…so big, really
The Doclopedia #2,432
Game Changers: Total Recycling
Of all the game changers we’ve discussed, none had as huge an effect on the world, especially the environment, as total recycling did on Earth 4-J. Quite simply put, it pretty much tanked the world economy overnight, then replaced it with a new one.
Total recycling, to be brief, is the use of molecule sized nanotech robots to break down everything from old tires to human waste into it’s component elements, then reform those elements into easily reusable portions. An example would be throwing away an old sofa. As soon as it hits the recycling complex, it is broken down into cotton or other stuffing, wood, metal, plastic, and whatever material it was covered with. These components would be combined with similar components from other old sofas, and then be piled up in bags, boxes or bins at the Finished Materials Unit, ready for sale.
The developers of the first recycling nanites realized that if they tried to just market their plan to everyone, the shit would hit the fan. Imagine the worldwide steel/plastics/glass/mining/whatever industry reaction to cheaper, purer, recycling of their own products. The folks at Possibilities Nanotech did, so in developed countries, they marketed it as cheap pollution cleanup. Most big industries, and many governments, jumped on that fast.
The folks at Pos-Nan had film crews at most sites, ostensibly to show how responsible the companies/governments were, but mostly to get hours of proof that they could do what they would later claim. Things were going very well at all sites, with more customers signing on.
But in the Third World, besides marketing as pollution cleanup, they showed off the recycling aspect and how it could free a country up from so much dependence on the more developed world for materials and products. This proved to be very popular with many governments, more than a few of whom saw the potential for government monopolies.
As several big pollution cleanups, including drug and plastic removal from water sources, came to a finish, Pos-Nan released a one hour television program titled “Our Clean Future” in 12 countries. Multinational industries and all 12 governments were hyped about it, because it was going to be great PR. And it was…although the last 10 minutes caught them by surprise.
Pos-Nan has tacked on the last 10 minutes which contained a very effective pitch for total recycling of not only home waste, but landfills, garbage dumps, auto graveyards, and other waste. It was very well crafted. Better yet, the industries and governments couldn’t very well diss the idea, since they had been heavily touting it for the other cleanups.
Pos-Nan had total recycling going at thousands of sites and in selected towns and cities within 3 months. The cleanups were fast, quiet, profitable for local and state/province governments, and very very popular. By the end of the first year, people were clamoring for more total recycling. Meanwhile, industries were finding out why sales to less developed countries were dropping off.
They found this out just before similar drops started in the developed world.
THEN the shit hit the fan.
The business world was getting it’s ass kicked, profitwise. They mounted anti-total recycling campaigns, all of which only served to make them look bad and piss off the public. After a few housecleaning elections, and a couple of government shutdowns/reorganizations, most of the developed world governments accepted that the old ways were dead and it was time for the new future.
Now, 10 years later, the amount of mining and logging done worldwide is a tiny fraction of what it once was. Pollution has dropped by 80%. People are healthier, happier and have more money.
And in the United States, you can buy a high performance electric Corvette Stingray for $10,000.00.
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