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Why Recycle?

Published: Dec. 10, 2020 • By Lydia Jones

After already trying to reduce and reuse items as much as possible, recycling is a good option to divert as much material from landfills as you can!
Properly recycling keeps materials still in cycle and keeps landfills from filling more area
Below is a list of other reasons why recycling is so important!

landfill

Recycle to stop valuable materials entering landfills

Over just one year, the US produces enough trash to create a pile the height of a 40 foot building which would cover 1,000 acres of land
Around 80% of items buried in landfills in the US could be recycled
- If we all try to learn proper recycling and recycle as much as possible, we can reduce this number!

reduce, reuse, recycle

Recycle to fight climate change

Landfills release methane, a powerful greenhouse gas (25 times more potent that carbon dioxide)
Landfills are the 3rd largest source of anthropogenic methane in the USA
Recycling : Less Trash in Landfills : less methane released into the atmosphere
Climate change is threatening ecosystems and human life & well being around the world, keep materials out of landfills to reduce your carbon footprint

cans

Recycling creates green jobs

Recycling and reuse create at least 9 times more jobs than landfills and incinerators, and as many as 30 times more jobs.
The recycling industry employs more people than the automotive industry
Recycling to promote green jobs!

save forests

Recycling paper products saves trees

Recycling a single run of the Sunday New York Times would save 75,000 trees
Trees are essential parts of many ecosystems, make up beautiful landscapes, and provide oxygen for earth’s atmosphere
Recycled paper can easily be made into more paper, recycle paper to keep it in the cycle, and purchase paper with recycled content!

drilling

Recycling plastics reduces the amount of oil being drilled

Plastics are most commonly made from natural gas, which is extracted by a carbon dioxide and carcinogen producing process called fracking
Recycling plastics which are recyclable helps keep oil in the ground

cans

Recycling aluminum reduces the amount of mining for new aluminum

Recycling aluminum saves around 95% of the energy needed to make the metal from raw materials
Recycling your aluminum cans is so important!

children in landfills

Recycling is important because landfills are in someone’s backyard

Landfills are commonly located in low income neighborhoods
Reduce your waste footprint & recycle the amount of waste dumped near where people live

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