According to National Geographic, Americans send 64 tons of waste to landfills in their lifetime.
Garbage collection and disposal costs are much higher than recycling collection and disposal costs.
National Recycling Day aims to encourage Americans to recycle more and buy items made from recycled materials.
There are many other “re”s to consider and work on, such as:
reduce. Buy less plastic and buy more in glass and cardboard containers. Only buy things that can be recycled or taken apart.
Reuse. Donate books, clothing, electronics, and furniture to charity. Take a reusable canvas shopping bag with you to the store.
garbage. Don’t buy things in non-recyclable containers. Reject Styrofoam and single-use plastics.
Diversion. Be creative. Find ways to use empty containers and other items to give them another purpose. Use them in your craft projects.
Reconsider. Avoid purchasing items that cannot be reused or recycled. Reconsider your habits.
repair. If possible, repair broken items instead of sending them to the landfill or buying new items.
restaurant. Bring to-go boxes and metal straws to restaurants. We applaud restaurants for offering eco-friendly choices, and demand alternatives from those who offer Styrofoam containers.
recycle. Take newspapers, clean paper/cardboard, No. 1 and No. 2 plastics, glass, metal, aluminum and tin to recycling convenience centers.
You can also take more than plastic bags to the grocery store. They receive dry cleaning bags, produce bags, bread bags, ice bags, bubble wrap, air pillows, and more.
For more information, see the recycling article on the Fairfield Glade website.
