Recycling is the process of collecting materials that have been discarded and are considered

waste and reprocessing.

What is Recycling?

Recycling helps minimize pollution. One way we can minimize pollution is through recycling and reusing garbage. When people burn garbage, this can harm the ozone layer and produce harmful gases which can lead to respiratory diseases like cough and asthma, among others.

Recycling reduces pollution and preserves the environmental condition. The energy saved in producing new goods from recycled materials goes a long way to helping global climate change. By minimizing the energy used in manufacturing the emission of greenhouse gases is also reduced.Examples: Repurposing glass bottles into artistic lamp shades, swimming tubs.

Recycling Helps Protect The Environment

To put this benefit in proper perspective, let's consider this statement from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection: "BY recycling over 1 million tons of steel in 2004, Pennsylvanians saved 1.3 million tons of iron ore, 718,000 tons of coal, and 62,000 tons of limestone. Through recycling newsprint, office paper and mixed paper, we saved nearly over 8.2 million trees."

Resources like oil and precious metals bold, silver, bauxite, copper, etc. are all finite resources that will be exhausted, sooner or later. Cell phone and computer manufacturers, like Dell and Apple, recognize the need for a steady supply of raw materials - most are active in buy-back programs to recycle materials from used products.

Recycling Helps Conserve Limited Resources

The energy required to extract , process, and transport metal from a mine to a refinery is obviously much greater than what's required to recycle metal from used products - it costs more energy to manufacture a brand new aluminum can from fresh material than to make 20 cans out of recycled materials!

Recycling is far more efficient, in terms of energy consumption, than producing something out of fresh raw material. Done on a nationwide scale, this could lead to significant reduction in our energy costs.

Recycling Promotes Energy Efficiency

There was dip in the price of recyclables last year when the financial crisis started, but it is testimony to the resiliency of this industry that prices are no. 1. back to pre-crisis levels - a recovery that's well ahead than most other industries. Jobs are being generated and city and town governments are enjoying huge savings in electricity, garbage collection, and landfilling cost.

Every cost-reduction, energy efficiency, materials conservation, and job generation benefit of recycling adds up to help build a strong economy for our country. Recycling, done on a country-wide scale. has a huge positive impact on the economy.

Recycling Helps Build A Strong Economy

If you're new to recycling or environmental advocacy, go find a local group to work with. Staying the course is more fun and rewarding when you have other enthusiasts cheering you on.

People band together and build communities around common causes, issues, and advocacies. Recycling is no different. In many neighborhoods and cities across the country, we see concerned citizens working together in recycling initiatives, environment lobby groups, and free recycling groups.

Recycling Builds Community