Earth Day Recycling Facts
Earth Day raises awareness about environmental issues and inspires appreciation for the Earth's natural resources. There are many initiatives associated with Earth Day related to advocacy, climate change, conservation, biodiversity, education, energy, food, our green economy, sustainable development, water and recycling and waste reduction, according to the Earth Day Network. All projects sanctioned by the Earth Day Network are geared toward protecting our natural resources, conserving all we can, innovating and changing public environmental policies toward these ends.
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Water
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Americans use an average of 100 gallons of water every day. This is enough water to fill an 8-oz. glass 1,600 times, according to the EPA. On Earth Day, Americans are encouraged to use as little water as possible, and to recycle the water they can. For example, bath water can be used to water the lawn (so long as it isn't soapy). Additionally, grey water recycling systems can be installed in homes that use water from showers, baths and sinks for the toilet.
Paper
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Every American uses, on average, one 100-foot-tall tree's worth of paper each year, according to Oberlin College. Recycling just one 4-foot stack of newspaper saves a 40-foot-tall tree. Therefore, if every American recycled everyday paper waste, they could offset their paper use by more than 100 percent.
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Aluminum and Steel
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Recycling one aluminum can saves enough energy to run a television for three hours. Cans made from recycled materials saves 95 percent of the energy needed to make a can from scratch. A can you recycle today, will be back on the shelves within only 90 days, according to the Oro Loma Sanitary District.
Motor Oil
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Motor oil never gets used up, it just gets dirty. Dirty oil can be recycled and refined. If every American recycled their used motor oil, we would significantly reduce our dependence on foreign oil, and would reduce the pressure on American companies to start drilling off our shores. One gallon of refined motor oil could power the average American's home for half a day, according to Oro Loma.
Emissions
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Recycling paper and aluminum vastly reduces carbon emissions because it requires so much less energy than making those products from scratch, according to the Earth Day Network. Recycling all of your home's paper and cans can result in a reduction of 850 lbs. of carbon emissions per year.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit recycle earth image by feisty from Fotolia.com
