Why Recycling is Important for the Environment?

Recycling has become a common word in the world today. Many people are aware of it and some are even doing it at home. But, do you know why recycling is important for the environment? The answer is simple — because our earth cannot handle our current rate of waste production anymore.

Here, we will tell you exactly why recycling is important for the environment, what can be recycled and how to recycle at home or office.

Why is Recycling Important for the Environment?

Let’s start with the basics. We produce over 1.3 billion tons of waste every year, which is more than the population of China. But, the problem is that we don’t have the capacity to handle this amount of waste. Less than half of it is recycled, which leaves the rest to pollute the environment.

The main problem with waste is that it usually ends up in landfills where it remains for decades, even centuries, without decomposing. As a result, it produces methane, which is a greenhouse gas 20 times more potent than carbon dioxide.

So, recycling is important for the environment because it cuts down the amount of waste that ends up in landfills. When waste is recycled, it is “downcycled” rather than ending up in a landfill.

What Can Be Recycled?

When waste is recycled, it is “downcycled” rather than ending up in a landfill. Plastic, paper, metal, fabric, and biodegradable waste can be recycled.

When it comes to plastic, the most commonly recycled items include: plastic bottles, plastic containers like yogurt cups, plastic bags, plastic jars, and plastic lids.

Paper items commonly recycled include newspapers, magazines, junk mail, phone books, cardboard boxes, and paper grocery bags.

Metals commonly recycled include iron, steel, copper, aluminum, and brass. Fabrics like synthetic fabrics that can be broken down and reused, cotton fabrics that can be broken down into materials like fiber, and items like carpets that can be broken down into materials that can be used in other products.

How to Organize a Home or Office Recycling Program?

If your town or city doesn’t have a recycling program, then it is important to create your own home or office recycling program. This will not only help the environment but will also save you some money. If you’ve found your Life Path Number 1 to be an advocate for this, then this is a sign that you start making a step.