"Our greatest responsibility is to be good ancestors."

-Jonas Salk

Monday, November 19, 2007

Danes and Dutch and Dead TVs

Our cheesy little VCR/TV combo (our only television) almost ate an irreplaceable VHS tape that had been lent to us. Also the picture has been declining. We rarely even plug the thing in, now that we watch movies on the 20" iMac. So now we will likely have no TV at all. The problem is that we have no idea what to do with the corpse of the thing.

It's not really a very Texan question. Even the unrelentingly hip Central Market (world class live music accompanied by the antics of dancing toddlers at your main grocery, providing a level of civilization that is enviable anywhere and anywhen) offers no bottle recycling at their cafe.

Those who despair that sufficient social change is possible should consider some of the examples set by Northern Europe. Consider the achievements of the Danes and the Dutch in managing household waste.

"In wildness is the preservation of the world", Thoreau said. I say "in techno-liberalism is the preservation of the wild".

Planning is possible and necessary. Let's do some.

5 comments:

William M. Connolley said...

In texas, shouldn't you put it on a post outside your house and people driving by shoot at it until its dust?

Michael Tobis said...

Yee-haw! That's a fine idea.

William, y'all must have been a redneck in yer previous laff.

jules said...

The Tokyo area has a number of islands which serve as every possible entertainment playgrounds (there are even beaches). I always think that these reclaimed islands are founded mostly on old televisions.

So - what springs to mind is your Galveston problem. Suggest the Galveston beach town be propped up similarly.

EliRabett said...

Given available land, landfill should be a better choice than incineration. OTOH, generating electricity with incineration would be better than straightforward incineration.

James Annan said...

Well I have nothing to declare except this.