Dear Recycle Lady,
Years ago, soft drinks came in returnable glass bottles. When did soft drink companies like Coca Cola and Pepsi begin using plastic bottles?
Old Timer
Dear Old Timer,
Plastic bottles were first used in 1947, but they were too expensive for much commercial use. When lightweight, high-density polyethylene (PET) was introduced in the 1950s, soft drink companies began using more plastic bottles. By the 1970s, plastic bottles were used extensively due to low production costs, lightweight shipping, and resistance to breakage. Beer companies, and some water and milk companies, are still using glass bottles. According to www.weforum.org, Americans use, and throw away, 2.5 million plastic bottles every hour; bottles that will take some 450 years to disintegrate. In 2020, only 27.2% of these plastic bottles were recycled. Hopefully, we will do better than this in 2023. A historical tidbit: glass bottles were first used in Mesopotamia around 1500 B.C.E. and the Roman Empire produced glass bottles in year 1 C.E. The first glass-melting furnace was built in the early 1600s in Jamestown, VA, and the first automatic glass bottle-making machine was invented in 1904.
Dear Recycle Lady,
What is the difference in reducing and reusing?
Confused
Dear Confused,
Good Question. There are several definitions of reuse. Perhaps, the simplest definition of reuse is to find another use for a product other than the use for which it was made. Examples of reuse would be using worn out clothing for rags, instead of using paper towels, or buying gently used clothing or furniture at consignment shops, such as Goodwill, The Americana Shop, or the Habitat ReStore. Buying reusable items over disposable ones is another form of reuse. Reducing means using less or cutting back. Making changes in your lifestyle, such as taking shorter showers or replacing older appliances with Energy Star appliances, are examples of reducing. Water usage could be reduced by as much as 4 gallons each time you brush your teeth simply by turning off the water while brushing. Taking your own silverware and cup to work instead of using disposable ones both reuses items and reduces the amount of trash. Check out this website for more ideas. www.epa.gov/recycle/reducing-and-reusing-basics#benefits.
Dear Recycle Lady,
The other day, someone told me that I could take my recyclable items to the landfill. Is this correct?
Frankford Reader
Dear Frankford Reader,
Yes, this is correct. The landfill essentially takes all recyclables that are accepted at the Recycle Center in Ronceverte, except electronics. Look for the trailer on the left side of the road that has compartments with names of each kind of recyclable item printed on it. The staff will be happy to show you where to put your items if you have difficulty. Thanks for bringing your recyclables with you when you bring your trash. The more recycling we do, the better it is for our environment. Converting raw materials into useful items requires energy. As recycling becomes more popular, manufacturers are able to use recycled materials and consume less energy. According to The Aluminum Association, using recycled aluminum for new aluminum products has helped to bring a 40 percent reduction in its carbon footprint over a 19-year period.
Kudos to the Lewisburg Lions Club for recycling 1,000 pairs of prescription glasses as reading glasses to be distributed to those who need them.
Have questions about recycling, or interesting information about recycling? Send questions or requests to recyclelady@greenbrier-swa.com. Dear Recycle Lady is sponsored jointly by the Greenbrier Recycling Center and Greenworks Recycling.
