This thread has reached my toxic level.
I work for an evil packaging fabricator. You know, those destroyers of earth, using precious resources frivolously.
Actually, our packaging preserves the resources that went into the manufacturing of the products.
When you recieve your new computer for instance, and it arrives damaged from shipment, you return it for replacement. The
original resources required to make that computer are then added to with the fuel to collect it, the additional resources
to diagnose and repair, then the additional resources to send it back.
Proper packaging attempts to limit those additional costs (resources) to replace damaged goods. But that ain't sexy, so it
gets no attention. And we make an easy target for those who react, then think.
In the early 90s, I was appointed the "recycling guru" of the company, so we could get on the marketing bandwagon. I
learned why recycled materials are more expensive than making virgin. Add to the original cost (read: cost=resources) the
cost of collection, the cost of re-processing and re-manufacture.
***Sidebar***
Sometime around 1990, Californian greenies looked for an easy win. They targeted the cellophane around lettuce in grocery
stores, they said it was a temendous waste and should be outlawed. True story. They said studies showed than about 15% of
product would spoil, but that spoilage could be spread on the ground and returned to Mother Earth; feeding rabbits and
such...it is a Beautiful Thing!!
What they failed to see (past their nose) is that 15% spoilage at the grocery store represented:
15% loss of refrigeration at the grocery store
15% loss of fuel transporting goods to the store
15% loss of refrigeration at the distribution site
15% loss of fuel transporting goods to the distribution site
15% loss of fuel to plant, irrigate and cultivate the crop
15% loss of farm land
This law was heralded as a major victory for Mother Earth. A year later it was quietly rescinded,
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***sidebar #2***
The city where I live instituted curbside recycling a couple of years ago "to save the earth". After a couple of months
they announced, at the bottom of page 13 in the local newspaper that they had no idea what to do about the enormous pile of
material they had collected, but that they felt all warm and fuzzy about saving the earth.
"Reuse" is a wonderful thing, but "recycling" is asinine until municipalities build "waste to energy" facilities to burn
used materials to generate electricity.
Oh, another thing...when you see "biogradable" products, run the other way, they are a complete waste of resources. Many
"feel good" products are much more harmful than good 'ole made in America virgin goods.
*************
Back to the story from the early 90s:
I had a business dinner; arrived way early and sat at the bar. I struck up a conversation with the guy next to me who
happened to be the head meteorologist for Duke Energy. A portion of that conversation went like this:
"You know how Global Warming happened, right?"
"OK, I'll bite...how?"
"Reagan"
"What?"
"Yeah. Reagan, the military build-up to win the cold war and the "peace dividend" afterwards."
"OooooK, explain."
"The military build-up, star wars and such, started hundreds of research companies. When the cold war ended, they either
folded up their tents or they created a new crisis to continue their funding."
"You are snitting me, right??"
"Nope. You know what the most efficient green house gas is?" "Water vapor. Get rid of clouds and get rid of global warming.
Its all just a money grab."
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I've filtered everything since through that conversation. Follow the money.