Does Recycling Really Matter?

Recycling is all the rage these days. Green this and green that. Think about the environment. No more chemicals. Recycled materials for everything from what things are packaged in, to what our homes are made up of. The symbol for recycling can be found on so many different things and yet here we are, still dealing with global warming and climate change. So does recycling really make a difference? Or is it all just the latest fad? Let's take a look at what recycling really does for the environment:

International Recycling Symbol  (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

1. Recycling one aluminum can saves enough energy to keep a 100-watt light bulb burning for up to four hours or could even run your television for up to three hours. The energy it takes to create one aluminum can with new materials could create 20 aluminum cans from recycled materials. In almost all cases, it takes more resources and energy to make something new.

2. There are social benefits to recycling. Many non-profit organizations have drives to raise money for various causes. Habitat for Humanity for example has a program called Cans for Humanity which raises money to help Habitat for Humanity make quality affordable housing for low-income families. They have locations all around the nation for people to drop off cans.

3. Glass is the easiest and most frequently recycled material. For every 20 glass bottles recycled you will save two pounds of carbon emissions. For every ton of glass recycled that's 700 pounds of saved carbon emissions, or the equivalent of line drying your laundry for six months.

4. The energy savings we see from recycling reduce the greenhouse gas emissions, which in turn affect climate change. If we save 18 million tons of CO2 by recycling in a year, that would be the equivalent of taking five million cars off the road.

Comparison of greenhouse gas emissions for municipal solid waste disposal methods. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

5. On average an eco-conscious person recycles up to 1.5 pounds of municipal solid waste (MSW) a day. That's a savings of over 2.5 pounds of carbon emissions from one person a day. For every ton of MSW waste recycled, that's 2.27 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions.

6. If we were to recycle about 50 percent of our waste per day (or just over two pounds), then on average per family we would save 2400 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions per year.

7. Everything you recycle instead of dump in the dumpster saves room in landfills. Large amounts of methane gas are produced at landfills. And these areas can become hazardous, not to mention unsightly.

Recycling definitely has its benefits for the environment - even though it seems like such a small thing! However, it's not all we should be doing. We also need to be much more conscientious consumers. This includes buying products which save energy, and buying products made from recycled materials. Buy green power for your home. Be aware of what you're doing when you travel and think about how you're traveling. Eat healthy, whole, sustainably grown foods - and grow your own organic garden. 

Doing all of this will reduce your carbon footprint even more, but recycling is a great start to a life of being green and helping to save the planet for future generations.

8 Tips for Recycling at Work

There was a time when recycling just wasn't a priority for most people. But with increased awareness of its environmental benefits and greater access to recycling facilities, many households are making it a point to recycle anything they can. This has made a huge impact on usage of energy and natural resources.

Businesses, on the other hand, have not taken to recycling like individual consumers have. Manufacturing operations often recycle scraps in order to save money, but they often fail to recycle things that they themselves can't reuse. And other businesses frequently do not recycle anything at all.

Recycling Bins. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Businesses may be reluctant to start recycling programs because they do not want to use company resources to administer them. It's often up to employees to suggest recycling, and they may even have to volunteer to oversee it. If you're interested in starting a recycling program at your workplace, here are some tips to help make it a reality.

1. Schedule a meeting with your boss. If you just mention recycling in passing, there's a good chance you'll be ignored. But if you set up a meeting and make a convincing presentation, your boss is more likely to take you seriously. If you can get some co-workers to help you out, that's even better.

2. Point out the benefits for the company. Recycling can save your company money, and it can enhance its image as a responsible corporate citizen. These are the types of arguments that those in charge are most likely to listen to.

3. Prepare a plan for recycling. Research recycling service providers, and come up with some ideas about how to operate the program. Your boss will have the final say, but if you do some of the legwork for him, he is more likely to give his approval.

4. Volunteer to help get things rolling. If you're willing to aid in setting up a recycling program, that's one less thing your boss has to deal with.

Once you've gotten approval, you'll need to spread awareness and make sure that as much waste as possible is recycled. Here are some suggestions that will help.

