Recycling is when used products and materials are processed and made into new products or materials that can be purchased or donated and used again. This reduces waste and lowers the environmental impact of resource consumption.
Posts Tagged ‘waste’
Recycling is…
Friday, August 21st, 2009The Truth About Bagging Your Groceries
Tuesday, June 30th, 2009You might not have realized that you can change the world, save or destroy the environment with just two little words: paper or plastic.
- Plastic grocery bags were introduced 30 years ago and today, hundreds of billions are dispensed each year.
- A major problem with plastic bags is that they are rarely recycled and often end up becoming deadly traps for fish and birds.
- It is generally agreed that paper bags pose less of a litter problem, but they require more water and energy to produce than plastic bags.
Facts & Figures
- The plastic industry estimates that only 10% of Americans don’t reuse plastic bags, but the Environmental Protection Agency points out that they are recycled at less than one-third the rate of paper bags.
- There have been some instances of discouraging plastic bag use: Ireland imposed a tax on plastic grocery bags in 2002, San Francisco banned plastic grocery bags in 2007, and China banned the distribution of free plastic grocery bags in 2008.
- Recycling rates for plastic bags exceed 30% in some European countries.
Best Quote
“There is simply zero justification for manufacturing them anymore, anywhere.” – Achim Steinger, Executive Director of the U.N. Environment Program