Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Yes, We Recycle!

September 22: Yes, we recycle! Someone asked me this week whether I recycle or not. He couldn't believe a man with my wealth, monetary and fiscal views would be a faithful recycler. I said that I absolutely do. Recycling bottles and cans is much easier than mining for gold. Less risky, too. To get an once of gold you need to dig 5 tons of ore, move it and smelt it with hazardous chemicals -- and, it would be worth about 90% of the market spot price to miner from the assayer who weighs and smelts the unfinished nuggets. After all cost which include equipment, labor, licenses, claim royalties, and legal -- the miner will reap roughly 20% to 30% of the spot price for gold as a profit. So, about $150 to $225 at today's spot price. When the market price is lower than get less profit.

Not to mention the future cost to the environment and regulatory entanglements which increase operational cost -- mining for gold is not very profitable operation. RECYCLING CANS AND BOTTLES WILL COST YOU JUST THE FUEL TO GET TO THE RECYCLING CENTER AND SOME OF YOUR "FREE" TIME. A perfect business low cost/mostly profit provided you are recycling the discarded cans and bottles that someone else paid the deposit on.

Today, the kids and I took $15.28 of cans and bottles to the recycling center on L.A. Ave. A good proportion of our haul were cans and bottles collected along our dog walks and tennis practices. Their bottles & Cans Fund is now worth over $1,500!

Since October of 2005, we have recycled $1,262.15 worth of bottles and cans.

1 comment:

CF said...

Andy -
Congrats! I wish there were more pay recycling centers here in St Louis! You may not have heard of our new endeavor - Rebounces. We have begun the first Nation-wide Tennis Ball Recycling Campaign. We would love for you and your kids to be collectors for us in Simi Valley. Email us at info at rebounces.com for further details.

Again, kudos for the recycling efforts you have already accomplished in such a relatively short time.

Cheers

- Cannon