Author: johnka6

For years I had wondered what the 5¢ or 10¢ on the back of the label on cans and bottles meant and why only certain states would be listed next to it. The dots started connecting when I would visit my family in Michigan and at least once during the trip, my cousins and I would make an errand run to the nearest bottle return with trash bags full of empty cans and bottles in the trunk of the car. For every empty can or bottle returned, my cousins would get ten cents, motivating them to collect empty beverage containers around the house after gatherings and stashing them away to make some cash later. Upon asking questions as to why they did this here and not where I’m from, I discovered that it was a program put in place to motivate Michiganders to recycle. 

This kind of monetary incentive encourages the citizens of Michigan to recycle their bottles and reduce littering. There can be many different kinds of incentives in the world of sustainability (fees, taxes, etc) to motivate people and companies to follow sustainable practices. This specific incentive is put in place through the Bottle Deposit Law and was first implemented in Oregon in 1971. Its purpose was to reduce the amount of litter in the state and is still used today to encourage more people to recycle. Right now, only ten out of the fifty US states participate in the Bottle Deposit Law (Michigan, Maine, Oregon, Vermont, California, Hawaii, New York, Iowa, Massachusetts, and Connecticut), but Washington might be soon joining the list. It has been proven that this incentive drastically improves the amount of bottles/cans that get recycled in Bottle Deposit states versus non-Bottle Deposit states. The states with the law have a 60% beverage recycle rate while the rest only have a 24% beverage recycle rate. Not to mention, the growth of deposit centers increases job opportunities for those living in that area.

After working in Michigan last summer, I quickly got into the habit of keeping my empty soda cans and kombucha bottles hoping to get some extra cash for returning them. Upon returning to South Carolina, I had an unfortunate realization that I no longer have the incentive to take those empty cans to a bottle returns and neither did people in most of the states in the US. Of course, I still recycle, but I know that the culture around recycling in my hometown is much different than it is in Michigan. It’s not only about the incentives, but also the convenience factor that encourages people to recycle. Bottle return centers are abundant in the states that have the Bottle Deposit Law, but for many states that don’t have it, recycling can be a hassle specifically on college campuses. Furman’s campus doesn’t have many options for where to go to recycle, but in the Greenbelt community, both cabins have their own recycling bins outside of it and a recycling drop off by the farm entrance. After experiencing the difference in a Bottle Deposit state versus South Carolina, it is certainly something that should be implemented in every state to increase individuals’ recycling habits.

Sources:

https://statecapitallobbyist.com/environment/state-bottle-bills-2023-update/

https://www.container-recycling.org/index.php/issues/bottle-bills#:~:text=Did%20you%20know%20that%20states,only%20reach%20about%2024%25%3F

https://www.csrwire.com/reports/724196/report-ranks-50-us-states-recycling-performance-assesses-impact-deposit-return

In September of this year, it was announced that the Biden-Harris Administration was going to launch the American Climate Corps. This is in an effort to put more than 20,000 young people on career paths to help with clean energy, conservation, and climate resilience. Specific jobs within the corps can include managing forests, helping to cut energy bills for low income families, and restoring coastal wetlands. This is very similar to the Peace Corps, established in the 1960’s, because its goal is to provide help in specific communities, however, the Climate Corps is more direct to climate issues while also helping those in underserved communities. This program was put in place to also help contribute to the Justice40 Initiative. This is a goal to make 40% of benefits from certain federal investments go toward communities most burdened by climate change. While the Climate Corps will lead to progress in addressing the climate crisis, there has been some criticism. The idea was first mentioned by Biden at the beginning of his time in office and has now taken years to finally launch. The organization is also going to be at a smaller scale than what was originally hoped when it was first proposed. That said, this is still a win for addressing the climate crisis and allowing for more people to get involved.

This is a very crucial movement towards a better climate future because it directly involves getting younger generations to be a part of the sustainability movement. Instead of relying on individuals to make changes to their habits, this allows for people to really get involved and make an impact. It’s often hard to find specific programs that people with any kind of skill set can join to help with the climate crisis, but this corps targets young people with any skills ready to help. The organization is making an effort to create a diverse working space. As stated in the Forbes article on the American Climate Corps, “the American Climate Corps would not mirror FDR’s Civilian Conservation Corps in all respects, which almost exclusively employed white males and focused on rural communities.” They are prioritizing goals from previous corporations while also improving it.

You could compare the Greenbelt Community to this organization as they both target climate involvement for young people, just on a much smaller scale. Of course, it doesn’t compare on the level of change that is created climate-wise, but keeps similar goals in mind. The Greenbelt also promotes future participation in sustainable programs in addition to personal sustainable improvement. We are able to see how climate involvement works in communities, work on our own contributions, and get educated on sustainable practices. This sets us up well to join programs such as the Climate Corps and spread awareness about the program. While we aren’t necessarily able to join the Climate Corps right now, programs like it and the Peace Corps are great opportunities for people interested in environmental and sustainability issues for after college.

 

About, www.peacecorps.gov/about/. Accessed 1 Dec. 2023. 

“Fact Sheet: Biden-Harris Administration Launches American Climate Corps to Train Young People in Clean Energy, Conservation, and Climate Resilience Skills, Create Good-Paying Jobs and Tackle the Climate Crisis.” The White House, The United States Government, 20 Sept. 2023, www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/09/20/fact-sheet-biden-harris-administration-launches-american-climate-corps-to-train-young-people-in-clean-energy-conservation-and-climate-resilience-skills-create-good-paying-jobs-and-tackle-the-clima/. 

“Justice40 Initiative.” The White House, The United States Government, 29 Nov. 2023, www.whitehouse.gov/environmentaljustice/justice40/. 

Technology, Energy Innovation: Policy and. “The American Climate Corps Will Put Thousands to Work Building a Stronger Country.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 25 Sept. 2023, www.forbes.com/sites/energyinnovation/2023/09/24/the-american-climate-corps-will-put-thousands-to-work-building-a-stronger-country/?sh=db494027cb44.