Letter: Recycling & Incineration 2

Letters Page Article to Sheffield Star (February 2006)

Recycling & Incineration

To the Editor-

The Star editorial (14/2/06) calls for Friends of the Earth to turn their anger on manufacturers who wrap everything in needless packaging which is destined for the bin. We at Sheffield Friends of the Earth are more than happy to do this. But manufacturers will always claim that they are doing what the customer wants. So if we really want to stop so much rubbish being produced we have to stop buying it. Shops will soon get the message if we politely decline each plastic bag we are offered, choose products that have the least wrapping, and (for the more serious eco-warrior) unwrap the goods and leave the wrapping at the checkout.

Recycling and reducing waste is not a huge chore. You don’t have to hold “extreme views” to remember to put paper and cardboard in the blue bins, drop your bottles off at the bottle bank, and buy less rubbish in the first place. This is what any responsible citizen would do.

Steve Goodacre
Sheffield Friends of the Earth