The 4 Top Reasons to Recycle

Did you know that only about 64% of paper and cardboard ends up getting recycled? Unfortunately, the U.S. is often behind when it comes to both understanding what can be recycled, and then actually taking the steps to recycle these items.

Recycling is important, for more reasons than you might think. Here’s why.

Reduces Waste

Did you know that the average American throws out about eight pounds of trash every day? Recycling common household items can help us re-use our resources rather than continue to overload existing landfills. And if Americans fully recycled all the paper they used each year, 782 million more trees would be saved.

Better for the Environment

The Ocean Conservancy estimates that there’s about 150 million tons of plastic in our oceans right now, with another 8 tons on the way each and every year. It can take decades for plastic to fully break down, and in the meantime, it frequently serves as a choking or environmental hazard. Scientists have noted that plastic often gets broken down into particles that are ingested by fish—that often end up on our plate. Recycling plastic can help cut down on oceanic pollution.

Saves Energy

Did you know that manufacturing with recycled aluminum requires 95% less energy? Consider the process of retrieving aluminum. First, it has to be mined from the earth—an expensive procedure. Then it has to be treated with chemical processes, etc., to separate the ore from everything else. Only then does it reach the point of being ready for manufacturing. A recycled item, though, is already ready for manufacturing. A single ton of recycled aluminum saves the same amount of energy that the average American home would use in 10 years.

Slow Down Climate Change

As the materials in landfills begin to break down, they release gases into the air. These gases then enter the atmosphere and contribute to climate change. Properly recycling solid waste can help prevent the acceleration of the greenhouse effect that is warming up our planet at an unsustainable rate. As an example: a single office recycling all its paper for a year reduces its carbon footprint by the equivalent of 370 cars.

What steps do you plan to take to recycle better in your local community? Contact our team at Elite Junk Removal & Demolition Services today at 978-317-5388.