--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: After all, does it make sense to be…" description: "\"After all, does it make sense to be chucking things like glass, paper, cardboard, wood, metals, plastics, and food waste into holes in the ground? No, ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3e/hilary-benn-12095_energy_after-all-does-it-make-sense-to-be-chuck_904286.jpg" --- # After all, does it make sense to be chucking things like… ![“After all, does it make sense to be chucking things like glass, paper, cardboard, wood, metals, plastics, and food waste into holes in the ground? No, it doesn't; especially when someone will pay you good money to take them off your hands or, in the case of wood and food waste, when you can turn…” quote by Hilary Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3e/hilary-benn-12095_energy_after-all-does-it-make-sense-to-be-chuck_904286.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3e/hilary-benn-12095_energy_after-all-does-it-make-sense-to-be-chuck_904286.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3e/hilary-benn-12095_energy_after-all-does-it-make-sense-to-be-chuck_904286.jpg) > “After all, does it make sense to be chucking things like glass, paper, cardboard, wood, metals, plastics, and food waste into holes in the ground? No, it doesn't; especially when someone will pay you good money to take them off your hands or, in the case of wood and food waste, when you can turn them into renewable energy.” [Hilary Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-benn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote questions the logic of discarding recyclable and waste materials when profitable recycling or energy recovery options exist. **In simple terms:** Throwing away useful waste is wasteful and costly. Key Takeaway Recycle or convert waste instead of burying it. Themes environment economics waste management energy sustainability Mood concerned urgent pragmatic Type advocacy policy educational When to use this quote - municipal waste sorting - industrial recycling - energy-from-waste plants - community composting Key Concepts circular economy renewable energy resource efficiency Questions to Reflect On - What barriers prevent effective recycling in your area? - How can incentives improve waste diversion? A Different Perspective Limited infrastructure may hinder recycling options in some regions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Energy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/energy/) [Environment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/environment/) [Food](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/food/) [Food waste](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/food-waste/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Renewable energy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/renewable-energy/) [Waste](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waste/) ## Related quotes > [Why do we send valuable items like aluminium and food waste to landfill when we can turn them into new cans and renewable energy?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-benn/why-do-we-send-valuable-items-like-aluminium-and-food-waste-to/) [Hilary Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-benn/) > [In the United States, under 3 percent of municipal food waste - so that's the food scraps that goes into people's garbage cans -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tristram-stuart/in-the-united-states-under-3-percent-of-municipal-food-waste-so-that/) [Tristram Stuart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tristram-stuart/) > [There is no question we need an energy policy overhaul in America. A key part of that overhaul must include moving forward aggressively with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-paulsen/there-is-no-question-we-need-an-energy-policy-overhaul-in-america-a/) [Erik Paulsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-paulsen/) > [I know that nuclear is better than fossil fuels when it comes to carbon dioxide, but nuclear energy is by no means clean. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-crow/i-know-that-nuclear-is-better-than-fossil-fuels-when-it-comes-to/) [Sheryl Crow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-crow/) > [Each year-in the fields, commercial kitchens, markets, stores, and restaurants-millions of pounds of food go to waste... We need to find ways to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-glickman/each-year-in-the-fields-commercial-kitchens-markets-stores-and/) [Dan Glickman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-glickman/) > [Throwing away food is like stealing from the table of those who are poor and hungry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/throwing-away-food-is-like-stealing-from-the-table-of-those-who-are/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [In China, I helped introduce UNEP's campaign to reduce food waste on World Environment Day. The government took notice of food waste issues and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/li-bingbing/in-china-i-helped-introduce-unep-s-campaign-to-reduce-food-waste-on/) [Li Bingbing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/li-bingbing/) > [The problem is not actual number of calories we are producing - we have food waste issues. The problem is industrial food.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimbal-musk/the-problem-is-not-actual-number-of-calories-we-are-producing-we-have/) [Kimbal Musk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimbal-musk/) > [Cutting food waste is a delicious way of saving money, helping to feed the world and protect the planet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tristram-stuart/cutting-food-waste-is-a-delicious-way-of-saving-money-helping-to-feed/) [Tristram Stuart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tristram-stuart/) > [“Trayless cafeterias. Cafeteria managers have been taking a keen interest in reducing food waste. Seeing how easy it is to load up a tray…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-h-thaler/trayless-cafeterias-cafeteria-managers-have-been-taking-a-keen/) [Richard H. Thaler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-h-thaler/) > [According to the 'food waste pyramid,' ensuring that food is eaten by people is the top priority. Failing that, the next best thing is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tristram-stuart/according-to-the-food-waste-pyramid-ensuring-that-food-is-eaten-by/) [Tristram Stuart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tristram-stuart/) > [We should all grow our own food and do our own waste processing, we really should.