It’s no secret that we’re consuming more stuff than ever before. According to the Worldwatch Institute, the average person in the developed world consumes about 2700 pounds of materials each year. This number has more than doubled in the past 50 years and is only expected to continue to grow. With this increase in consumption comes an increase in waste. In 2012, the world generated about 2.01 billion tons of municipal solid waste (MSW), which includes items like paper, glass, metals, food, and plastics. Of that MSW, only about 34% was recycled or composted. The other 66% went to landfills or was incinerated.
The good news is that recycling can help to reduce the amount of waste that is sent to landfills. Recycling is the process of collecting used materials and either reusing them or reprocessing them into new products. It’s a simple concept, but it can have a big impact on the environment. Here are just a few of the reasons why recycling is good for the environment.
#1 Recycling conserves resources
It takes a lot of energy and resources to extract, process, and transport the materials we use every day. When we recycle, we reduce the demand for these resources, which conserves them for future generations. For example, recycling one ton of paper can save 17 trees, 2,500 gallons of water, and enough energy to power the average home for six months.
#2 Recycling reduces pollution
The production of new products often results in pollution. For example, the production of new aluminum cans creates greenhouse gas emissions and the production of new plastic bottles creates toxic runoff. Recycling helps to reduce these pollution problems because it cuts down on the need for new products.
#3 Recycling saves energy
It takes less energy to recycle materials than it does to extract and process new materials. For example, recycling one ton of aluminum cans saves the equivalent of 21 barrels of oil. That’s enough energy to power a TV for more than three months or a laptop for more than eight months.
#4 Recycling creates jobs
The recycling industry employs more than 1.1 million people in the United States alone. In addition to the jobs directly related to recycling, there are also jobs created in the manufacturing of new products from recycled materials. For example, the production of recycled aluminum cans requires 95% less energy than the production of new aluminum cans. This reduces the need for energy-intensive manufacturing jobs and creates jobs in the recycling industry.
#5 Recycling reduces greenhouse gas emissions
Greenhouse gas emissions are one of the leading causes of climate change. The good news is that recycling can help to reduce these emissions. For example, recycling one ton of paper can save the equivalent of more than three tons of greenhouse gas emissions. That’s the equivalent of taking more than two cars off the road for a year.
These are just a few of the reasons why recycling is good for the environment. With so many benefits, there’s no excuse not to recycle. So next time you’re about to throw something away, think about whether or not it can be recycled. It just might be the key to saving our planet.
