There is a debate brewing of late……should recycling should be mandatory?  The argument is ‘freedom’. Why should you be forced to do something? Doesnt that violate my right? The counter argument being – what about the rights of the planet?  The planet allows us to live comfortably and yet we abuse it when we don’t recycle.  When we recycle and keep items out of the landfills, we reduce toxic wastes that can corrode soil and stream water that can affect rivers and oceans.

The question is if recycling would be made mandatory, how would it be enforced?  Trash companies certainly don’t have the resources to go through each person’s trash to see if they threw away any recyclables.  Would there be a recycling police?  There would be feasible way to make recycling mandatory.

A better solution would be to give a discount to the customers who use their recycling bins.  Many times trash companies collect paper, glass, plastic and aluminum cans and turn them into to be recycled.   This is extra revenue for these trash companies.  The customers who recycle should be given a smal incentive – maybe in the forms of a concil tax rebate…. or a reward for their recycling efforts.

So the answer to the question “Do you think recycling should be mandatory?”  is difficult.  It is a civic duty and responsibility to lessen the carbon footprint that you leave.  People should recycle, but it should not be mandatory.  If it was mandatory, people could face a misdemeanor charge and that seems as irresponsible as not opting to recycle.