What are we, a bunch of grade schoolers? Regardless of your stance on climate change, one thing I think we can all agree on is that cutting emissions that pollute our air is a good thing. If you don’t, then you need to visit a larger city where air pollution is a problem. So, if we all agree on that, then what is the big fight between industrialized countries over carbon reduction targets? This “We’ll do it if you will” attitude is so juvenile. The whole Copenhagen deal is becoming a circus. Instead, why don’t countries just say, “We don’t care if you want to do it, we want to be a leader.” Take the initiative and show others how it can be done and it won’t be long before others follow suit.

A friend over in Greensboro, NC (who I have never officially met except in cyberspace) has supplied a series on his blog about preparing scrap metals for recycling. Since I got behind in my reference to these articles, I thought I better catch up. So, here they are all at once:

• Part 7
• Part 8
• Part 9
• Part 10

I hope you found them as informative as I did. Thanks, RecycleBills!

According to an article in Recycling Today, the World Steel Association is forecasting growth in the global steel industry of 9.2 percent, resulting in production of 1.206 billion tons of steel. In the US, they are forecasting a growth rate of 18.8 percent. From a US steel distributor’s perspective, that seems like quite a leap.

All across the US, demand appears to be weakening as construction and manufacturing contract in the face of the annual winter slowdown. Across the northwestern US, many fabrication shops are only seeing a 2-3 month backlog of orders, with very little coming on the horizon.  So if the forecasts are even close, the second half of 2010 would need to be pretty good. I guess we’ll see what happens but as positive a person as I am, it seems like quite a stretch to me.

I hope that somehow the forecasts come close. Not only will it affect our steel revenue but probably even more, our scrap revenue. As steel demand heats up, so will scrap demand, which is still experiencing a shortage here in the US. That shortage will likely cause price increases, which bodes well for scrappers as long as we don’t experience a fall-off similar to last year. Either way, I think we are in for an interesting ride.

So, do you see something different than me? Any positive news you have heard that would have long-term consequences?

While auto recyclers have always played a vital part in recycling, they have, along with scrap yards been seen as junky places most people avoid if they can. So, to see an auto recycler like Pull-A-Part receive the first Conserve Georgia Recycling Award is quite gratifying. Not only that, but they also received a sustainability award in 2009. So, congratulations to Pull-A-Part!

A lot has been said about electric and hybrid cars and airlines are trying to find ways to reduce their carbon footprints but it doesn’t seem like there has been a lot said lately about trains. Now, it appears China is set on becoming a world leader in rail transportation. If their plan works, it should reduce the need for short commuter flights in China. But the question remains, is it efficient use of money to reduce carbon emissions? How much time and effort will it take to build the proper rail lines to make a difference? What do you think?