Did you know that 25 million plastic bottles are thrown away every hour, just within America? Or that 85 million tons of paper is used each year? (University of Southern Indiana, n.d.).
This enormous use of resources is a pretty major issue for the environment. So how can we deal with it?
Recycle, recycle, recycle!
Recycling is a key way to cut down on excessive waste. It reduces the pollution caused by harmful chemicals and greenhouse gasses being released from landfill sites, and it helps to keep the natural environment thriving.
(We talked about upcycling in a previous post. While upcycling is important and extremely useful, it is not possible to upcycle everything. So that’s where recycling steps in.)
When you hear the word “recycle”, chances are you think of recycling soda cans or plastic water bottles. But the truth is there are so many more items that you could be recycling but are overlooking. Here are eight things you may have never thought of recycling:
- Books
- Shoes (especially athletic shoes.)
- Paint (be careful with this one. Paint can be highly toxic to the environment, so make sure you take your old paint directly to a recycling center.)
- Electronics (electronics are one of the fastest growing forms of waste in the United States. So be sure to recycle those old computers, televisions sets, phones, etc.)
- Appliances
- Food (composite leftovers instead of throwing them away!)
- Crayons
- CDs
We can’t emphasize the importance of recycling enough! Our mission here at KPWB is to encourage people to be good stewards of the environment. And one great way to do that is by recycling. Each of us can take small daily actions to create a big results for a green and thriving environment.
Sources:
BerryBreeze. (2013, October 15). 10 Things You Can Recycle (But Probably Don’t…Until Now). Retrieved from berrybreeze.com: https://www.berrybreeze.com/10-things-can-recycle-probably-dont-now/
Globepackaging. (n.d.). Top 20 Things to Recycle and Reuse. Retrieved from visualistan.com: http://www.visualistan.com/2014/11/top-20-things-to-recycle-and-reuse.html
RecyclingGuide.org.uk. (n.d.). Recycling is Important . Retrieved from recycling-guide.org.uk: http://www.recycling-guide.org.uk/importance.html
University of Southern Indiana. (n.d.). Paper Recycling Facts. Retrieved from www.usi.edu: https://www.usi.edu/recycle/paper-recycling-facts/