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/we-should-all-grow-our-own-food-and-do-our-own-waste-processing-we/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [In Japan, Taiwan and South Korea, the government in a matter of years has put a lot of energy behind recycling food waste as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tristram-stuart/in-japan-taiwan-and-south-korea-the-government-in-a-matter-of-years/) [Tristram Stuart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tristram-stuart/) > [I eat everything. I love it! I couldn't deny myself food. What a waste of a life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-brook/i-eat-everything-i-love-it-i-couldn-t-deny-myself-food-what-a-waste/) [Kelly Brook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-brook/) > [The job of uncovering the global food waste scandal started for me when I was 15 years old. I bought some pigs. I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tristram-stuart/the-job-of-uncovering-the-global-food-waste-scandal-started-for-me/) [Tristram Stuart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tristram-stuart/) ## More by Hilary Benn > [We will need to work hard to break the cynicism, talk straight and rebuild trust in politics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-benn/we-will-need-to-work-hard-to-break-the-cynicism-talk-straight-and/) [Hilary Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-benn/) > [And being in the EU has given Britain a stronger voice in the world. Britain leads in Europe, from trade to climate change, from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-benn/and-being-in-the-eu-has-given-britain-a-stronger-voice-in-the-world/) [Hilary Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-benn/) > [The Tories claim that they have changed. Their stance on foxhunting makes it absolutely clear that they haven't. They know the public doesn't agree…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-benn/the-tories-claim-that-they-have-changed-their-stance-on-foxhunting/) [Hilary Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-benn/) > [The problem is that the global arms trade is entirely free of international regulation. In a world in which the flow of consumer goods…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-benn/the-problem-is-that-the-global-arms-trade-is-entirely-free-of/) [Hilary Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-benn/) > [When it comes to whether Britain should remain in the European Union, almost all political parties and traditions - Labour, the Greens, Liberal Democrats,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-benn/when-it-comes-to-whether-britain-should-remain-in-the-european-union/) [Hilary Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-benn/) > [The thing that worries me more than anything else is losing faith in the capacity of politics to change things. I don't mean scepticism,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-benn/the-thing-that-worries-me-more-than-anything-else-is-losing-faith-in/) [Hilary Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-benn/) > [When it comes to jobs, investment, growth, security and our influence in the world we are clearly stronger in Europe. But we are also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-benn/when-it-comes-to-jobs-investment-growth-security-and-our-influence-in/) [Hilary Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-benn/) > [In short, corruption destroys the 'deal' - the bargain - between the citizen and the state; and it harms the poorest most.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-benn/in-short-corruption-destroys-the-deal-the-bargain-between-the-citizen/) [Hilary Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-benn/) > [I spent 20 years working for the trade union movement before becoming a Labour MP. I'm proud to have done both jobs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-benn/i-spent-20-years-working-for-the-trade-union-movement-before-becoming/) [Hilary Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-benn/) > [I'm really keen to see a Labour government because there are many things to be done, not least pursuing a sensible Brexit and not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-benn/i-m-really-keen-to-see-a-labour-government-because-there-are-many/) [Hilary Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-benn/) > [All countries will feel the increasing effects of dangerous climate change and it is those least able to bear it who are already being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-benn/all-countries-will-feel-the-increasing-effects-of-dangerous-climate/) [Hilary Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-benn/) > [As each tree falls so does the earth's ability to heal itself and to adapt to the effects of our changing climate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-benn/as-each-tree-falls-so-does-the-earth-s-ability-to-heal-itself-and-to/) [Hilary Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-benn/) > [The poorest still deserve help with life's basic necessities regardless of the quality of their government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-benn/the-poorest-still-deserve-help-with-life-s-basic-necessities/) [Hilary Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-benn/) > [We must not ignore the younger electorate in a fight for older swing voters who we can be confident will go to the polls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-benn/we-must-not-ignore-the-younger-electorate-in-a-fight-for-older-swing/) [Hilary Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-benn/) > [People who feel alienated have little trust in the institutions of our society. This adds to the wider sense of disaffection and makes it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-benn/people-who-feel-alienated-have-little-trust-in-the-institutions-of/) [Hilary Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-benn/) [Explore all 56 Hilary Benn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-benn/) ## More Energy quotes > [If there is any period one would desire to be born in, is it not the age of Revolution; when the old and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-there-is-any-period-one-would-desire-to-be-born-in-is-it-not-the/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Sport is not just about entertainment. It is equally about winning and losing, pooling and galvanising the energy of the youth, upgrading people's physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-ambani/sport-is-not-just-about-entertainment-it-is-equally-about-winning-and/) [Nita Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-ambani/) > [Performance matters because games are built on great performance, but form factor and energy efficiency matter incredibly because they want to build something that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jensen-huang/performance-matters-because-games-are-built-on-great-performance-but/) [Jensen Huang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jensen-huang/) > [Energy rests upon love; and come as it will, there's no forcing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/energy-rests-upon-love-and-come-as-it-will-there-s-no-forcing-it/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Behind every word flows energy. If you use your words to gossip or babble about what you are going to do before you do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-choquette/behind-every-word-flows-energy-if-you-use-your-words-to-gossip-or/) [Sonia Choquette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-choquette/) > [If you ask another competitor, they may tell you they felt very competitive towards me. But I can tell you that my biggest competition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-kwan/if-you-ask-another-competitor-they-may-tell-you-they-felt-very/) [Michelle Kwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-kwan/) > [I'm a vegetarian - I think there's a strong possibility, had I not become a vegetarian, I would not be working now. I became…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-barker/i-m-a-vegetarian-i-think-there-s-a-strong-possibility-had-i-not/) [Bob Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-barker/) > [An artist's creative energy is ephemeral as a flower. It blooms and soon dies. No artist is great forever. Personally, I think I reached…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-ki-duk/an-artist-s-creative-energy-is-ephemeral-as-a-flower-it-blooms-and/) [Kim Ki-duk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-ki-duk/) > [Enthusiasm is the yeast that makes your hopes shine to the stars. Enthusiasm is the sparkle in your eyes, the swing in your gait.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/enthusiasm-is-the-yeast-that-makes-your-hopes-shine-to-the-stars/) [Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/) > [I've never even been into those supplements or any of that. I don't even drink energy shakes. I'm not into that kind of stuff.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-pierce/i-ve-never-even-been-into-those-supplements-or-any-of-that-i-don-t/) [Paul Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-pierce/) > [Some would call me an environmentalist. I don't know why. I reuse the water that falls in my backyard in the winter. I reuse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-begley-jr/some-would-call-me-an-environmentalist-i-don-t-know-why-i-reuse-the/) [Ed Begley, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-begley-jr/) > [I have lived in countries that were coming out of conflict: Ireland, South Africa, the Czech republic. People there are overflowing with energy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-eno/i-have-lived-in-countries-that-were-coming-out-of-conflict-ireland/) [Brian Eno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-eno/) > [You know, by the time you reach my age, you've made plenty of mistakes if you've lived your life properly. So you learn. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/you-know-by-the-time-you-reach-my-age-you-ve-made-plenty-of-mistakes/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > ['The Choirboys' is very much a product of its mid-1970s time, especially in its two-dimensional portrayals of cop groupies Ora Lee and Carolina Moon,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-weinman/the-choirboys-is-very-much-a-product-of-its-mid-1970s-time-especially/) [Sarah Weinman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-weinman/) [Browse all 12,866 Energy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/energy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "After all, does it make sense to be chucking things like glass, paper, cardboard, wood, metals, plastics, and food waste into holes in the ground? No, it doesn't; especially when someone will pay you good money to take them off your hands or, in the case of wood and food waste, when you can turn them into renewable energy.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Hilary Benn" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-benn/after-all-does-it-make-sense-to-be-chucking-things-like-glass-paper/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Energy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-benn/after-all-does-it-make-sense-to-be-chucking-things-like-glass-paper/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3e/hilary-benn-12095_energy_after-all-does-it-make-sense-to-be-chuck_904286.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3e/hilary-benn-12095_energy_after-all-does-it-make-sense-to-be-chuck_904286.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3e/hilary-benn-12095_energy_after-all-does-it-make-sense-to-be-chuck_904286.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“After all, does it make sense to be chucking things like glass, paper, cardboard, wood, metals, plastics…” — Hilary Benn", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Hilary Benn", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-benn/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "After all, does it make sense...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-benn/after-all-does-it-make-sense-to-be-chucking-things-like-glass-paper/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-benn/after-all-does-it-make-sense-to-be-chucking-things-like-glass-paper/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```