"Recycling can and should be easy...'James "Kimo" Rosen' (Kimo's world #95)

James "Kimo" Rosen is a retired professional photographer
 and amongst other things lived in a tent outdoors for 7 years.
Rosen currently resides on the tropical island of Kaua'i
with his best friend and spiritual adviser Obama Da Dog!

Editors note;
This blog also appeared as an opinion article in the Friday~October 23,2015 edition of the  Kaua'i Garden Island news; "Recycling too difficult in Hawaii."
http://thegardenisland.com/news/opinion/mailbag/letters-for-oct/article_7dc735b3-40eb-5c5d-8f90-b1c868a46ae3.html

Recycling can and should be easy

My sister and brother-in-law
visiting Kaua'i back in 2008. It was
 now my turn to visit them in
Western N.Y where I learned
a lot about recycling
the simple and logical way!

The state of Hawaii does not  require  retailers to operate redemption centers at their stores. 

The state of Hawaii charges a $0.05 deposit and a $0.01 fee for each container (can, bottle, 2 liter, quarts of juice, but NOT milk) You are suppose to receive the nickel back when the container is turned in, but the process is such a pain that people just take what's given to them and it usually does not work out to $.05 a container. The $0.01 fee is used to support the costs of the program.

Recycling is simple in Western N.Y.
My sister Linda returning her
beverage containers
 at the local big box store.

Recycling on Kauai  is a real chore. I believe the state does not really want people to return their cans or bottles! The reason being you must find a recycle place. They are few and far between and  there are usually long lines waiting for the recyclers to weigh your recyclables.

Back in the day when I was a kid-- you bought a bottle or can of soda pop and you returned it to the store you bought it and it was that  simple, you got your money back. 

 Recently on my trip to 'America' (the mainland) all the grocery stores and  big-box stores had giant machines that looked like humongous  soda machines where  you put your bottles or cans in and it prints out a receipt. My question is, 'why doesn't somebody do the same thing state wide here on Hawaii?' This seems like the logical thing to do. However logic is not one of the forefronts  of life in the 50th state.

You can see the enclosed photo of
 my sister depositing a can
 in the machine that looks
 like a vending machine,
 and it's that simple.

This is such a slush fund for the state. I truly believe the state intentionally makes recycling difficult as to discourage people to return their beverage containers, thus keeping all that money for the politicians to make important decisions, like pay raises for themselves.

After depositing your cans or bottles,
presto! A receipt emerges with
the amount of money owed you!

Hawaii, let's get with the times. This is the 21st-century.  We're living like a third world country.  My relatives in Western N.Y. were teasing me about living in a third world country-- and after some thought, they're not so far off.

http://thegardenisland.com/news/opinion/mailbag/letters-for-oct/article_7dc735b3-40eb-5c5d-8f90-b1c868a46ae3.html

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