Virtually all of us participate in some form of recycling in our communities or on our campuses. Here in Texas, one need only to drive by any middle school parking lot to see the newspaper recycling bins. If it's Wednesday or Friday, there will be bundles of newspapers and recycling receptacles left at the curb in residential neighborhoods. On campus, walk through most academic or administrative buildings and you will see bins, posters or other recycling-related paraphernalia prominently displayed. The proliferation of recycling programs can be readily observed throughout the country.
Recycling is a wonderful example of a very successful collective action.
These are issues that require some reflection in our zeal to establish and grow recycling programs. In one year alone, these programs diverted over 25 million tons of solid waste destined to become part of the landfill waste stream. Clearly, the enthusiasm and diligence with which Americans have adopted recycling gives a good deal of hope to any one concerned about the future of the natural environment. We can be justifiably delighted with the degree to which these programs have grown. The problem, and where the failure of recycling comes in, is that it has become a single-minded focus on the recycling leg of the triangle.