For many recycling is a choice. You can either throw it in the trash or recycle it. The significance only provides aspirations because choosing the latter is critical. To fulfill your curiosity about why is recycling important. We need to discuss what recycling is in the first place. Why recycle at all? With the advent of technology, old consumer electronics have become obsolete. That means VCRs, VHS, Music Systems, CRT TVs, etc. have become a thing of the past. 

Is recycling necessary? 

Normally you could either throw old items in the trash, sell them or donate. With the demand for innovative products increasing the desire for these decreases. You are left with a ticking dilemma. Your safest bet is to recycle but this may carry fees. This may make you pause for a second. You look at the screen and find that recycling benefits both the future and the present. A bulb comes on in your head, that is why you recycle since it is common sense. 

What are the benefits of recycling? 

Recycling offers benefits such as relying less on virgin resources. This means that we will mine less and reuse more. But the sad point is that we only recycle 15 % of the overall value. We harm the environment more than we heal it. And then we advocate for carbon emissions. It is imperative that we be better than this. We need to do more, and we can. By reusing aluminum, paper, glass, and plastic, we can save both products and energy costs. This action alone prevents us from dumping in landfills. In a broader sense, recycling is not only an ethical thing to do but beneficial. 

Reliance on natural resources lessens 

When we mine raw materials, we use a considerable amount of energy and resources. This is not the case when we use recycled materials. The process of extracting precious metals from trash is faster. Our less reliance on natural resources benefits us. Fossil Fuels are depleting at a faster pace so if we keep mining, we risk losing it all. Not recycling has many consequences such as pollution, global warming, climate change, and acid rain. All of them are at the forefront if we don’t do the part that is necessary. We should then stop asking why recycling is important. 

Less Energy Use 

Aluminum mining uses considerable resources but reclaiming it from trash is done by 95 % of the value. By supporting recycling, you help bring recyclers into your states which in return helps create jobs and salaries. The collection of trash stays precedent. Funding local collection leads to high ROI. Recycling programs help create reciprocal results. This results in less reliance on energy, reduction in greenhouse gases, and less use of virgin resources. Lastly, manufacturing products using reclamation results in less burning of fossil fuels. 

What damage do non-recycled materials do? 

Non-recycled materials contain many greenhouse gases such as methane and carbon dioxide. There are many proponents for climate change and global warming. The increase in these gases leads to a further increase in air, land, and sea pollution.  But the question remains: what can we recycle? 

Here is a list of items that you can recycle 

Electronics 

Electronics contain precious metals and toxic chemicals. Recycling is the easy way forward to reclaim precious metals and help dispose of toxic chemicals properly. Not doing so may lead to contamination of the soil and the air we breathe in. They become a bigger hazard when they are not in use. 

Batteries 

Lead batteries are proven to be the most toxic ones amongst its brethren. Whereas Lithium-ion batteries can spark if left unattended. So, disposal of these batteries becomes important. Recycle Technologies’ mail-in program allows you to dispose of used batteries from the comfort of your home. 

Metals 

Recycling helps reduce greenhouse gases once we start processing metals. This helps to conserve energy. We toss more than 2.7 million tons of metals in the trash out of which only 15% gets recycled. 

Glass 

This is the only material that is fully recyclable and provides 100% reclamation by product. So instead of destroying glass, you melt it down and build it back up. 

Plastic 

Plastic is probably the main part of solid waste. It is non-biodegradable meaning it will not decay on its own. Throwing them in landfills will damage the soil at a faster rate. Recycling is the only way to properly dispose of plastic. This is perfect for items that can’t be discarded into the environment. 

Why are we stuck at 15%? 

Many Americans agree about recycling. So, convincing them about its goals isn’t that hard. This simple act is favored by everyone from Democrats to Republicans. This is something that everyone agrees that this is a process that benefits the planet and can help reduce carbon emissions. But there is caution in the air as we only recycle 15%.  

We need to do more if we want to survive what is coming towards us. Carl Sagan predicted this outcome in 1985. And still, we don’t learn. 25 years on we are suffering the outcome of our ignorance and arrogance. Doing the ethical deed will always amount to why is recycling important. 

Recycling and Waste Reduction 

Recycling has a tricky relationship with waste reduction. Waste reduction alone helps save on emissions. Not sending waste to landfills helps us prevent 274,000 tons of CO2 from plaguing our environment. Recycling is a process that does consume energy and resources. It helps reduce the use of virgin resources which in return helps to save up to 2,000,000 tons of CO2. Both are important. 

What needs to be done? 

To make sure recycling puts a dent into global warming it needs to have an impact. It must be more effective. The constant flux of new and harder materials into the waste steam is creating countless problems for recyclers. The lack of education and a common recycling program are some issues that government needs to resolve. 

The other issue we face is when municipal programs receive an item it has no use for, instead of sending it back, it hauls to a landfill. This results in creating emissions and largely contributes to waste. Such deeds lead to undermining the people’s great intentions and what is our real capacity. Landfills help create methane. A greenhouse gas that causes adverse climate conditions. 

Why is recycling important for all? 

Recycling is important as it preserves natural resources. The reclamation of resources to make new things helps preserve natural resources in the long run. However, this won’t last forever as growth in population and demands decrease this outcome. Recycling materials uses less energy whenever we extract materials. 

Moreover, recycling helps reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills. Whenever waste lies in landfills it leaches toxic chemicals that harm the soil and water supply. Sending into landfills dents our local economy as we lose resources that we could repurpose. These outcomes inform us why is recycling important and why it is the only possibility forward. 

Conclusion 

The more we recycle, the more jobs will be created in recycling plants. More opportunities are present in recycling innovation and technology. An EPA 2016 report suggests that 681,000 jobs were created. 5.5 billion in taxes was collected and 37.8 billion in wages was paid.