Wrongheaded recycling plan

EDITOR'S NOTE: This letter to the editor was originally published on April 13, 1989, and was reprinted as part of the 70th anniversary of The Riverdale Press.

Editor, The Press:

Thank you for your editorial on recycling. It was ironic to find this in the first edition of your shocking tragedy. The conviction and determination of a maniac like that would not be so bad if it could be applied to the general population on respect for the environment.

First of all, an environmentalist would never terrorize like that. To destroy, especially for selfish reasons, is wrong. It’s a shame the Ayatollah never taught his followers how to properly express themselves.

Likewise, it’s sad to see that people don’t know how to express respect for the environment. The Ayatollah may be gone tomorrow (the sooner the better), but this world will go on forever. Since we have squandered our limited resources and polluted ourselves, it cannot be the same world for future generations.

We cannot build a foundation for a future when we keep taking blocks from what supports us. It’s a tough battle ahead when you think of the obstacles involved.

To put it simply, our city is filled with mutants who don’t know what a garbage can is, and people who are too busy to find one. At the same time, our sanitation department doesn’t know where to place garbage cans and has barely grasped the concept of recycling.

In its new recycling program, the sanitation department does not even include plastic. I’ll bet they plan on burning it.

And glass, according to the Environmental Action Coalition, must be separated by color. Who’s going to pay for that?

Expect complete chaos from the sanitation department and its fine penalty system.

As I said, it’s going to be a tough battle ahead. Just remember this: There was life before plastic, and a whole lot more.

ERIC MILLAND

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