Recycling bin sign. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

6. Make sure employees understand what can and cannot be recycled. Have a meeting to discuss this and answer any questions if possible. If not, send out an email with guidelines and make yourself available to those with questions.

7. Post recycling rules in a conspicuous place. It's easy to forget what is and isn't recyclable. Making that information readily available will increase participation rates.

8. Place recycling containers in convenient places, and mark them clearly. Those who can recycle without giving it much thought are more likely to do so than those who have to seek out containers.

Recycling at work is good for the environment and your company. It may, however, take some convincing to get the approval of the higher-ups. But if you make a solid case and do everything you can to help get a recycling program going, it will be hard for them to say no.

Recycling 101 - How, Why and What to Recycle

Most of us want to recycle.  However, understanding what’s recyclable and what isn’t can be overwhelming.  Some communities offer support including bins to sort your items in and clear definitions about what is acceptable.  Yet other communities leave their residents more or less alone to figure it out for themselves.  Regardless, here’s the low-down on how to understand recycling and what to do with those extras like cell phones, paint cans and computers.

What is Recyclable?

Essentially just about everything is recyclable however, most recycling programs divide items into four main categories:

* Paper
* Plastic
* Metal
* Glass

Paper items include newspapers, magazines, paper bags, books, cardboard and cardstock.  Just about any type of paper can be recycled and most programs do not limit types of paper however, some do not take cardboard or glossy magazines - check with your local recycling program to be sure.

Plastic is typically where it gets confusing.  Here’s a basic rundown of plastic types and how they’re labeled for recycling.

Resin identification code 4 for low density polyethylene (LDPE) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

1. PET (polyethylene terephthalate): Soda and water bottles are made from this type of plastic.

2. HDPE (high-density polyethylene): Milk, juice and detergent bottles are made from this type of plastic. 

3. PVC (polyvinyl chloride): Plumbing pipe, shower curtains, and some plastic toys and infant materials.

4. LDPE (low-density polyethylene): Grocery bags and food wrap are made from this plastic

5. PP (polypropylene): Many food storage containers are made from this type of plastic.

6. PS (polystyrene): Also called Styrofoam, this plastic is used to make take out containers, cups and packing materials.

7. Other: Anything labeled 7 cannot be recycled.  This includes many squeezable bottles, older reusable water bottles and dishes.  This type of plastic leaches Bisphenol A, which is toxic and best not to be used anyway. 

Metal items include tin food cans, which commonly hold tomatoes, beans, and other vegetables, as well as soda cans and coffee cans.

Glass items include any glass bottles or jars. However, some recycling programs only take certain colors of glass, or may require the colors to be sorted separately, so check with your local area recyclers if unsure.

Glass and plastic (bottles) recycling in Poland.(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

For those extra items like cell phones and computers or items like paint cans or car batteries, check with your local recycling center to find out if they offer special drop off days.  If they do not, often you can find recycling businesses in your community.  They may charge a small fee but it’s better than tossing them into a landfill.  Online you’ll also find many companies that will actually pay you for your used cell phones and computers. 

Preparing Items For Recycling

The steps to recycle and to prepare your items are easy. In most all cases, you need to simply wash them.  Don’t worry, you don’t have to scrub them clean, a simple rinsing will get the job done.

Remove caps from plastic and glass items.  They’re not recyclable - unless you have a specific source that you know will take them.

Recycling is a relatively easy way to be environmentally conscious.  If your community doesn’t offer curbside service then a sorting bin and a monthly trip to the recycling center while you’re running other errands will get the job done without too much time and effort.  Don’t let recycling intimidate you, it’s easy and well worth the effort.

Putting An End To Junk Mail

In an average week how much junk mail comes to your home?  For the average American family, with two adults and two children, they could probably weigh their junk mail at the end of any given week to equal the weight of a small animal.  An average American home can get items from; clearing houses, credit card offers, insurance offers, lottery offers, mortgage advertisements and promises of lowering monthly mortgage bills, college fliers from schools all over the United States, entries into contests that had never been entered in the first place, solicitations from charities and the ever present retail catalogs!

Image via WikipediaAlong with the simple fact that all of these items are unnecessary and annoying, the amount of waste they create is drowning the average American family in misused, unread paper.  How can this issue be dealt with and the waste be reduced, or never produced?

