| Energy efficiency and renewable power sources get | | | | possible to significantly reduce the fossil fuel inputs to |
| the lion's share of attention when people seek | | | | our national economy. By reducing fossil fuel inputs |
| solutions to climate change. Everyone wants solar | | | | we naturally reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The |
| electricity, high tech computerized energy | | | | problem is that although roughly 30% of the waste |
| management systems, mini wind turbines, super | | | | generated in the United States is recycled, every |
| insulated houses, gas-filled triple glazed smart | | | | year this country creates more waste than the year |
| windows, and plug-in hybrid cars. If everyone had all | | | | before. So even though we're recycling, we're still |
| these things, we like to think, then maybe the | | | | making more and more stuff out of energy |
| climate would settle down again. | | | | inefficient raw materials. |
| But things are never that simple. Technical fixes for | | | | In 1980, according to the USEPA, America generated |
| massive human problems are complicated and | | | | approximately 150 million tons of waste. In 2006 that |
| expensive. And yet, one of the most fundamental | | | | number had increased to 246 million tons. Waste |
| ways we have of reducing greenhouse gas emissions | | | | generation per person went from 3.7 pounds/day to |
| is essentially at our fingertips right now through | | | | 4.5 pounds/day. In short, while we are doing much |
| recycling -- both at work and at home. | | | | better than we were in 1980 with recycling, our |
| As opposed to mining natural resources in wilderness | | | | capacity to create more and more waste is |
| areas, chopping the tops off of mountains, digging | | | | outstripping our efforts to recycle. In fact, the US |
| massive strip mines, or clear-cutting forests, recycling | | | | EPA estimates that only about half of what we could |
| is a highly localized, urban, relatively low-tech way of | | | | easily recycle is actually getting recycled. |
| creating raw materials for industry. According to data | | | | Recycling also creates new economic opportunities in |
| from the U.S. Office of Technology Assessment, for | | | | urban environments. From material collections to |
| every ton of product made out of non-recycled, raw | | | | processing to recycled product manufacturing, a |
| natural resources, 71 tons of waste is generated in | | | | growing recycling industry can mean mid-skill to high |
| mining, transportation, refining and manufacturing. | | | | skill jobs in profitable businesses in every major urban |
| Recycling metal, plastic, paper, and glass is effectively | | | | center of the country. A study by the Institute for |
| a process of mining urban ore. And, typically speaking, | | | | Local Self-Reliance shows that for every 10,000 tons |
| recycled material means energy savings that can be | | | | of material, landfills create one job while recycling can |
| significant. See Table 1, below for a summary of | | | | create as many as 35 jobs to process, transport and |
| energy savings through recycling (numbers based on | | | | remanufacture new products. |
| USEPA figures): | | | | To conclude, then, recycling is a proven and effective |
| Table 1 | | | | way for citizens and businesses to fight global |
| Material %Energy Savings | | | | warming. Recycled products mean less energy |
| Glass 33% | | | | consumption, reduced costs, and create more jobs |
| Plastic 30% - 70% (depending on application) | | | | than trashing stuff. So if you're not recycling |
| Steel 65% | | | | everything you can - especially at work - roll up your |
| Aluminum 95% | | | | sleeves and get down to basics. Your Mother will |
| Paper 60% | | | | thank you, and so will your grandchildren's |
| What this means is that through recycling it is | | | | grandchildren. |