STK- letter addressed to the editor
According to some studies, Utah is ranked 39th among all 50 states in terms of eco-friendliness. My family was very conscious of recycling and made it a habit to separate them into bags growing up. After they had filled up their bags, they would take them to a recycle site where they would weigh or count the recyclables. I have a set of recycling habits that I will keep with me throughout my life. I have come to realize how different my standards are from those of my peers now that I live alone in Utah. Utah’s government does not offer incentives for people to recycle. Maine, however, has the highest recycling rate in America, at 72%. Maine requires that any business with more employees than 15 must recycle. This may seem like a drastic step by the Utah legislature. However, they can take more progressive steps to make recycling easier and increase recycling rates. Ten states have adopted a bottle bill that costs between 5-15 cents. This bill is used to make a downpayment on the purchase of plastic cans and bottles. After recycling, the consumer will receive the bottle back. The bottle bill is not a cost to the government, so it is a benefit for Utah’s environment.
Lauren Wojcik, Provo