Why do we recycle?

Recycling is a term we hear often today, but how many of us know the importance of recycling and the reasons we are continuously told we should do it?

Even without taking environmental issues into consideration, recycling would seem a logical and sensible thing to do. In today’s throw away age, these times of austerity, the best way of saving money begins by recycling, with reducing waste a close second: and the bonus if you like, are the environmental benefits that result from recycling. Yet still there is reluctance by some to embrace this concept – the benefits of carrying out this important function seems still to have passed some people by.

By recycling we help reduce the need for mining, logging and the quarrying. Processing raw materials is expensive – burns energy, requires manpower – and pollutes the atmosphere and our water sources. Saving energy is cost effective and reduces greenhouse gas emissions, an essential tool in the battle against climate change.

In the UK it is estimated we reduce CO² emissions each year by 18 million tonnes by recycling – the equivalent of removing 5 million cars off the road.

When we recycle, used products and materials are given a new lease of life. Old, worn and broken items can be converted into new products reducing the need to consume yet more natural resources. Earth has a limited amount of certain, natural resources, some of which are not readily replaced if at all. Therefore if materials are not (where possible) recycled, we unnecessarily plunder mother natures shrinking resources. The next time you visit your local recycling centre check out the ‘waste’ people throw away for landfill: it’s often quite unbelievable.

Recycling not only helps conserve stocks of important raw materials, it also protects natural habitats for our future and those of our wildlife and vegetation. Recycling helps reduce the number of landfill sites we need, land fill sites are often a blot on the landscape which can strip the value off surrounding homes.

If everyone thought a moment about the materials and products we discard in a constructive way, we would in time be able to decrease the size and number of landfill sites needed. With an ever expanding population burying garbage in a hole in the ground is not a long term solution. Our towns, cities and beautiful countryside will face a future of pollution, toxic poisoning and a host of other health problems. So don’t bury your head in the sand – recycle.

Reduce, reuse, and recycle’ is now taught in our schools in efforts to educate the next generation in the merits, benefits and necessity for recycling. Everyone can contribute to making our world a better, cleaner, healthier place to live.

Recycling at home does take a little time and effort, and sometimes isn’t the most pleasant of jobs. Collection of our garbage is now separated; one week the green bin, or the blue, or the black, and yes, it can be a bit confusing at times – but on the other hand, it’s no big deal either, easily remedied by marking a calendar in advance. As humans, we are often reluctant to change and with recycling it’s no different. Recycling is a habit thing; in time it becomes second nature.

Recycling also promotes and inspires creative technology, to utilise effectively that which already exists. To this end a number of industry sectors support programs where they have access to large quantities of recyclable material for conversion into new products. Recycling is big business, a growing industry employing thousands of workers. Simply throwing away usable, recyclable materials away creates six or seven jobs, to sort it –  but segregated recycled products and items where can create close to ten times that number of jobs.

Everyone should get involved in recycling. And as a consequence, we are gently pushed more and more in this direction. It is our responsibility. We are the only ones that can address the problems our planet faces through pollution and resource depletion, and we can all, in our own small way contribute.