171
TIL "Nearly 75% of all aluminum ever produced is still in use today" due to recycling
(www.aluminum.org)
this post was submitted on 29 Jul 2024
171 points (98.3% liked)
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Friendly reminder that alu cans contain plastic. And recycling still requires resources.
Personally I think it's totally fine to enjoy yourself, but to do so consciously.
It's true, and it's problematic, but the plastic lining in an aluminium can is super thin, since it doesn't need to be structural. As far as resource use goes, it's still way better. It's best to look for improvements, and not to let the search for perfection block you from a marginal gain.
If you're going to re-use, use glass, where possible. If you're not, aluminium is still the better choice.
We should have higher deposits on cans and bottles. Here, it's been pegged at 5 cents since the 90s - it should be more like 25 cents now for cans, or a dollar for glass bottles.
Friendly reminder that glass contains no plastic. And recycling glass still requires virgin glass.
And that reusing glass requires very little energy. Switch to glass. Use deposit programs. If you don't have a deposit program, lobby your representative to tax single-use plastic and single-use aluminum, and establish a glass deposit system.