Recycling is on the increase but is it the answer to our eco worries?
Recycling has finally taken off in Britain. The amount of household goods we reprocess has increased threefold since 2004 and an amazing array of recycled goods, from tin cans to floors, and solar-panelled iPod chargers are now appearing in the shops. But it is recycling really the answer to our environmental woes?
Think about all the energy consumed in collecting, sorting and reprocessing a glass bottle - recycling is hardly guilt-free. And, but sanctifying the rapid purchase, use and disposal of products, it could be argued that recycling actually encourages our unsustainable habits, masking our throwaway culture in a pious green glow. Or the mantra: 'reduce, reuse and recycle,' recycling really is the last option.
A consumer guide
By considering the different life-cycle stages of our weekly shop, we can assess a product's environmental impact and sustainability. In California, this process is make much easier as you can enter a product's barcode into your Blackberry and access Greenscanner, a public database of consumer opinions about environmental accountability of more than 600,000 products.
Although in England we can get a BRE (Building Research Establishment) rating for the environmental impact of a building, the DTI is still in discussions about creating a sustainability labelling system for everyday goods.
Raw materials
Ask yourself where these have come from. Have they come from a sustainable source, or is their extraction reducing the earth's finite supply of resources or damaging the local environment?
Sustainable materials are best, such as timber with Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) approval, organic wool and hemp, but recycled materials are better than unsustainable materials, such as foamed plastic.
Manufacturing
How much energy has been used in the product's creation, and is there a less energy-intensive alternative, or one that relies on renewable energy sources? A handknitted jumper, for example, will have used far less energy in its creation than a machine produced cotton t-shirt.
Packaging
In 2001 alone, UK households produced the equivalent weight of 245 jumbo jets per week in packaging waste. Try to buy products that use no packaging or are wrapped in recyclable material, such as cardboard.
Origin
Buy British at every opportunity. 'The level of caarbon emissions caused by the transportation of goods is ridiculous,' says Guy Robinson of eco-friendly design consultancy Sprout Design. 'Buying British is a small step that can make a big difference.'
Energy efficiency
Ask yourself how much energy the product will consume during daily use and whether the habits it encourages are sustainable. A coffee machine's greatest impact, for example, is caused by its use of water, energy and filters rather than during its manufacture. When buying electrical appliances look out for the energy-saving logo wich indicates the most energy-efficient products which are also cheaper to run.
Lifespan
A key facet of sustainability is extending the lifespan of existing products. The product should be hard-wearing and designed to last a lifetime - not just a few years.
Reuse
There is a big difference between recycling and reuse. Reuse delivers tguaranteed materials and energy conservation. This can be a s simple as reusing an old t-shirt as a cleaning rag, or as cool as the recycled bottles that Tord Boonje has turned into vases.
Repair
When something breaks down, it's often easier and cheaper to buy a new one rather than repair the old. This accelerates the product cycle in which we produce more and, ultimately, waste more.
Buy less
It's as simple as it sounds. As Health points out, 'There is a basic hierarchy opf environmental goodness - reduce, reuse, recycle. It's better to use less in the first place than to consume at all, and it's better to re-use than to recycle. It may sound incredibly simplistic, but its the best way to think environmentally.
Read our previous Eco News stories.
Inside Out magazine has a regular Eco News feature. This story apeared in the December edition.
Do you have any ideas about recyling? Please share your tips and ideas below.
