Thats how we are in the mess we are in. Its cheaper to burn gas, its cheaper to make big heavy inefficient cars, its cheaper to burn coal.
Just ask the Chinese how doing stuff cause its cheaper worked for their environment?
Well, our current trash collection company goes through out garbage and sorts the recyclable stuff from the true trash before they send it to the land fill or a recycle r. Many of them do this both for consumers and businesses.
Before I was laid off from the bank we got an announcement to no longer recycle stuff and to just use one trash can as everything is sorted at the trash station. Still sensitive documents had to go into the shred boxes.