The old "jobs vs. the environment" arguement is here again. Fight back on Earth Day.

[Scuba]

http://www.jsonline.com/news/opinion/120413419.html


Decent editorial in the Milwaukee Urinal / Sentinel...



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Yet as we celebrate the 41st anniversary of Earth Day - founded by Wisconsin's own Gaylord Nelson - the jobs-vs.-environment argument has surfaced again. It is a more dubious claim than ever.

Case in point: recycling, mandated by the state in 1990 after a long, contentious political battle. Just 20 years later, Wisconsin municipalities recycle more than 700,000 tons of material each year - waste that otherwise would go to landfills. The environmental benefits of keeping plastic, metals and other materials out of the ground are many and obvious, including protecting the quality of our groundwater and conserving valuable resources.

The social benefits are also considerable. Finding sites for additional landfill capacity is typically a contentious matter for any community, and these undesirable facilities tend to be located in economically disadvantaged areas. Recycling reduces these social conflicts and injustices.

It also strengthens our economy. In 2009 alone, the market value of recycled materials collected by Wisconsin counties and municipalities topped $71 million, according to a study by the state Department of Natural Resources. Cardboard, aluminum and other recycled materials serve as feedstocks for a number of vital industries across the state. That creates jobs - in fact, studies have shown that recycling creates four jobs for every one created in waste disposal, and wages for workers in the recycling industry are higher than the national average for all industries.


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