Metro/Free Newspaper Impact

[ishydee]

I'm wondering if folks can comment on what the environmental impact is from these daily free papers.

I've only been a TTC commuter since October but there must be literally thousands of copies the Metro paper given out every morning along the subway line. I'm sure it must also be made available at newsstands as well.

Aside from the waste of paper (recycled or not) and ink and production costs, a lot of people don't dispose of them properly and just leave them scattered all over the system.

Thoughts?

[nornet]

I've been opposed to these papers since day one. People toss them after a quick read or just leave them laying around. Publishers should bear some of the cleanup. This wound push their advertising rates up to the point where them might not be cost effective. Something like this will probably come in when Ontario introduces packing legislation or when Miller says enough.

[blahing]

There are ways to decrease the number of papers printed. Its the job of the government to make the newspaper company do something, at their cost. But getting rid of the newspapers is not an option. I think there is not enough concern being addressed by the public for something to be done.

[ishydee]

what can we as riders do to raise some concern? or perhaps to get some solid numbers for facts as to total distribution, percentage picked up from the rack vs left behind etc...

i think it'd be interesting to do a survey (not that it would be completely feasible) with riders as to the average time they spend reading it before tossing.

[brunes]

If the company was forced to put a recycling bin next to every paper pickup box that would be good enough for me.....

This is my biggest pet peeve about municipal / provincial government and the environment. They are great about trash cans everywhere, but there are nowhere enar enough recycling bins. Anywhere there is a trash bin, there should also be two recycling bins - one for paper, one for cans/bottles.

It is so upsetting to me to be out and about and have nowhere to recycle paper or plastic waste. This is a huge issue for me, because everyone I talk to agrees. everyone *wants* to put their stuff in recycling, but they aren't going to carry their trash around with them to do it. Make it convenient, and people will do it.

[nornet]

If the company was forced to put a recycling bin next to every paper pickup box that would be good enough for me.....

This is my biggest pet peeve about municipal / provincial government and the environment. They are great about trash cans everywhere, but there are nowhere enar enough recycling bins. Anywhere there is a trash bin, there should also be two recycling bins - one for paper, one for cans/bottles.

It is so upsetting to me to be out and about and have nowhere to recycle paper or plastic waste. This is a huge issue for me, because everyone I talk to agrees. everyone *wants* to put their stuff in recycling, but they aren't going to carry their trash around with them to do it. Make it convenient, and people will do it.

The OP was referring to the GTA transit system and they do have recycling bins. It's one of those on again/ off again programs that can be effected by terrorism threats in which case they seal all containers that can be used to hide explosives.

For the past few years recycling containers(multiple types) have been available but it seems that the majority of these papers are left on the floor or seat and don't find there way into them.

[eelfliw]

The problem lies with the people who do not place the paper in recycle bins.

If the government has the ability to cut a finger or ear off of anyone caught not properly disposing of these papers, the problem would be resolved fairly quickly. The problem is, we live in a no-fault world and the government is powerless to do anything.

[brunes]

The OP was referring to the GTA transit system and they do have recycling bins. It's one of those on again/ off again programs that can be effected by terrorism threats in which case they seal all containers that can be used to hide explosives.

For the past few years recycling containers(multiple types) have been available but it seems that the majority of these papers are left on the floor or seat and don't find there way into them.

Yes there are recycling bins on the TTC. No, there are not as many as trash bins.

Anywhere there is a trash bin two recycling bins should be attached. So when you go to throw your item in the trash you just throw it in the recycling instead.

If the recycling is even *A LITTLE* out of the way, its use will drop by an enormous amount. People are lazy and in a hurry, you can't expect them to go out of their way to recycle.

Fast food places are horrible for this too.

Other provinces should take a cue from PEI, where recycling is like a religion. Even fast food places like McDonalds have to, by law, have multiple bins for their trash - when you are in PEI at McDonalds you put your was cup in one container, and your cardboard / food in another. Same in Taiwan - diners are obliged to deposit their garbage in four separate containers for leftover food, recyclable paper, regular waste and liquids. It is very hard (impossible?) to find a public trash can in PEI that does not also have recycling attached.

http://www.bytheriverblog.com/images/Canadian%20public%20recycling%20bin.jpg

[nornet]

One thing I've never seen in PEI was litter. Toronto lost the reputation for being a clean city 20 years ago. People think nothing about opening their car door at a red light and emptying their ash tray.

Not to hijack the OPs thread but my pet peeve is fast food. There are virtually no facilities to effectively recycle the material that is generated by the thousands of meals served daily in the many food courts in the shopping malls. All meals are served on disposable plates with disposable cutlery.

I've taken part in several of the mayor's cleanup campaigns and after spending hours cleaning up street litter and comparing notes with others involved can say unofficially;) that 80-90% of it comes from coffee cups, almost all of which are Timmys.

Political will is whats needed.

[CSR]

The TTC has these everywhere:
http://tbn1.google.com/images?q=tbn:uzt95nmjtFUKKM:http://www.treehugger.com/garbage-bins.jpg

[gordholio]

The problem lies with the people who do not place the paper in recycle bins.

If the government has the ability to cut a finger or ear off of anyone caught not properly disposing of these papers, the problem would be resolved fairly quickly. The problem is, we live in a no-fault world and the government is powerless to do anything.

Yeah, cutting off a finger should do. :confused:

[artsreview]

On the other hand, free newspapers might discourage people from subscribing to newspaper delivery at home and in the process, reduce the overall consumption of trees on earth. After all, the newspapers that come to the house are about 10-50 times bulkier than the free newspapers, e.g. the Toronto Star on weekends.

Per se, it's not free newspapers themselves that cause litter. It's people doing the littering, right? Suppose there were no free newspapers, then you'd see people littering home-delivered newspapers, which would make the problem 10-50 times worse than it is now.

[brunes]

Its not much of an issue really because it is solving itself. Newspapers are going out of business, even free ones. No free paper-based newspapers will be around in 5 years. It costs too much money to make and distribute them, with their ad revenues falling so sharply, because everyone gets their news online now. And with everyone having an iPhone or Blackberry or other smart phone, you just read that when you're bored.

[jopojo]

This paper isn't really free is it?

I mean, where do they get their capital other than from advertising? Do our taxes pay for these free papers?

Either way, its free and uses less paper overall than paid newspapers like The Star and the Globe and Mail, who have like 10 different sections in a newspaper when people are only really interested in one or two.

[pnyknights]

Anywhere there is a trash bin, there should also be two recycling bins - one for paper, one for cans/bottles.


The TTC has these everywhere:
http://tbn1.google.com/images?q=tbn:uzt95nmjtFUKKM:http://www.treehugger.com/garbage-bins.jpg

A bit more of a side question. Residential recycyle bins have been consolidated into that one big bin. So why does it matter which bin we toss recycle in at other places? (ie TTC bins, street corners)

[hagbard]

I'm all for them. More paper usage, more need for paper, more need for paper, more tree farms, more tree farms, more trees.

[UrbanPoet]

Leaving them on a seat could be considered recycling... b/c someone else picks it up to read instead of picking up another one.