The answer to that question is, yes, there is something we can do to stop the madness of junk mail that litters our mail delivery every single day!  There are a couple of groups that can help, and they have all of the information needed to put an end to the junk mail that we are assaulted with in just a few easy steps and with the patience of a few weeks.

One way is to order a Junk Mail Reduction Kit online (usually around $15.00 or less).  Once you have purchased your kit, you simply sign on to the website provided and have the kit activated by clicking on the appropriate link.  It is as simple as entering your name and address and the names of any other people living at your house, even variations of a name that appears on junk mail can be added.

Image via WikipediaAnother good way is to register your name and the names of the others at your address with the Direct Marketing Association Mail Preference Service, which will remove the names from hundreds of mailing lists.  This service is a one time fee of $1.00 per name and along with monthly monitoring to ensure your name remains off of unsolicited mailing lists.  The option of having mail addressed to "resident," "occupant," or even "neighbor," can be done, too.  You can also request, when telemarketers call you, to be removed from both call and mailing lists. Certain companies you deal with, such as credit cards and other companies, also offer the option to be excluded from mailing lists, or from sharing your information with outside marketing companies (sometimes it's in the small print, but if you read closely, you can usually find a number to call and request this exclusion.)

Because the fact that conventional or "snail" mail isn't instantaneous, it will take a few weeks for things to get rolling but in a few short weeks you should receive customized pre-printed postcards to sign, stamp and mail in and your name will be removed from as many lists that have your name in their data base. 

Eventually all of the companies that have your name will be notified and the endless barrage of junk mail will cease.  If a piece of junk mail finds its way into your mailbox, simply sign in to your online account (if you got one of the kits) and have your name removed as quickly as possible.  Just imagine the impact of one house on one street in one town will make and why shouldn't it be YOUR house?

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Recycling: How You Can Make An Impact

Have you been bombarded with advertisements and news stories about the desperate shape our planet is in and thought to yourself, "I'm only one person, I can't even put a dent in what needs to be done to make things better?"  With all of the media coverage on issues like, acid rain, loss of rain forests, endangered animals, the depleting ozone layer and even former Vice President Al Gore's pet project, global warming, it's an easy thing to feel over-whelmed and small on this great planet.  But the reality is this; if not you, then who?

As an individual you can't control factories pouring toxins into water ways or prevent oil leaks that endanger entire species, but you can make an impact, none the less.  How?  First, by not adding to the madness and wasteful ways others are handling items and materials that can be recycled and secondly, and maybe more importantly, you can make an impact by being a leader in the crusade to save the planet by doing the right things.

Image via WikipediaIt's a well-known fact that when we are parents we are the top role-models for our children and that they will imitate what they see us do.  Even if you are not a parent, you can still lead the way for others by taking on the awesome responsibility of being the leader.  Imagine the people you come in contact with in your neighborhood who see that you don't just talk about recycling but every week your trash collection is separated and ready for the recycle truck.  What if the people you work with come to notice that instead of having your coffee every morning in a throw-away cup from the local coffee chain, you are drinking from a mug you brought from home that you rinse out and reuse?  Can you just imagine the impact you would have for someone who is maybe not quite recycling like they should but decides that, after seeing that you take this responsibility seriously, decides to change the way they do things and follow suit?

Most people don't recognize the impact they have every day on the other people in their lives.  As a leader you "walk the talk" by abiding by the causes that mean the most to you and not just by saying the words.  We are all aware of people around us and never know what we may do that will make a difference for another person.  Don't misuse this opportunity to make an impact for recycling.

When you recycle, yourself, believe that there are people whose actions may be influenced by seeing how you handle yourself.  Big issues are often started with a few concerned, aware people, well before the word gets out to big corporations and law makers that there is a change that needs to be made.

Make every step you take count for something.  Do your part in the efforts to keep our planet healthy; reduce, reuse, recycle!
 

Related articles on Recycling:

• What is the advantage to three part waste receptacles? (greenanswers.com)
• Reduce, Reuse and Recycle! (doyourpart.com)
• Steps to Build a Home Recycling Center (brighthub.com)