One of the 3Rs seems a little overhyped to me. “Recycle” would only happen when you throw the product away after using it. What if you did not? What if the “Reuse” was preached more?
I think the media is advertising sustainability in the wrong way. I recently read an article which goes in the same line as my thoughts. Recycling requires millions of dollars every year, so why not shift to more permanent alternatives?
Beer bottles could replace cans. The customers could be offered incentives if they returned the bottles. Those bottles can be refilled. Glass pickle jars could be used constantly instead of the plastic jars. Permanent products are more cost-efficient than one-time ones.
Recycling requires energy-consuming machines like furnaces which could be avoided otherwise. To promote the good for environment, we are using up non-renewable fuels.
Think of it like this: we are throwing away plastic plates after eating, because let’s face it- they are plastic. Would we have done the same for chinawares? It would have gone straight to the dishwasher.