles. The government enforces this at gunpoint, and retailers will automatically charge the tax.

You could choose to drink bottled water and throw away the bottles, losing all the money the government has taxed you for. You have already evaluated the time involved, and determined it is worth the effort to recycle.

It seems to me you've made a rational decision, recognizing in all the relevant facts of reality available to you.

Edited by MichaelH
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I have never understood how people can ask for answers for concretes in their lives. How about - should a resident in Texas recycle? ... Look, if you want to recycle, then recycle. I know of nothing that speaks against it. If you don't, then don't. It might be more important to be able to fit abstractions into concretes on your own.

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I have never understood how people can ask for answers for concretes in their lives.

It works like this:

  1. Person A is unsure of a personal decision
  2. Person A decides to ask for the advice of Person B, who he believes will be able to give him a good second opinion, or help him in his decision
  3. Person A receives the advice, learns a little and is happier than he would if he came to a bad decision without help

Does helping you understand the process count as giving you an answer to a concrete?

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I have never understood how people can ask for answers for concretes in their lives.

I'm sure it is similar to how people ask for answers for abstracts in their minds. It confirms the logic and builds confidence in a conclusion. What could possibly be wrong with that?

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How can there be a right answer? Recycling is a matter of personal preference. The question bothers me because I've seen all too many objectivists trying to find some gospel truth instead of using their heads. Some people want one thing, others, another. Is there only one answer for objectivists? People aresn't clones. They are individuals, with individual opinions and options. I just don't like people trying to act according to some "party line."What logic is being confirmed for anyone who is trying to decide whether recycling is right or wrong within the narrow confines of one state?

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I'm actually about to go recycle some cardboard and plastics fairly soon. There is a local, government placed dumpster that I use down the road. For one, I save a lot of trash space by recycling. Furthermore, that government waste is going to be there in that parking lot no matter what I do, so I might as well use what I pay for.

Edited by RussK
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I'm actually about to go recycle some cardboard and plastics fairly soon. There is a local, government placed dumpster that I use down the road. For one, I save a lot of trash space by recycling. Furthermore, that government waste is going to be there in that parking lot no matter what I do, so I might as well use what I pay for.

I would do that if I had to pay for garbage. My appartment complex takes care of that for me. When I lived in Washington I recycled to save space all the time.

claire, I'm not sure how to respond to you. This was a pretty simple post that outlined my reason to start recycling. I've already though about it an made the desicion. I posted it on here to see if anyone agrees with me. I'm not a clone asking for orders!

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How can there be a right answer? Recycling is a matter of personal preference. The question bothers me because I've seen all too many objectivists trying to find some gospel truth instead of using their heads. Some people want one thing, others, another. Is there only one answer for objectivists? People aresn't clones. They are individuals, with individual opinions and options. I just don't like people trying to act according to some "party line."What logic is being confirmed for anyone who is trying to decide whether recycling is right or wrong within the narrow confines of one state?

I think I see the point of confusion. The topic statement, "Should a resident of CA recycle?", is not precisely the question. The question implied in the post is, "Is it rational for John to recycle?". John then goes on to state the circumstances of his life, including that he lives in California. The policies of California are relevant to that decision, which is why he mentions where he lives. The logic being confirmed is his application of his personal hierarchy of values to this decision. [Added:] For the individual, this process will derive the right answer in the context of that person's life. John seems to be encouraging people from CA to post as they will have evaluated circumstances similar to his. [mch]

You are correct that, if we are discussing the broader question, "Should anyone recycle?", it would seem silly to limit the discussion to one particular state. However, recycling is not an issue that can be determined on a wholesale basis. As you note, it depends on the values and circumstances of the individual.

Edited by MichaelH
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