A widely-shared New York Times opinion piece by John Tierney, "The Reign of Recycling," argues that recycling programs are typically inefficient and ineffective. Leading environmentalists are questioning the article's conclusions and say the ecological benefits of recycling are clear. The debate comes as California works to meet an ambitious goal -- to recycle or compost 75 percent of its waste by 2020. That's just five years away, and currently the state recycles around 50 percent of its waste.
Is Recycling Worth It?
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(Craig Miller/KQED)
Guests:
Edward Humes, author of "Garbology: Our Dirty Love Affair With Trash"
Julian Morris, vice president of research, Reason Foundation
Mark Murray, executive director, Californians Against Waste
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