The Hidden Persuaders - Assignment Example

RECYCLE 2 When God gave Adam, Eden with all that was therein, he was told to keep it He fell, and the very first Conservationist became an exploiter. Since then mankind has not ceased to imitate him. Down the ages man has just taken and taken and taken from sources that are not renewed. The scary part is not the depletion of all the resources we have now, but that the exploitation continues unabated in a huge way and therefore, the thought, WHAT are we going to leave for the generations to come The time now, is to re-use or recycle what we consume to-day, so that in all our tomorrows, we use less than what we did in our yesterdays. There are three ways to do it: [1] Reduce Consumption, [2] Reuse Products, and [3] Re-Cycle the Recyclable. The key words being Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. I can see the resistance, which can be put up, if advice for Reduction is advocated. We are tuned to wants being unlimited and deprivation is not a word that's welcomed. So let us equate the word Reduce with 'No Wastage.' This is something that is understandable and manageable and can be immediately implemented. Mass media's Hidden Persuaders [2] have trained us to reach out for the new. It makes good commercial sense, to them, to have products flowing from the manufacturing line, straight into the hands of the consumers. It has made us to imbibe a false sense of dignity, by privately or publicly discarding the partially used, a form of squandering actually, to deal with the new. Let us then look at the word Reuse to be consistent with 'getting the money's worth' by being a good steward. When I recycle I immediately become a 'contributor.' I contribute to the extension of the material used. I contribute towards conserving scarce resources. I contribute to 3 the making of a new useable product. I contribute to the economy. I contribute to the sustainability of the human race. There is one great notable point to be derived from all these three strategies. To extend and save the planet Earth by every act of Reduction or Reusing or Recycling, YOU are important. When you serve the purpose you are worthy to be emulated. When that happens, you are to be celebrated. Dear Ones, the fast pace at which precious scarce resources are being used up Reduce, Reuse or Recycle may not remain a choice. It may just become mandatory that we exercise it. Believe me we are not very far from such a situation. If we show concern NOW, we may surely be able to postpone it for some time in the future. Or else it may tantamount to committing hara-kiri. Let us look in some detail as to what we can do with these three recommendations. So that it becomes a way of life for us. So that our conscious efforts continue to yield the desired results, and that we impact the world in a positive manner. I would like to get on with the first two, Reduce and Reuse very briefly. For you will find when I elaborate on Recycle how these two interweave with it to make it an essential composite whole. REDUCE When we introduced the word here we decided to look at it as 'No Waste.' If we gear our activities towards waste minimization the immediate effect will be fall in procurement. The less we buy the less waste or garbage is generated. Truly the discipline exercised will stand in good stead in time to come. Be an informed and aware consumer and your shopping selections will begin to fall in place. 4 REUSE One advantage of this is that it requires no further processing for it to be used. It is good the way it is and has the latent potential to serve the purpose it was bought for. All that we need to do is reach out for it again. Donating things and stuff to charities fall in this bracket too. So does garage sales! Some one is going to buy and reuse it. Reusing products postpones it from becoming a waste. RECYCLE When waste is perceived as a valuable resource the re-cycle process begins from that moment. This generates a host of environmental, financial, and social benefits when it is followed through. "Recycling is one of the best environmental success stories of the late 20th century. Recycling, including composting, diverted 82 million tons of material away from landfills and incinerators in 2006, up from 34 million tons in 1990. By 2006, about 8,660 curbside collection programs served roughly half of the American population. Curbside programs, along with drop-off and buy-back centers, resulted in a diversion of about 32 percent of the nation's solid waste in 2005." However, "There's more to recycling than setting out your recyclables at the curb. In order to make recycling economically feasible, we must buy recycled products and packaging. When we buy recycled products, we create an economic incentive for recyclable materials to be collected, manufactured, and marketed as new products. Buying recycled has both economic and environmental benefits. Purchasing products made from or packaged in recycled materials saves resources for future generations." [3] Reduce, Reuse and Recycle three words that mean a revolution in our thoughts, in our words and in our actions for the benefit of the environment for posterity. 