preview

The Importance of Recycling

Decent Essays

Recycling
“Putting our bottles and paper in a blue bin just won’t cut it. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t do it but let’s get over all the hoopla about it.Yes, Recycle. Of course, recycle. But don’t believe for a second that recycling alone, is enough to turn things around.” Annie Leonard. 75
According to the Environmental Protection Agency recycling is “Collecting, reprocessing, marketing, and use of materials once considered trash” It is the process of recycling that enables the earth’s many important materials to be saved (Palmer 9) Some think that the recycling movement started in the early 1970’s. However the recycling has been going around for thousands of years . before the industrial age practically everyone recycled in one way or another. They Did this just simply by sharing with family and friends. Some of the many materials that are recycled are: paper, glass, aluminum, steel, plastic, yard waste, food waste, used motor oil and plastic bags (Parks 65)
The Garbage Crisis
In 2008 250 million tons of trash was generated, 135 million tons of that was placed in landfills (Parks 6,10) that has no doubt but rose with our population. Research shows that 54 percent of that waste is sent to landfills (Parks 21). Twelve to fourteen percent of that is incinerated (Parks 11). 80 percent of the total trash is recyclable (Parks 62). Culture, that of disposable goods has created a number of environmental problems (Grabionowski 2). The number one reason everything is trashed

Get Access