Saturday, December 26, 2009

Recycling: 1888

Old shoes have uses as raw material for certain industries. In many countries abroad and to some extent in the United States, they are collected with care, ripped apart and the leather subjected to treatment that renders it soft and makes it available for sundry purposes. Patterns are stamped upon it, trunks are covered with it, and it is also used for making shoes again. The soles are extensively used in making heels for ladies' and children's shoes. The nails also are saved and made profitable, and the useless scraps are converted into fertilizers.
--From Good Housekeeping--

I guess we couldn't do something like this today because of all the manual labor it would take. The minimum wage and all sorts of regulations would make it impossible. How much recycling isn't done simply because regulations make it too expensive to be profitable?

Politicians say global warming is the biggest issue facing humanity, but they never act like it, except when it comes to raising taxes.

5 comments:

chickelit said...

"Ryclycling"?
deliberate typo?

Jason (the commenter) said...

It's my cold talking.

chickelit said...

Get better dude- you have no excuse living in weather paradise!

Trooper York said...

Hey, everybody in Florida is complaining about how cold it is!

I am walking around in my shorts and wife beater.

Jason (the commenter) said...

Trooper, that's how we spot tourists. If you want to look like a local, bundle up once it falls to 60.