Let’s Recycle, America!

This Tuesday, November 15, is America Recycles Day.  It’s a day set aside to promote recycling and an awareness of its benefits.

Did you know that our national recycling rate is only 34%?  I was surprised at how low that number is.  Honestly, recycling is perhaps THE easiest thing you can do to help the environment.  And it definitely does help! 

Here are some interesting facts about recycling that might inspire you to begin recycling or to up your recycling game, so to speak:

• Recycling one aluminum can will power a 46 inch LED TV for 3 hours.
• A glass container can go from a recycling bin to a store shelf in as few as 30 days.
• It takes 95% less energy to make a can from recycled aluminum than from raw materials.
• It takes 75% less energy to recycle steel than to create steel from raw materials.
• Even that 34% annual recycling rate has a dramatic effect on the environment.
• That 34% saves the energy equivalent of nearly 250 million barrels of crude oil annually.
• It decreases greenhouse gas emissions the equivalent of removing more than 35 million cars from the road each year.
• It saves the energy equivalent of the annual energy consumption of nearly 13.3 million US households per year.

Just think what we could do if we increased the national recycling rate by merely 6% to 40%!  That still isn’t half of our population but what a difference it could make. 

Folks, we have the power and responsibility to make a difference.

So, join me in celebrating America Recycles Day by taking the pledge to increase the amount you recycle.  You’ll feel good about it and so will creation.

Blessings,
Laura

Thanks to the people at AmericaRecyclesDay.org for all those interesting facts.