How Recycling Benefits Society
In today’s world, it seems that almost any topic is open for debate. While I was gathering facts for this article, I was quite surprised to find some of the issues I thought were settled are actually still being openly discussed.
Among the many things that you can do to help protect the environment, recycling is one of the most popular things to do. Recycling refers to the re-processing of used items or waste products into reusable or new products. Recycling offers a number of eco-friendly and financial benefits. Here’s a more in-depth and balanced look at how recycling helps to benefit both man and the environment.
Recycling Cuts Manufacturing Costs, And Saves Money
According to environment advocates and government planners, recycling saves businesses, governments and households considerable sums of money. According to the Institute for Local Self Reliance, communities save money when they treat recycling as a replacement for traditional waste disposal and handling methods. Through implementing recycling initiatives in local communities, community managers and planners redesign their garbage collection schedules, as well as reduce the operating time of their trucks and equipments.
While some skeptics argue that recycling costs so much more than traditional garbage disposal methods, green advocates say that the prices paid for scrap materials are a direct measure of the immense value of recyclables. For example, scarp aluminum fetches a high price because recycling it eats up less energy as compared to producing a new aluminum can or container.
Recycling Saves Energy
The information about Recycling presented here will do one of two things: either it will reinforce what you know about Recycling or it will teach you something new. Both are good outcomes.
According to data from the US Energy Information Administration, a paper mill actually uses 40 percent less energy to make paper from recycled materials, than it does to make paper from freshly-cut lumber. Proponents of recycling also tress that the need to use a second timber or logging truck is defrayed when paper is collected and used for recycled.
The US Environmental Protection Agency also notes that recycling aluminum cans for example saves 95 percent energy as compared to producing aluminum cans from bauxite, its virgin source. Producing recycled paper also consumes less energy and water, as compared to harvesting, processing and transporting timber.
Recycling Provides Additional Jobs
Recycling actually helps provide new jobs. While some critics counter that recycling creates jobs that offer low pay and terrible working conditions, recycling advocates stress that the jobs involving the recovery or processing of raw materials such as in mining or timber production, are actually more dangerous than recycling jobs. Mining, timber extraction and other raw material sourcing activities also often result in creating deplorable conditions for both workers and the surrounding communities.
Apart from saving money and energy, recycling also helps save precious natural resources. Paper recycling for example, helps protect forests, protects wildlife habitats, a and also allows for a wiser management of other natural resources. Recycling also cuts pollution, reduces the need for building more landfills, and also creates more jobs and residual business opportunities.
About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit his new GVO affiliate site: GVO