Now *this* is cool

From: Frank McConnell <fmc_at_reanimators.org>
Date: Wed Aug 8 17:23:29 2001

Hans B Pufal <hansp_at_aconit.org> wrote:
> Mike Ford wrote:
> > Coins have value even to idiots, where old chips can reach a point
> > where typical people will decide there value is less than storage
> > cost and into the trash it goes.
>
> But that does not destroy them, just more difficult to locate.

Have you been to the landfill lately?

It's not exactly a jumbled pile of things with dirt on top. You see,
the landfill operator has tools. For example, the tractor-like
vehicle with spiky metal wheels, the better to break the piled things
up and spread them around a bit. That doesn't destroy the things as
thoroughly as recycling for metals but it is likely to leave 'em
pretty beat up. Think of it as something of a jigsaw puzzle for
future archaeologists.

Plus, here in Sillycon Valley there is (and has been for a few years)
significant pressure to divert things away from landfill, mostly
because the municipalities have been told to cut their landfill usage
by 50% (relative to some years ago). Not only are residential (and
one supposes commercial) users encouraged to sort out and separately
bin certain recyclables, but trash also gets sorted to separate out
some of the stuff that's not complete crap. Metals especially.

-Frank McConnell
Received on Wed Aug 08 2001 - 17:23:29 BST