Wastes usually include large amounts of reclaimable metals, glass, and other materials. Salvaging these materials reduce waste-disposal problems, conserve resources, and save money.
Unfortunately Canadians are one of the world leaders in per capita waste production. If everyone wasted as much as the average Canadian does, we would need at least four earths to sustain our lifestyles, and provide all the materials and energy we Canadians are currently using. In some Canadian cities there are some programs in effect. Such programs include things such as curbside pickup, community recycling depots, also individual efforts at home.
When we think of recycling most Canadians refer to the recycling of aluminum. Aluminum is by far one of the most recycled materials. In 1988 42.5 billion of the 77.9 billion aluminum cans were recycled in the United States. Enough energy is saved by recycling one aluminum can to run a TV set for three hours or to light one 100 watt bulb for 20 hours. The amount of aluminum we recycle of course is a good thing but I also find it discouraging. The reason why people recycle is a bit out of greed. The reason why aluminum is the number one recycled materials is of course because you get money for its return. Imagine how much waste would be reduced if the government would give us money for things such as milk jugs, newspaper, cardboard ect.
How much we in North America waste is unbelievable. In a life time, the average American will throw away 600 times his or her adult weight in garbage. There are many smalls things you can do around the house to minimize your waste. 1.) Use fireplace ashes to enrich garden soil 2.). Fruit, and vegetables, egg shells, leaves and lawn clippings all can be composted. 3.) Bring reusable bags when shopping. 4.) Use energy efficient light bulbs. 5.) Choose products which come in refillable bottles or reusable containers.6.) Turn worn out materials into rags for cleaning and polishing. These are just some things you can do around your home. Reduce, reuse and recycle other wise known as the three R's is a phrase you can keep in the back of our minds, to help sustain our environment. Reduce Purchasing items with the least amount of packaging. Buying in bulk when appropriate. Not purchasing items that you don't need. Reuse Using refillable containers. Sharing things with neighbors. Avoiding disposable items. Recycle Using your community recycling programs. Purchasing products made from recycled materials. The best way is to call your municipal office and find more about the 3 R’s programs in your community.
You now see why it is very important to recycle. Our environment is important and we should not just disregard it. It takes a very long time for things to biodigrade. For example it takes one million years for a glass bottle to break down. Aluminum takes 500 years to break down. Plastics can take up to 400 years. Recycling is also important for wildlife such as the marine habitat. Large plastic debris has been well documented in marine habits. The list goes on and on for reasons to recycle. It is such a simple step for a healthier future. We should all feel like we have a moral responsibility to preserve our environment, we can do that by reuducing, reusing, and recycling.
