When I was young and in the scouts, we used to recycle paper. We would fill a large trailer with newspapers and magazines and earn money to buy camping supplies for the troop. It must have made economic sense or there would have been no money in it. None of this was mandatory, or designed to save the planet... If it makes economic sense it doesn't require coercion.
After all, money is the root of all evil.
http://ruby.fgcu.edu/courses/twimberley/...
I got it from this site where there is a good discussion:
http://www.bishop-hill.net/blog/2014/4/2...