America has one of the highest rates of recycling anywhere in the world. However, with the amount of trash in our dump sites, it is clear there is more work to do. It is estimated that 85% of our total waste can be recycled if more people practice recycling and learn more of the benefits. Recycling is a matter of choice and the more a person learns, the more likely they will make a conscious decision to recycle.
What Is Recycling?
The definition of recycling means the collecting, separating, and processing of items that would have been thrown away, and reusing them or re-manufacturing them into new items. An easy way to describe recycling is to think of reducing, reusing, and recycling. The goal is to cut the volume of waste that goes into landfills. Reusing is prolonging the usage of items not needed or used by donating. Finally, recycling materials and having them remade completes the process.
Why Do We Recycle?
There are many reasons why recycling is important. Recycling saves energy and helps environmental conditions. Recycling helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions by decreasing the amount of industrial production. For example, recycling helps save natural resources, such as a tree, when a newspaper is saved and recycled.