BACK ISSUES   |    APRIL 2010   |    CURRENT ISSUE  

APRIL 2010
SPECIAL


The Importance of Recycling

Recycling is an excellent way of saving energy and conserving the environment. It is one of the best ways for you to have a positive impact on the world in which we live. Recycling is important to both the natural environment and us.

Environmental importance

Recycling helps to minimize the presence of waste. When items such as glass, paper, and plastics are being reused to create new products, they do not end up taking up space in a landfill somewhere. Recycling makes it possible to avoid creating newer and larger landfills that would otherwise be necessary to accommodate all the waste.

Choosing to reuse and recycle items also makes it possible to cut the cost of producing products significantly. For example, it takes anywhere from seventy-five to ninety-five percent less energy to produce aluminum cans from recycled products than it does to create them from raw materials.

Thus, the importance of recycling not only extends to preserving raw materials but also to easing the energy needed to manufacture various goods. Harmful chemicals and greenhouse gasses are released from rubbish in landfill sites. Recycling helps to reduce the pollution caused by waste.

The importance of recycling also extends to maintaining a healthy balance in the ecology of the planet. By not having to mine raw materials in order to continue producing the same volume of products, there is less damage to our rivers, forests, rainforests and areas where wildlife is abundant.



Importance to people

Our landfill sites are filling up fast and there is no space to accommodate all the waste we create.

Making products from raw materials costs much more than if they were made from recycled products and thus reduces the financial expenditure on the economy

Recycling reduces the need for raw materials; it also uses less energy, therefore preserving natural resources for the future.

Recycling helps with the creation of new jobs. As more people recycle, the number of people required to collect, sort and process recycled items continues to grow.



Living a
Green Life

Living a green life does not require great expense or effort. Simple changes are all it takes to help protect the environment. Here are some easy yet excellent tips to help you start living a green life:
  • Invest in a jute or cloth grocery bags to avoid discarding plastic bags.
  • Switch off lights and appliances whenever you leave a room.
  • Turn off the taps as you brush your teeth, shave or wash the dishes.
  • Recycle as much of plastic, glass and paper as possible.
  • Use natural compost, rather than synthetic fertilizers in your gardens.
  • Use rechargeable batteries in your small electric appliances and accessories.
  • Unplug your mobile phone chargers when not in use.
  • Use recycled paper.
  • Drive less. Cycle, walk or use public transport.
  • Instead of presenting cut flowers, gift a potted plant
  • Recycling isn’t limited to cans and newspapers. Even your eyeglasses can be recycled. Donate your old glasses to an organization that redistributes them to people who can’t afford a new pair.
  • Most mass-produced wrapping paper you find in stores is not recyclable and ends up in landfills. Get creative! Wrap presents with old maps, the comics section of a newspaper, or children's artwork.
  • If you are given a gift by someone else, salvage the paper for future gifts and collect the intact bows. You’ll be saving money, trees, and landfill space
  • Be prepared for spur-of-the-moment shopping sprees by storing extra canvas or jute bags in your car, bike basket, satchel or backpack
  • Follow the 3 R’s — Reduce, Reuse and Recycle
    • About us
    Contact us
    Advertise with us     		Get a FREE copy
    Subscribe
    Gift a subscription     		Submit a Joke
    Submit a Poem
    Submit a Photo     		Facebook iconFan us on Facebook
    Twitter iconFollow us on Twitter
    Blog iconRead our blog