5 Here are some interesting recommendations I found [3] and I am glad to share it with all of you here. Steps that we can, no we should, take to handle waste, which is currently a big problem on Earth. Let us get straight to it, this will definitely assist you to do your part to help: Step 1: Reduce the amount of trash you throw away by buying responsibly. If you have to choose between two similar items, go with the one that uses less packaging. Try the concentrated laundry and dish detergents in smaller bottles rather than the watered down big bottles. Better yet, reduce the number of things you buy. Just buy smart. Step 2: Limit your use of hazardous substances like paint, cleaners and pesticides. Buy only what you need. When finished, dispose of the container properly, as it's too easy for these products to invade our soil or water. Step 3: Reuse containers instead of throwing them in the garbage can. Use washable cups instead of disposable ones or reuse plastic forks and spoons. Make bird feeders out of two-liter soda bottles. Also, think about buying rechargeable items and rechargeable batteries that allow you to reuse items repeatedly without contributing to waste. Step 4: Repair broken items instead of trashing them and buying something new. If you no longer want an item, give it to someone who can use it. 6 Step 5: Recycle as much as possible. Recycling turns waste into useful resources. Good for you if recycle newspapers and soda cans, but did you know that people recycle cell phones; Christmas trees and tires as well Step 6: Buy products or packaging made with recycled content. You can also "precycle" by buying products in easily recyclable packaging. Step 7: Support recycling programs in your community. Many communities offer recycling centers with bins for different items. Almost half of Americans benefit from curbside recycling where they can place aluminum, steel cans, plastic, glass and newspaper at the curbs for pick up. The steps are not limited to these seven. They are indicators of what should be done. The entire exercise of recycling is a life-long thing with a 360 degree view. But the action must start at home. That has got to be the starting point. When the 'recycle' action begins at home it has the tendency to engulf everything recyclable into the purview. Things at the workplace, in the community, in the school, at the places of leisure all get included in the larger recycle picture. One thing leads to the other and we will have the whole populace waving the 'recycle flag'. Start recycling, maintain the effort and begin to include more and more items for recycling. Create a strong ripple effect that its energy reaches the furthest point from you. Know that you are the cause for the radical movement and remain self-motivated. 7 Get to know how the disposable way of life costs more in the end. Surely our bank balances AND the environment does take the strain. Share what you do and learn from others and your crusade against waste can only get better and more effective. The need to recycle caught the imagination of the people in 1987. Here is what happened: "In 1987, the Mobro 4000 barge hauled garbage from New York to North Carolina; where it was denied. It was then sent to Belize; where it was denied as well. Finally, the barge returned to New York and the garbage was incinerated. The incident led to heated discussions in the media about waste disposal and recycling. The incident is often referred to as igniting the recycling "hysteria" of the 1990s". [3] The world demands that much more is done. We need to get caught up in the urgency of initiating action to reduce waste. Ignorance, of the consequences if we do not participate in saving the Earth, is no more bliss. We need to pass on a better place, than what we received, to the next generation. They should have learnt from us to be concerned and to care for the resources they consume. They must practice to Reduce, to Reuse and to Recycle, it is only then that the process of preservation and careful management of the environment and of natural resources will continue. We have a collective responsibility to ensure that no accusing finger points at us as being wasteful. We need to adhere to the solid principles of being a good steward. If we have a mind of knowing that nothings belongs to us, that we are only required to take care and keep it, and do just that, then we will be found faithful. Do you pledge to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle Yes. Thank you. Come! It's time to celebrate YOU. Works Cited [1] Genesis 2:15. Zondervan New American Standard Bible, 1999 (Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA) [2] Packard Vance, 1957, The Hidden Persuaders. [3] File: recycle.doc, ORDER #:217775 http://www.academia-research.com/ Read More