Recycling Benefits

Let us look into some hard facts.

recycling benefits

It has become clear that the perceptions regarding recycling are changing. The data and statistics from various government sources reveal that a whopping $20 million could be saved every year if we all adopted the habit of recycling.

Essentially, the profits that most of us continue to reap are the result of those individuals that have decided to get behind the process of recycling.

Recycling assists in lowering the cost of manufacturing new products. Creating new products expends much more energy than using the materials that can be gathered from recycled items. This means that the cost of waste collection, sorting and incineration is still much lower than starting from scratch.

Recycling Benefits / Heroes Emerge

A new wave of consciousness is spreading about how recycling is not only saving money but also helping the environment.

Leaders are forming organizations, and concerned and motivated individuals are making real strides in educating the public. These visionaries are also walking the talk.

Here are just a few companies that recycle in a big way:

European Metal Recycling / Fridges and Automobiles

EcoLights / Lamps

Nothing Nasty / Cosmetics

gPurse / Purses and Bags

The Visy Recycling Movement web site has done a great job of recognizing individuals and groups. And they have actually awarded cash to those that have taken exceptional action to help save the planet. A competition was created by Visy, in coordination with other organizations, in which $10,000 checks are given out every month.

One of the past winners is Melbourne engineer, Lauren Baird. After returning from a life-changing experience in Nepal, Ms. Baird had the urge to help her beloved homeland. Struck by the terrible pollution she witnessed in Kathmandu, Nepal, Lauren Baird started thinking about what she could do to stop Australia (and other parts of the world) from going down that toxic path.

This enterprising young woman (and a dedicated team) developed a website called Stop the Black Balloons ('black balloons' is a phrase used to describe a toxic level of greenhouse gas emissions). This site was later developed and the name changed to Greenroots Movement.

Ms. Baird's site offers an interactive course that educates individuals of all ages. Practical and easy-to-follow steps are given so that adults and children can go about their daily lives equipped with knowledge on how to live with a higher (greener) consciousness.

Recycling Benefits / The Economy

In the United States alone the recycling effort is responsible for almost 1.1 million jobs. And that number is expected to rise since initiatives are in place to assist others in getting behind the recycling movement.

Further, recycling is reportedly creating $37 million in salaries annually. Both the private sector and the public sector continue creating more and more jobs in this field.

According to Reborn, an Australian blog dedicated to the problem of e-waste (old computers, appliances, cell phones, etc.):

"Environment Victoria [Australia] today released a report on the opportunities for green jobs in that state. The report includes fives case studies on the potential for green job creation in different industry sectors. The recycling case study estimates that 2,310 new jobs can be created in resource recovery, including 210 as a result of improved e-waste recycling."

When you consider that Victoria represents only 24% of Australia, the numbers represented in this case study offer a lot of hope for the future.

Recycling Benefits / Stats

Participating in the green movement will save 15 trees from being destroyed if we recycle only 1 ton of paper. Does 1 ton sound like a lot? Maybe...but not when you consider that approximately 1.5 million tons of construction products are made each year from paper, including insulation, gypsum wallboard, roofing paper, flooring, padding and sound-absorbing materials.

In the United States 56 % of the paper used was recovered for recycling during the last year.

This paper when recycled produces almost 74% less pollution than making new paper and almost 50 % less water is required for this purpose. Almost 48% of the paper recycled from the offices is again use to produce tissues, raw material used for paperboard and for printing purpose.

The more that individuals and businesses participate in recycling the more our planet will give to us. Some of the gifts that Mother Earth will bestow upon us are fresh water, clean air, healthy wildlife, litter-free shorelines, and a thriving and abundant plant life. Sounds like a good deal.

Sources

http://www.zerowasteamerica.org/Statistics.htm
http://www.visy.com.au/
http://www.greenrootsmovement.com/
http://rebornewaste.wordpress.com/2009/04/24/e-waste-recycling-could-create-210-jobs-in-victoria/
http://www.envict.org.au/

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