Ron and Dorothy Strasser
If the brake pads have metal parts for mounting on the brake... put them in
the metal recycling bin (any of the pad material will be removed from the
metal in recycling process)... if not (just the replaceable pad) I am
guessing the landfill.
ron
----- Original Message -----
From: "Brian Johnson"
To:
Cc:
Sent: Friday, March 07, 2008 10:24 AM
Subject: Re: [OBRA Chat] Enviro-Friendly home shop Part II
> One thing to consider: washing greasy rags vs. throwing them away or
> using paper towels.
>
> If you wash petrochemical contaminated rags where does the rinsate go?
> Is that better than throwing a greasy paper towel away? Which method has
> the lowest net impact on our environment?
>
> I faced a similar situation a few years ago with cloth (reusable) vs
> disposable diapers. Waste and contaminate potable water and introduce
> noxious chemical residue to the metro sewer system or simply throw
> something away.
>
> I decided that the net result favors disposal of diapers. I decided the
> same thing with greasy rags-- sometimes I don't think reuse is
> necessarily a good thing.
>
> I note that ProLink Gold chain lube claims to be non-toxic and
> "environmentally friendly". I use this (and another product- ATB). I
> wash my drivetrains with liquid dish soap and hot water (hot water ain't
> PRO, but... y'know) and there is very little in the way of toxic sludge
> to come off the drivetrain. I don't clean my chains with solvents
> anymore-- haven't for years. There's all sorts of citrus degreasers out
> there that work pretty well and are easier on my hands and the
> environment.
>
> As for used and broken bike parts? I'm intrinsically a pack rat and
> anything that could have any possible use in the future is saved. That
> said, anything metal goes in the recycling tubs. Our carriers will take
> metal parts up to 30 lbs. So unusable cogs, chainrings, old old
> handlebars, trashed rims, broken spokes, useless washers and nuts, and
> misc metal components find their way into the recycling tubs. This is
> why I don't like composite stuff-- the damaged composite seatpost will
> either go in the trash or be re-made into some sort of home furnishing
> (non weight-bearing). To throw it away would leave it to molder in the
> Earth for who know how long.
>
> Old tubes are useful for all sorts of things, plus I patch and patch and
> patch. So I have yet to throw away an old tube.
>
> As for brake pads? I don't know. I have a bunch that are sitting in my
> trash box. I hesitate to throw them out, but don't know what to do with
> them otherwise. They will eventually get tossed unless some use for them
> comes up.
>
> Every time I throw away a broken/used bike part, I'm very aware of the
> choice I'm making. Most times I just see no other alternative other than
> to create my own trash dump.
>
> It's this eventual end-of-life scenario that I think of whenever I'm
> faced with something so stupidly unserviceable like a Shimano STI lever.
> I have one right now, that for want of a small, stamped-steel
> hinge-plate, is garbage! How is that okay, Shimano? I wonder how many
> components have been thrown away because of some small, easily
> replaceable part that the manufacturer won't supply.
>
> Bottom line, I think that it's good to at least be aware and considerate
> of the choices one makes -- reuse, wash, recycle, or throw away.
>
> --
>
>
> "There's no time for sanity, chum!"
> -- The Tick
>
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