August 21st, 2013, Emilene Parry
Clothing, paper, plastic bottles and plastic bags are the most frequently recycled items amongst Lab participants. Lab participants specified the following as their main motivations for recycling on a regular basis:
“It makes me feel like I am doing my part in taking care of the environment. For example, when I recycle papers or boxes I believe I am saving 1 tree which my daughter can I enjoy as she grows up as well” Karla, UAE
“To save resources for others” Zaib, UAE
“To make our environment clean” Farhan, Pakistan
“To reduce the amount of waste that is created everyday unnecessarily” Jay, UAE
“So that we don't have to purchase additional items for keeping stuff when they can be held in the available resources we have at home like glass bottles for oil and milk and jars for snacks,biscuits,cookies,nuts etc.” Fathima, UAE
“Save extra cost of buying new stuff - instead you compromise a bit and use old bottles..use old clothes and convert into bags & bedsheets etc.” Danish, UAE
“To preserve the environment and not to waste” Med, Morocco
“To utilize less and waste less as many of the dump yards are filled out and we need to do our duty as society members to as much as we can to save environment and recycle” Anon
Interesting the majority of Lab participants are unaware of any recycling centers in their area of residence and the majority believe that more recycling centers close to their residence would encourage them to recycle more often. Education on the benefits of recycling and different bins/bags for different recyclable waste in their residence would also encourage the majority of Lab participants to recycle more. Other things which would encourage Lab participants to recycle more often include:
“Initiative taken by government to recycle the goods” Nanda, India
“More drives towards recycling, more information what else I can recycle, more activities which are in line with recycling different resources” Karla, UAE
“Not seeing that when I do separate the cans, bottles, paper etc. and leave in our garbage area, that they are all just put together anyway” Jay, UAE
“More information on the use of recycling would help” Fathima,UAE
“Knowing that what goes in the recycling bins is actually going to be recycled” Anon
“Awareness and organize a waste place” Med, Morocco
“Like recycle rewards so we can get some benefits out of recycling” Anon
“Being aware of the harm that garbage cause to the nature and to our lives” Han, Algeria
At least four-fifths of Lab participants believe that it is a good idea to create a law making recycling mandatory. Reasons why include:
“Because if we continue with this non recycling culture, we will run out of ways to deal with all the trash. Companies and most individuals seem to do nothing about environmental issues unless they are mandated, so the only way forward is to create laws to deal with this” Jay, UAE
“The educated know the importance of recycling. To spread it, education is necessary and also law so that knowingly or unknowingly they will contribute for the good cause” Nanda, India
“Because that will make people aware of the benefits of Recycling” Anon
“At least people will be more conscious and will have more effort in doing recycling” Karla, UAE
“It's better for hygiene and environment” Shadi, Lebanon
“It will make people comply with the regulation and recycle their wastes, because in our time and beyond recycling is not a choice anymore, it's a duty!” Achraf, Morocco
“It will force people to do it. It has been effective in other countries” Anon
“Only a law can increase the % share of recycling as it is mandatory for the person to help in recycling” Chandresh, India
“It is important for every society to make a Law for recycling otherwise there will a lot of waste material” Rizwan, Pakistan
“Yes law making should be made mandatory for recycling to save environment and so that we can use less of the resources and stop wasting unnecessarily” Anon
“We and our children live in this world if we keep polluted the environment things getting worst day by day so we have to do something and play at least our role” Anon
“Many do not know the seriousness of wasting limited global resources, food consumption. Life is very easy here, and community involvement in the surrounding life is hardly seen” Roopa, UAE
“For protecting nature and economic purpose” Ali, Iraq
On the other hand a minority of participants stated that they did not believe a recycling law would be a good idea as people should not be forced to recycle and the emphasis should be on education instead.