Better For The Bigs: The Appleton Post-Crescent posted an article today about electronics recycling in Wisconsin, which recently became the 24th state to ban or restrict disposal of electronic devices in landfills. The main message of the piece is that Wisconsin´s new law is creating a bonanza for companies involved in the recycling chain:

"Though largely intended to protect the environment, the law, which took effect last year, also has buoyed business for the recycling industry´s three key sectors: collectors, recyclers and manufacturers."

Farther down, the story makes an interesting bigger-picture point about the lack of national e-scrap legislation and the patchwork effect that void has produced:

"While the recycling industry as a whole has benefitted from Wisconsin´s ban and similar regulations in 23 other states, that prosperity hasn´t been shared evenly, with big companies taking the lion´s share and smaller shops left in the cold. ... Under pressure to keep up with new regulatory demands, many manufacturers prefer to work with full-service recycling firms instead of smaller, specialized outfits."

Daily Affirmation: Thank goodness for clever headline writers. How could I resist a catchy title like "The Trash Whisperer: A True Pickup Artist"?

You shouldn´t resist it, either -- unless you have no need for an uplifting story about a troubled man fending off his demons, finding deep meaning in a small act, and then using that revelation to go out and make a difference in his world.

Pete Fehrenbach is managing editor of Waste & Recycling News. Past installments of this column are collected in the Inbox archive.