Ever since the industrial revolution massively increased the amount of processed products we use, people have been recycling those products. Recycling has also seen an increase in popularity in recent decades as the spirit of environmentalism has grown. Now with curbside recycling coming to you, it’s important to learn the best way to do it so that you can help the environment and our nation.
Why Recycling is Good
Everyone talks about how recycling helps the environment, but have you wondered why it is? Recycling is better for the environment than making new materials from scratch for two reasons. Firstly, by recycling products, a producer doesn’t have to extract those materials. This means they don’t need to dig out more ores for aluminum cans, pump out more oil for plastics, or grow more trees for paper, for example. This saves energy and reduces stress on the environment.
Secondly, using recycled material means the producer will use less energy to process the raw materials into the final product. For example, extracting aluminum from bauxite takes a lot of energy, and it’s much easier to melt down old cans; recycling aluminum uses 95% less energy compared to processing it from bauxite ore.
The 3 R’s
Although recycling is much better for the environment that putting waste in a landfill, it’s even more environmentally friendly to reduce and reuse waste in the first place. For example, print on both sides of a sheet of paper, and reuse plastic shopping bags as trash can bags. Reducing and reusing waste means you are directly reducing how much material and energy you use. For more information on specific recycling processes and best practices, check out Lakeshore Recycling.
A Brief Explanation of Recycled Products
Most recycled material is reprocessed into itself again. Cans become cans and paper becomes paper again. However, it’s notable that plastic can become other things; for example, milk jugs can be reprocessed into material for 3D printing. Crushed glass can be used for roads. By doing things like this, we can save energy.
Electronics Recycling
Electronics can also be recycled, but these are usually not done by your waste company. Because there are many rare materials in electronics today, it is good to recycle them, and it also means there are special companies for recycling electronics. For example, if you have an old iPhone you no longer want, you can take it to an Apple Store and they will take it to a recycler for you. You can use Google for more information.
As we continue to grow more eco-conscious as a nation, we must engage in and improve our recycling processes. You can do your part by taking responsibility by recycling your personal consumption waste according to these tips.
