“Recycling:” a word that holds a very different meaning for each different individual.
Many think of recycling as the only alternative and only item on their taking care of our earth checklist. But in reality, recycling is just one of many steps and actions that need to be taken, and only counts when done correctly.
Due to the tremendous number of individuals with zero knowledge about what recycling is, what should and shouldn’t be recycled, and how it affects the environment, we are in a world with lots of confusing information. This brings us to today, where the earth is fighting to survive and we simply lack the knowledge to engage and create change.
It is time for things to change. We might be doing things that think help the planet while causing harm. A simple thing such as recycling a plastic bag with food residue can damage the entire recycle load and force workers to take it to landfills. This is called contamination and it's extremely common. Many might think that they're recycling and helping, but packages need to be cleaned, washed, and free of any food or liquids to be able to be recycled.
Out of the thousand little ways we can contribute to protecting the earth, the first and most important is to educate ourselves, so why not start now?`
According to Shelby Bell, "When our trash is disposed of in landfills, it creates a toxic blend of liquids called leachate, which results in large amounts of pollution both in the air and in local water sources. Landfills also account for the largest man-made source of methane gas in the United States—A powerful greenhouse gas that is 23 times more potent than carbon dioxide in trapping heat in the atmosphere.”
It is time to educate ourselves, for the earth, and for ourselves.
As they say:
“We learn something new every day.”
What have you learned today?
Ask trusted sources, do your research. You can start by reading our blogs, or even better, do them all!
Sources:
Bell, Shelby. “Smarter recycling.”
