I feel guilty for not recycling, but there are no recycling plants here, so why do I feel guilty?

Recycling is probably the easiest action that individuals can make that has an impact on the environment. With the huge focus on "green" and all things environmental, there is a lot of marketing around recycling that has increased recently. Just because you don't have access to a curbside or drop-off program for recycling doesn't mean that you can't do your part. If you have a backyard, you should try composting your organic wastes. This includes food waste from your kitchen (w/o meat, oils, cheeses, etc.) that will break down if introduced to nature. It also includes the grass clippings and leaves that you can collect in your yard. In addition, you can actually add your junk mail and newspapers to a compost pile as well. One caveat with using newspaper/junk mail in your bin is that you should NOT put any compost you create on plants that you will be eating. This is due to the fact that inks and coatings (glossy inserts, waxy coatings) contain materials that may make you sick. There is no danger if you use the compost on plants and ornamental trees, bushes, etc. If you were to start an active composting program with yard waste, food waste and some of your paper, you would be diverting and recycling approximately 50% of the waste generated by your households. Bottom line, there are ways to assuage your "guilt" that don't require a curbside/drop-off program that you can utilize. I hope this helps! Happy Composting!!

Maybe you could start one, that would be cool. I feel guilty every time a throw a plastic bottle in the trash

Go to www.earth911.org to find a local recycle center, you may be able to take recyclables to a nearby city a few times a year if you need to go that way. If you want to do something about all the waste you create, you can look at what you are throwing away and try to reduce it. Packaging is a big part of what we throw away. I shop the bulk bins in the stores, I rarely buy processed foods, they have the most packaging. I have replaced disposable items with reusable when possible.

Recycling programs varies. Here are some examples: 1. Curb side pick up. crews from the city or contract company come pick up recycle materials (weekly, bi-weekly or monthly). 2. Recycled dumps - usually set up for apartment community. 3. Recycled center - for less common recyclable materials and hazardous materials (one in town or one in the whole county). The recycled materials eventually will be sold and picked up by companies that use the materials. There are examples to illustrate the community can use some flexibility to create their recycling programs. Your community may be small but when you bring it to the county level, it may be big enough to negotiate with recycling company to come by and collect your recycled materials. I suggest you bring this to your city manager or city council for further discussion.

u feel guilty bc u should be able to recycle and these useful things are turning into trash that will never decompose. instead of just checking, try pushing for these things. i'm sure ur not the only one who feels this way. the recycling in philadelphia where i live is run by only 3 main people who control and organize recycling in the entire city. you really can make a difference, and even if you can't easily, at least your trying and spreading awareness. if you have a car maybe you can build up all ur recycling and drive it to another town once a month if its not too far.

because you know the consequences of not recycling and you feel bad about not to. Give your best effort, even if it's wiping your *** with leaves as long as less natural resources are used.

Because you may be feeling like you should do something about it. Isn't there one in the next town? Maybe you're feeling like you should propose something be done about it. Just because it's a small town, it doesn't mean that a small town cannot accumulate enough recycling to contribute in "saving the world."

cos you care about the enviroment :)