FOR A BETTER WORLD, FBWRI RECYCLING INITIATIVE
Description of the problem in general:
Solid waste or items disposed of on a daily basis by people around the world have always been a serious environmental problem, but it has been greatly compounded by the exponential population growth the world has experienced.
With the advent of recycling programs in many parts of the world and recycling awareness campaigns, the amount of waste generated per person has actually shown a small decrease. Although it decreases, the amount of solid waste generated daily has shown a massive increase, due to the population factor.
Dealing with waste in the past was more a problem of where to hide it, not what to do with it. Now there is a trend and motivation going on inspired both from the grassroots level to the political level, to tackle this problem head-on and find practical and workable solutions to tackle this sensitive issue.
Solid waste is no longer considered essential items that are discarded from both human and animal activities. They cover everything from:
Organic products: food scraps, corpses, plants, feces …
Inorganic items: plastic, metal, wood, chemicals, tires / rubber, batteries, packaging, cardboard …
A robust recycling program could effectively recycle more than 90% of all these types of waste, turning it into recycled products such as cardboard and plastic, or as a fuel source using methane gas generation from human waste.
Unfortunately, there is no complete recycling program anywhere in the world, but rather quite different countries, and cities / municipalities adopt parts of the cohesive recycling program to focus on limited recycling activities based on the resources they have available to create such. programs.
Improve waste resource recovery, proper use, and robust recycling procedures.
Passing laws requiring people to separate their trash in proper recycling bins has been shown to have little effect on increasing recycling. Awareness programs to increase consumer awareness and motivate them to care for the environment have been much more successful. It is better for a citizen to recycle because he believes it is the right thing to do and not because he feels obliged.
The biggest inhibiting factor in any recycling program in the world is a lack of resources, a lack of staff, and a lack of facilities to adequately address the problem.
When something is a business and has a profit motive, many companies and individuals, respectively, will be happy to participate. When it is simply a moral obligation, or a legal obligation, then there is no guarantee that people will fulfill it.
How do we motivate people to recycle?
The saying “What do I get out of this?” Certainly applies to a recycling program like any other social project. If we list the current arguments as in
“It’s good for the environment”,
“It’s the right thing to do.”
“It’s for a better future”
Then we are rolling the dice in hopes of pulling enough moral strings to successfully motivate people to recycle, but this is simply a gamble with no measurable means to ensure its success.
Now, if we offer an incentive to complement the moral argument, we will greatly increase our chances of success and citizen participation.
In this capitalist world, what motivates people more than anything is the opportunity to earn money. Recycling has proven to be a very profitable business, but for select companies that are in business, not the individual.
Profit and motivation based on morale.
Exchange for benefits
Governments could offer an incentive whereby their citizens drop off their properly separated items at designated recycling facilities, they receive a coupon and each coupon is worth points. This could be called “RP” or recycling points. With these PRs, then, the citizen could be offered a discount either by the private sector as an additional incentive for citizens to frequent their stores, and by the Government sector in discounts on the payment of their taxes, public services or any other. other. concept in which money is collected for services.
Private sector participation:
A pilot campaign can be launched with select national retailers, who will offer discounts on their products and services, in exchange for “RPs.” The retailer, in turn, would receive tax discounts from the government for all the “RP” it has collected.
Benefits for Private Retailers and Businesses:
The private sector will directly benefit by providing motivation for people to sponsor that particular business. They will increase your reputation as a “green” company and offer opportunities for growth. They will also benefit from receiving discounts on their taxes, which will allow them to be more profitable and, as a result, generate more jobs.
Government involvement:
Private sector participation
The government, in turn, can offer incentives to private industry to invest in and operate recycling processing facilities. The government can sell bonds, offer tax incentives, offer land and other resources, including real cash, to participate as a partner with private industry in the management of such facilities. Including partnering with organizations like UNOPS. The income generated by the sale of these recycled materials to the private sector and industries will in turn compensate the government for each and every one of the tax exemptions and other incentives that they have offered to their citizens for their voluntary participation in the initiative of the program of recycling.
Government incentives for its citizens
The government can offer its citizens, in exchange for their RP, the following benefits:
Property tax discounts
Discounts on the payment of any government-related service
A global health plan option covered in part by “RP” Recycled Points
Swap the “RPs” for staples and household items.
Benefits for achieving higher education or educational programs
And many more possible programs.
Penalties for non-compliance
As the FBWRI will offer benefits to people who wish to participate in it, providing compensation for products, services and food in exchange for the “RP” earned, for people who refuse to participate or have a small amount of “RP”. “, sanctions may apply.
For example, when a non-compliant citizen is obliged to pay any type of tax such as vehicle, rent or housing, instead of being eligible for a discount, they in turn would end up paying a much higher percentage than they normally would. to be charged.
This then provides a double incentive.
1) Participate in the program on a voluntary basis and receive direct economic benefits.
2) Refuse to participate and then be financially sanctioned
Both will serve as a very strong motivation to convince people that it is better to recycle.
Long-term benefits of the FBWRI
The FBWRI will serve to benefit our world in many ways:
Great reduction of solid waste stored in landfills
Activate the participation of all your citizens by greatly reducing the burden of obtaining and maintaining the right staff.
Empower your citizens to take positive and proactive action for your community.
Providing more opportunities for its citizens to earn income, and more income means a stronger and healthier economy, a happier citizen, and a more successful government.
Generate more jobs, helping to solve both the solid waste crisis and the unemployment crisis “Two birds with one stone.”
Make a role model for the world to follow by being a true innovative leader in the recycling initiative.
Provide much-needed solid revenue streams for state and local governments.
Provide funds that can be used to improve quality of life, education, medicine, health care, and social projects.
Reduce overall waste management facility costs and cost of ownership
Encourage the green industry to expand and offer more growth opportunities.
WHY FBWRI?
Waste management has reached its critical mass. It can no longer be buried in landfills and just hidden as has always been done in the past. Not only is there the problem of excess waste and too little space, there is also the growing problem that the world is running out of resources. The throwaway model of society may have worked in the past when the world was a much smaller place, but this reckless philosophy can no longer provide any meaningful future pathways for communities. Many of the items that are thrown away were simply used to package a product, and such packaging can be easily recycled and reused.
It is necessary to implant a conscience in the citizen, so that he realizes that all the current activities in his life, in turn, will affect the quality of life in the short and long term of his own children. The concept of “does not affect me” should be replaced by “affects us all”.
FBWRI is a project that should have been in place many years ago, so to say that there is no time like the present is a huge understatement. Combining a moral incentive with a financial incentive that will allow a self-sufficient recycling program to work, it should be the model the world follows. The leading economic countries are in an incredible position to set an example for others and help build a better future for all.