Why Is Recycling Important?

This page aims to answer the question of "why is recycling important?".

The main reasons why we should all recycle more are shown below:

• Energy Saving
• Material Conservation
• Reduction Of Rubbish In Landfills
• Helping The Environment

Energy saving is important if we are to reduce the future effects of global warming. If we recycle one aluminium can, we are able to save enough energy to run a TV for around 3 hours. This will obviously depend on the energy consumption of your TV, but it gives you a great idea as to just how much energy can be saved during the process of recycling products.

Conservation is becoming an increasingly important recycling issue. It is estimated that (in the U.S.A) around 40 million newspapers are cut down each day, resulting in the equivalent of around half a million trees ending up in landfills each and every week.

The reduction of landfills is important for cleaning up the environment, and giving land back to nature. The above information for conservation shows how much waste is sent to landfills in one week, just down to one product (the everyday  newspaper).

We are able to help the environment by recycling in a number of ways. It is important that we recycle to achieve a reduction of not only existing landfills, but any future landfill developments which may be needed as a result of over capacity. We can also help the environment through conservation, as the reduction in deforestation saves the environment and the wildlife in these areas.

What You Can Do

If you understand the reasons why you should recycle, and wish to make a difference, here is a list of useful tips you can use to recycle.

• Many homes throughout the UK, and many other parts of the world now have recycling boxes and bins. It is sensible to make use of these, and take the time to fill them. If you don't have these boxes, you can easily purchase a suitable container for each recyclable product (e.g. paper, plastic, and glass), and then take these down to your local recycling centre.

• Try to shop sensibly. Look for products which don't have much packaging to start with, and your halfway there. Did you know that in the US, around $1 of every $11 spent on food items is the cost of the packaging? Also try to only purchase the items you will use to reduce the estimated 21 million shopping bags of food which end up in US landfills each and every year.

The two statements above show how easily we can reduce the impact on landfills, and also include some facts to show why recycling is important.

< Recycling Articles