Aluminum. Why?

1. Newspapers are easy ro re-use without recycling, and there's a better chance someone will go recycle paper, than aluminum. So in that way, there'd probably be more recycling going on anyway.

2. Aluminum is very problematic for the environment, much more-so than paper. Paper will disintegrate, and reintgrate into the environment, depending upon it's composition, and the conditions, in even 50-100 years. Aluminum takes upwards of 4000 years, but also depending upon composition and environmental conditions, so it varies a touch.

3. If you're recycling Aluminum, that means *everyone* in the neighborhood is gathering their aluminum, washing it, placing it in neat containers, and then to their curbs (or better yet, a giant neighborhood bin) in an oh-so-very-kind way, just for you. They are essentially -giving- you, an unlimited source of aluminum to do whatever you want with. Experiments galore.

4. One word - Thermite

Have lots of fun,



-Uncle Rusty

Its a no-contest. Paper.

Reasons why

1. Aluminum recycling e.g cash for cans is an incentive for people which does get used there is no real incentive for paper recycling except for a handful of people who want to help the environment.

2. When paper breaks down it emits greenhouse gases (Carbon Dioxide and Methane??). Also for the paper you keep out of the waste stream the less use of growing trees for paper, and the more that can be used for filtering our air.

Just a foot note: Aluminum isn't a renewable resource so it could be debated that it needs more attention as to recycling paper

Whoo! Green Planet ACTUALLY put something on Hot Topics. I'm happy.

quote:Originally posted by MR END:

Paper is made from trees specificaly grown to be paper, kinda like the tomatoes are specificaly grown to be eaten; both are "farmed" resources.

Still, recycling paper saves planting, cutting and processing trees. It saves energy.

I say aluminum and legalize growing hemp for paper.

aluminum

it takes a long time to bio-degrade

and it has value (BTW were is this aluminum, I'll take it for free)



newspapers biodegrade very fast.

I actually use them for my gardining.

quote:Originally posted by Uncus:

Still, recycling paper saves planting, cutting and processing trees. It saves energy.



The gas used to haul the [used] paper, the price for all the processing equipment, and the price to employ all the people to handle the paper would probably come close to the price of just processing new trees.

Aluminium is something that we cannot make anymore of, and therefore is something that makes sense to recycle. I would put in an aluminium recycling plant.

Originally posted by Rusticus:

3. If you're recycling Aluminum, that means *everyone* in the neighborhood is gathering their aluminum, washing it, placing it in neat containers, and then to their curbs (or better yet, a giant neighborhood bin) in an oh-so-very-kind way, just for you. They are essentially -giving- you, an unlimited source of aluminum to do whatever you want with. Experiments galore.

In the part of the UK I live in we do that... It works... And I think that other councils have done it aswell... You chat shit...

The manufacturing process for aluminium is much more hazardous to the environment, aside from the large amounts of flourine needed to manufactur aluminium, and the large amount of electricity which is usually taken from coal plants. There is also the damage done to the environment by mining.

Most pulpwood trees are farmed these days; and it is known that trees which are old produce a great deal of hazardous by products. So a cycle of young trees makes more sense.

Thus Aluminium in my estimation is more important, if for no other reason than the electricity used to electrolyse it.

Aluminum. It's limited in supply; trees can be grown.