10 Reasons Why We Should Recycle
You can think of recycling, like exercising. We all know we should do it and the benefits that follow, but somehow, not all of us do it. Those of us that do, very few do it as often as is recommended. In the past couple of years, the UK government has started taking recycling seriously and at Jute Bags, we believe we should save our planet.
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The government has even taken up the bottle and can deposit return scheme in a bid to increase recycling rates. But even with these efforts, recycling is ranked at 45% in the UK, unlike the 90+% in Sweden and Germany. Because of this, it’s important to be reminded of the benefits we stand to yield as a country from our recycling efforts.
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Recycling conserves natural energy
Natural resources are finite. And some are in little supply than others. At the basic level:
- Recycling wood and paper will help save the forests. Yes, we can do our best to plant trees and replace those we cut down. However, once the virgin rainforest is lost, we cannot reclaim it.
- Recycling plastic means we will create less plastic, which is excellent, especially since it reduces the carbon footprint.
- Recycling metals will mean we will cut down on the expensive and risky mining and metal extraction processes.
- Recycling glass helps in reducing the use of raw materials, including sand. This is usually hard to believe, but some sand types are getting depleted.
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Recycling protects wildlife and the ecosystem
Recycling reduces the need to harvest and grow new raw materials. It puts less pressure on the earth to give forth raw materials. In turn, the damage caused to the world reduces. Fewer forests are cut down, fewer rivers run dry, many wild animals survive, and there is less air, soil and water pollution.
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Recycling will also protect the environment from waste. As it is, a lot of plastic ends up in oceans and rivers.
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Recycling protects the human population
The increasing demand for different and new products every day has led to poor and vulnerable people to be displaced from the areas they have called home for ages. Forest communities have been evicted as businessmen cut down forests for cheap timber and rivers have been polluted. Recycling helps protect land, rivers and coastlines for the good of the human population.
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Recycling Saves Energy
Making new items from recycled materials uses lesser energy than making new materials. This makes a huge difference in energy consumption.
For instance, producing aluminium from old aluminium cans conserves 95% of energy. Recycling steel conserves 70% of energy. Making new paper from recycled paper saves 40% energy.
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Recycling reduces carbon emissions
Since recycling translates into less energy spent on sourcing and processing the new materials, less carbon is produced. This also means lesser methane waste will find its way to landfills. Reducing the carbon footprint is essential for preventing climate change over time.
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Recycling Reduces Landfills
Though it seems logical, dumping waste in landfills is wasteful and destroys the beauty of the environment. Imagine all the useful ‘waste’ that has been buried in landfills over the years. Aside from being ugly and a sore sight, landfills also pollute water and the soil by leaching toxic liquids as the years’ progress. The landfills also emit greenhouse gases like methane and take up space that could be used for valuable projects.
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Recycling improves the quality of groundwater
From reason #5, landfills pollute water sources. Like rivers and lakes, groundwater is also polluted the contaminants seep into the water and renders it a health hazard. Digging a borehole is therefore not a wise decision in most parts. But with recycling, we can slowly reclaim underground water for domestic use as well.
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Recycling is cheaper than waste disposal and collection
Recycling is thought to be six times cheaper than garbage collection. The more you recycle, the more money you free up for important projects around the house. Recycling food and green waste is a good idea. The organic waste produces compost that’s essential for growing food crops.
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Recycling Creates Jobs
By 2025, it’s believed that more than 50,000 jobs will be created is the Brits can achieve the 70% recycling mark. Yes, it’s an ambitious goal but still achievable. More than 30,000 jobs will be in direct recycling and 20,000 jobs in the supply chain and the economy as a whole.
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Recycling reduces the frequency of incineration
Waste is incinerated often to reduce the space it takes up. And while it frees up space, it is extremely wasteful. The incineration process generates carbon emissions that contribute to global warming and overall climate change.
Your efforts make a difference
Many people think their efforts alone won’t make a difference. But with recycling, even a single person can affect some change. The average Brit disposes of several thousand kilograms of waste every year.
More than 90% of waste can be recycled. A family of four can recycle more than two tons of waste yearly. You need not be an environmental activist to make a difference. Recycle waste at home and teach your kids to do it too.
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