Re-Cycle – we all know what it means. Most of us try to keep the recycle bins working overtime.
But how many of us really know what happens to our discards? And how much of what we throw out is actually recycled for new uses? You will be astounded at the figures. For instance, according to the U.S. Government Accountability Office, in 2006 between 827,000 and 1.3 million tons of plastic PET water bottles were produced in the U.S. Of that vast number, less than 25 percent were recycled. The other 75 percent ended up in our overworked landfills.
Take heart, it’s not all doom and gloom out there. Humanity is rallying to the cause; recycle rates are rising; young and old are pitching in to reduce, reuse, recycle.
For the 14th America Recycles Day, November 15th, the crew at the Ecology Global Network has put together a fascinating mix of articles and information for inspired recycling:
Weird and Wonderful Ways of Recycling
Some recycled goods or projects are just plain weird! While others are simply wonderful. As They say, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.
All recycling is good, don’t get me wrong! Whatever we can do to promote keeping junk and garbage out of our overloaded landfills is worth it.
Step Forward | America Recycles Day, November 15
For the past 14 years, the Keep America Beautiful initiative has set one day above all others to rally support for recycling — and the use of renewable and reusable products — in order to protect our most important un-renewable resource, Earth.
With events scheduled next week in cities large and small, America Recycles Day is dedicated to promoting recycling by increasing awareness and motivating Americans to boost their own recycling efforts 365 days a year.
Bottle Shock
Jaywalking and Tap Water - My two favorite things to do when I visit NYC are jaywalk and drink the tap water. I kid you not. In L.A., the car is king, and I’ve actually been ticketed for crossing at a designated crosswalk at a green light because the little red hand had started flashing.
And the water, ahh. It’s delicious. Unlike L.A. water, which tastes, just, off somehow. So back home I use a filter, while in Manhattan I feel almost decadent drinking straight from the tap. I would even drink from a garden hose.
Recycling Center: Surprising Takeaway
What would you expect to learn from a field trip to one of our country’s top recycling centers?
Our host, Andrew, gave us a brief introduction and some sobering facts:
- The U.S. has NO Recycling Policy
- There are 10,000 landfills currently in operation
- The way materials are disposed of is a 19th century solution
- The #1 material that makes up landfills is PAPER
Book Picks for the Recycler
We’ve got too much stuff and not enough room — in our homes, in our neighborhoods, on our planet. Some of us get it – realizing that recycling our stuff needs be an integral part of our lives in order to sustain our natural environment. Sadly, however, too many still don’t get it — tossing the burnt-out blender, the ten-year-old paint and the Big Screen TV package into the closest garbage destined for squalid landfill immortality.
What Do Those Plastic Recycle Numbers Mean?
Plastics come in all sorts of shapes and sizes…and kinds. And it’s the kinds of plastics that cause some confusion about how to recycle them.
The numbers on the bottom of plastic containers identify the type of resin used to make that particular kind of plastic. The numbers range from 1-7 and they all have different methods of recycling. To make matters more confusing, many recycling facilities don’t take some of the numbers.
Additional Recycling Features:
Sustainability Needs Balanced Thinking in Everyday Life
Ecology Recycled Classics:
Rethinking the Ubiquitous Plastic Bag
Friday Night Movie | Plastics Recycling
For More Information:
Recycling 101 from Earth911
