How to Recycle and Why it’s Important

A slight introduction to sustainable living.

The topic of recycling is a bit taboo. A lot of people know that recycling saves the earth, but no one knows what is and isn’t recyclable. There are many ways recycling saves the environment and helps keep the earth green. It is clear that the climate is changing and most people aren’t worried about taking care of the earth we live on. Climate change is real, so a beginning step to keeping the summers hot and the winters cold is to recycle. This article intends to break down the different categories of recycling and explaining ways you could be more conscious about the disadvantages of single-use plastic and waste.

Why Recycle?

Recycling protects the earth. When you use fewer materials on an everyday basis, it reduces the demand for mass material production in factories. Constantly needing new fabric textiles, and cloth causes pollution when being made in the factories. Every time industrial facilities produce a large number of products, it creates a substantial amount of air pollution, which messes up the environment and air quality in various places all over the world. The problem with pollution is that it can cause damage to crops, animals, forests, and bodies of water. Humans are affected by pollution because it corrupts the respiratory system. As a result, there are various effects non-recycling has on our environment.

Here are some recycling basics:

Know what is (ACTUALLY) recyclable. It is important to put plastics in the correct recycling container.

Paper & Cardboard

Cardboard is meant to be paired with paper in the recycling bin. It is common to break it down, so there will be more room in the container. Paper and cardboard can not be recycled if they are mixed with food or wet items. All plastics have this requirement. Another tip: when we recycle paper from our mail and envelopes, removing any bubble wrap before recycling padded packages or security envelopes, is essential.

Examples: Cardboard boxes, single-sheet paper, envelopes, etc..

Metals

All metals go together in a separate recycling bin than the cardboard and paper. Before recycling food and drink cans, remove all the shipping labels and clean any residue that may be inside of the container. It is not necessary to thoroughly wash the cans, but they do need to be rinsed so they don’t contaminate other items.

Examples: Cans, parts of vehicles, building supplies, and excess materials

Plastic

Plastic does not instantly break down in landfills. This means the plastic exists for hundreds of years and takes up valuable space in a landfill, this is why it is important to recycle. Plastic is something that is known to be recyclable, but believe it or not: some plastics can’t be recycled, so it is important to look at the details. In recycling, workshops have massive piles of items people thought were recyclable but are not. It just takes up more space in the landfill. Not only is this damaging to the earth, but it hurts the ocean life. I’m sure no one wants salmon with small pieces of plastic in it. Flexible plastics; such as plastic bags, bubble wrap, or styrofoam require special handling that can not be taken care of via curbside/community trash pick up. If you are not able to poke your finger in the container, the item does not belong in a recycling container. Below are some quick visuals of what goes together in recycling.

Final Thought

Overall, I plan to continue to be a voice for the environment and help all communities understand the Zero Waste movement. Living a zero waste lifestyle is all about sustainability. We want to create an environment that influences us to live more ethical. The ultimate goal of this story is to raise environmental awareness. There are things we can do to help contribute to climate change, but it starts very small. I get that we might not be able to save the world, but it doesn’t hurt to try.

Always,

Sunny