Is Chicago ready for recycling?

According to Mike Royko, the motto of Chicago is "Ubi es mea?" (Where is mine?). Against this ethic, one would assume that the notion of mandatory recycling for all Chicago household garbage would be met with derision. In a recent survey of 500 Chicago heads of household conducted by Richard Day Research for WLS-TV (Channel 7), however, the response was nearly 4-to-1 in favor of such a plan.

Don't misunderstand; Chicagoans are not inclined to consider recycling one of the most important issues facing the city. We asked them to rate the importance of a series of issues on a scale from zero (least important) through 10 (most important) and then asked which is the most important issue (see table 1).

Compared to fighting crime and improving the schools, the issue of recycling pales. Its mean rating of 7.5, however, shows that there is a sense of importance given the problem.

The question on the recycling plan was asked twice of each person surveyed — before and after reciting a list of arguments for and against recycling. Support for the plan was very high the first time the question was asked, and it remained very high when asked again, although there was a slight drop after all the arguments were explained (see table 2). The most important finding is that no more than 30 percent of any group opposes mandatory recylcing. An analysis of the post-argument responses presents a clearer profile of those who support the recycling plan:

• white residents (78 percent);
• younger residents — ages 18-32 (76 percent);
• neighborhoods — residents of the southwest side (76 percent) and north lake-front wards (81 percent);
• more upscale — household incomes over $20,000 (76 percent), college graduates (84 percent), professionals (86 percent).

While a majority of all groups support the plan, those groups who are more likely than the average to oppose the plan are:

• black residents in both the west and south side wards (35 percent);
• older residents, age 65 and up (36 percent);
• more downscale — household incomes under $15,000 (36 percent), unemployed (40 percent), less than nine years of education (38 percent), service workers (36 percent).

Respondents were read arguments that have been given in favor of the recycling

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plan and were then asked to evaluate each reason (see table 3). The most persuasive arguments were those promising the potential economic benefits of recycling and the need for a solution to the waste disposal problem. Respondents were less swayed by the fact that Mayor Harold Washington first proposed the program, although 71 percent of black respondents thought this fact was an excellent or good reason.

When read a list of reasons to oppose the recycling plan, respondents were divided on the effectiveness of each (see table 3). Although a majority of the respondents rated them as either fair or poor, those who were older, black and more downscale were consistently likely to find the same arguments excellent or good.

To an open-ended question, asking why they support or oppose the recycling program, the reason most frequently given by supporters was the plan's positive environmental effects — that reason was not on the prepared list read to the respondents. (See table 4 for all reasons.)

In short, recycling is widely supported by Chicagoans, but as with most issues in Chicago, attitudes differ along racial lines. On this issue white residents show more support than blacks.

Ubi es mea? The benefits for Chicagoans are a cleaner environment, lower taxes and more jobs.□

Richard Day has his own survey research firm, Richard Day Research, in Evanston. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

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