The Real Deal on being Eco-friendly through Recycling

There is no better time than now to jump on the recycling bandwagon. With global warming becoming a serious threat to our planet, it is important that we all contribute to the sustainability of our earth. Recycling can be a bit confusing at first but after doing some research, it is easy to make such a big difference. According to various sources, statistically the United States recycles just about 28% of its waste today, which is doubled from what it was a decade ago. If we all have this information, we all can make a huge difference. Take a minute to read this article and test your eco-friendly knowledge, maybe you will learn something you did not know!

What is recycling?
Recycling is taking old materials and processing them to make new products. Doing this reduces the waste of potentially useful products and reduces water and air pollution. Before recyclable materials are recycled, they need to be separated into the type of material they are made of and whether or not they can be recycled.

What can be recycled?
The basic materials that can be recycled include paper products, plastics, metals and glass. These products can be broken down and processed to make new products. Therefore, paper can be recycled to produce recycled paper or plastic containers can be processed to become Frisbees!

How do I know if it can be recycled?
There is an international symbol that lets people know if the materials/products they have can be recycled. Most people are familiar with the triangle of arrows symbol. This symbol denotes that the product can be recycled. This makes it easier for consumers to recycle their old products. Some products do provide additional information. Virtually everything made of plastic should be marked with a recycling code. Not all types can actually be recycled. Types 1 and 2 are widely accepted in container form, and type 4 is sometimes accepted in bag form. Glass, steel (or "tin") and aluminum are easy to recognize and recycle. Most types of paper can be recycled from office paper to phonebooks, and corrugated cardboard to waxed cartons.

What materials cannot be recycled?
There are materials that cannot be recycled and it is important that every earth conscious person is aware of them. Most obvious is food. Food scraps like banana peels or apple cores are not recyclable. Other non-recyclable materials that are perhaps not as obvious are Styrofoam and ceramic kitchenware. Some items, like batteries, motor oil, computer parts and tires, are only recyclable at special locations.

Recycling Facts

• It takes 80-100 years for an aluminum can to decompose (break down) in a landfill.
• Glass takes over 1,000,000 (one million) years to decompose in a landfill.
• It can take up to 700 years for plastic to decompose (break down) in a landfill.

Recycling is a great way to contribute to the overall health of our planet. When you think about how it can take 80 to 100 years for aluminum cans to decompose, over 1,000,000 years for glass and up to 700 years for plastic - recycling just makes sense. Having information like this is important so earth conscious people can do their part in making our planet as healthy as possible. Make sure to check whether or not your city or town has recycling pick-up and if they do not be sure to find the nearest recycling center.