Recycling

Recycling is one area of our lives that we can all make an effective impact right away towards healing our environment, and it’s easy. Virtually every community in the country have either personal recycling containers or accessible community recycling centers. All we need to do is be more conscientious about what we throw away and what can be recycled.

Remember also to recycle at work. Businesses and workplaces can be some of the worst recycling environments because inadequate recycling containers or building recycling management. Be sure to talk with your office manager about creating places for recycling and increasing communication about recycling to your co-workers. Also make certain that your office manager contact the office of the building to find out what procedures any of their cleaning crews might have in removing your recycled material.

Remember this is one of the easiest ways for you to for all of us to contribute. Please make sure that you talk with your family and friends of the advantages of recycling and how easy it is to incorporate into their lives. If you do not have recycle recepticles for pickup at your residence then you can find a local recycle center at: http://www.bottlesandcans.com/where.php

RECYCLING FACTS:
Aluminum cans are virtually 100% recyclable and when recycled each can saves 95% of the energy needed to recreate that can from bauxite ore. Recycling a six pack of cans saves enough energy to drive an average car 5 miles and recycling your aluminum cans means less environmentally harmful mining while saving money and energy.

Americans use 380 Billion plastic bags each year of which only 5.2% are recycled leaving 360 Billion bags which are sent to landfills. Those bags take up to 1000 years to decompose. If you switch to reusable fabric bags when you shop, you will personally save 1500 bags from making it to landfills each year.

Glass bottles contain around 25% recycled glass and glass is eternally recyclable. Recycling a ton of glass saves the equivalent amount of energy as 10 gallons of oil.

Recycling a 6 foot stack of newspapers is equivalent to saving one 35 foot high tree. Each ton of recycled paper saves the same amount of energy as is contained in 4 barrels of oil. Consider whether you need to take the paper as many of us now get our information online and make sure to unsubscribe to needless magazines and block all your direct mail spam.

Last year Americans threw away 36 Billion plastic bottles. Plastics are made from petroleum and account for 7% - 8% of all fossil fuels consumed each year. One recycled plastic bottle saves enough energy to power a 60 watt light bulb for 6 hours. Use reusable plastic water containers to lessen your plastic bottle consumption and lower your drinking water costs.

If you have questions about recycling you can find the number to your local recycling department right on your personal recycling bin or at community recycling centers.

Here are some helpful sites to learn more about recycling:
http://earth911.org/
http://www.epa.gov/msw/recycle.htm