I like to recycle instead of throwing things away. 
Me too, my family is very big on recycling, I'm glad we do it because it helps save material and can help lower greenhouse gas emissions.
Where I live we have no recycling pick up so I have to drive 15 miles to the recycling center
That's unfortunate, I'm glad you're willing to make the drive to help the environment, always important to be a part of the "Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle" waste hierarchy.
True. I am from California and recycling is very big. In Arkansas it is an afterthought. 
I wonder why there's a difference, perhaps just a difference in attitudes or philosophies? I was reading about the zero waste philosophy, it's the idea that all products should be designed to be reused.
Probably, they still use Styrofoam which is def not zero waste  
That definitely would be against the zero waste philosophy, which has a goal of sending no trash to landfills or incinerators, seems like a nobel goal.