The Recycling Revolution

Say you want a revolution? 
This is where you might expect me to overwhelm you with facts that are supposed to scare or guilt you into recycling because if you don't the world will end. While it's true that there are numerous downsides to NOT recycling, I like to focus on the positive.
I even waffle from time to time on the issue, when I look at my small home and think about the fact that the nearest recycling center is 40 miles away, I admit that I hesitate. While I am an advocate of consuming less and producing less waste, the biggest challenge I face is getting the rest of my family in on the enthusiasm. Let's face it, we all want to do our part to reduce our footprint but when it comes down to it, everyone has to be willing not to back down from the less attractive side of the green revolution. 
Recycling, in my opinion is one of the top choices in preserving our planet. My family of five has reduced it's actual landfill waste to one bag of garbage a week!! Everything else that we throw away can be recycled or composted!! TO ME, THAT IS AMAZING, considering we could make a garbage can overflow each week. I try very hard not to buy products that can't be recycled, like sour cream, yogurt, and plastic containers in which my center doesn't accept. It is good to visit your neighborhood recycling center, since they all differ. 
Here are a few more benefits to recycling, and I challenge you to do your part. 

• Every ton of paper that is recycled saves 17 trees.
• The energy we save when we recycle one glass bottle is enough to light a light bulb for four hours
• It is important to reduce our reliance on foreign oil. Recycling helps us do that by saving energy
• A national recycling rate of 30% reduces greenhouse gas emissions as much as removing nearly 25 million cars from the road.
• Recycling conserves natural resources, such as timber, water, and minerals
• When one ton of steel is recycled, 2,500 pounds of iron ore, 1,400 pounds of coaland 120 pounds of limestone are conserved.
• Well-run recycling programs cost less to operate than waste collection, landfilling, and incineration.
• Recycling creates 1.1 million U.S. jobs, $236 billion in gross annual sales and $37 billion in annual payrolls.

**These recycling facts have been compiled from various sources including the National Recycling Coalition, the Environmental Protection Agency, and Earth911.org.


Item's you can recycle: Paper, cardboard, plastic, glass, aluminum cans, tin cans, plastic bags, batteries, cooking oil, ink cartridges, and more. 


REMEMBER, You can do it and it does matter!!!