Why Bother? Five Reasons People Choose Not to Recycle

Choosing to recycle at home is vital for preserving the environment and limiting the effects of littering. The U.S. produces nearly a third of the waste worldwide, according to some estimates, and polluted coastal waters cost the global economy around $12.8 billion in death and disease every year. But though recycling at home might seem like a simple idea to some, and it is easy for many homeowners to dispose of their waste properly, there are several reasons why some people choose not to recycle.
Recycling is a Hassle
The fact that recycling often requires a little bit of extra effort is one of the main reasons why people don’t recycle. Whether they don’t have curbside recycling pickup or the recycling center is miles away from their home, many just simply choose to throw recyclable items in the garbage to save time. It might be hard to argue against that, but to go green, a little bit of effort is often needed.
Lack of Space in a Home
If you live in a town that doesn’t have recycling services, then this might be a legitimate concern. For those who can only get a recycling center once in a while, bags of recyclables can be an eyesore. But there are simple solutions, like converting a garbage can into a large recycling bin.
Concerns About Whether Recycling Even Matters
In part because of the fact that measuring the benefits of going green and impact of being able to recycle at home is quite difficult, if not impossible, many believe that recycling doesn’t make a difference. However, before using that as a reason to not recycle, you should ask yourself, “does it hurt to recycle?”
No Financial Benefit
While some countries have fines for not recycling and most areas have bottle and can returns that pay a bit for recycling, there really is little financial incentive to recycle. But reducing land pollution and helping the environment could very well be justified as payment enough.
It is Too Hard
All of the aforementioned problems could be boiled down into saying that working to recycle at home is simply “too hard.” But, in reality, while that might be the case in some places where long drives a recycling center are a must, most Americans should have no problem recycling.
There are lots of reasons why people don’t recycle, and some might call them excuses. But for the long-term health of the planet, it is important to understand those reasons work hard to find solutions to them. Refernce materials.