Why Do Environmentalists Seem Determined To Torment, Rather Than Convince?

 Jordan Silva

Environmental Econ.

Blog post 2

 

Why Do Environmentalists Seem Determined To Torment, Rather Than Convince?

 

            This article poses the question, instead of tormenting people by banning the use of certain plastics or charging for non-plastic bags at the grocery store, why not incentivize it? Instead of getting charged for non-plastic bags or not being able to use a certain plastic container because it has been banned, pay people to recycle.

A company called Wecyclers “is fueling social change for the environment by incentivizing people in low-income communities to capture value from recyclable waste in Lagos, Nigeria” (goexplorer.org). They use a fleet of low-cost bicycles as a collection service. Everything that is collected is sorted at central deposits. Then the recyclables are sold to recycling companies. Wecyclers provides jobs as collectors and sorters to low-income youth. “Families who recycle their waste receive redeemable Wecyclers points over their mobile phone through an SMS-based incentive program. These points can then be used to buy goods they value, such as cell phone minutes, basic food items and household goods” (goexplorer.org). Giving people a reward, or something they value in return for recycling is the way to go. “Wecyclers have diverted more than 1,000 tons of recyclable waste from landfills into productive reuse” (goexplorer.org).

Incentivizing recycling will benefit the recycler and the economy. Producing goods using recycled materials means less waste and pollution while consuming less water and energy. Plus, the production of recycled goods also creates more demand for them. Another way that would encourage recycling would be to have people pay by volume for the trash the truck takes to the landfill. Making people pay per pound would push them to recycle more, the more you recycle the less you have to pay for disposal.