Recycling is one thing that we all can do, but that we sometimes brush over. There are many steps that we can take to protect our planet, our oceans and to keep our wildlife safe.
Therefore, we have rounded up five benefits of recycling to show how our behaviour can positively impact our world.
1. Conserves Natural Resources
Recycling paper and wood, reduces the number of trees that we cut down, therefore protecting our rainforests and ancient forests. Creating new plastic requires a large amount of crude oil, with 4-6% of Europe’s oil reserves being used to produce plastic. By recycling our waste, we can conserve our natural resources.
Along with plastic, metal is another material that we should be recycling. 80% of the components inside a car can be recycled, although most end up going to landfill. Extracting metal ores is harmful to the environment, as it disfigures the natural landscape, can cause soil erosion and reduce the air quality.
2. Reduces Greenhouse Gas Emissions
By recycling lowers greenhouse gas emissions, it reduces energy consumption. Waste can therefore be reused to make a new product as opposed to taking virgin materials and using energy to extract and manufacture it. Recycling means that greenhouse gas emissions are not being produced in the process of extracting or mining new materials.
By reducing the energy used to extract raw materials and recycling existing materials, we can reduce the greenhouse gas emissions that are the main contributor to climate change.
e.g: Recycling one ton of newspapers prevents 1.7 barrels of oil and over 600 kilowatts of energy from being used.
3. Reduces Landfill
If we reduce the number of items going to landfills, then we can reduce the emissions caused by incinerators, as well as air pollution.
Since 1950, our landfills have been growing in size every year. In 2018, there was 8.3 billion metric tons of plastic in landfills all over the world with 91% of plastic not being recycled. Most of it making its way into our oceans…
Within six weeks of recycling an aluminium can, the material can be repurposed to make a new one instead of being adding to a landfill site.
4. Protects Our Ecosystems & Wildlife
By recycling existing material, we do less harm to our ecosystems than we would if we were using new materials. Just think of how many trees we cut down every year to make paper, taking away our wildlife’s natural habitats. Plastic and other materials that make their way into our oceans are dangerous for animals, and can even kill them when they swallow plastic or get caught in plastic netting.
5. Grows The Green Economy
As well as helping the environment, recycling is also a significant facilitator for the growth of the green jobs industry.
it is estimated that more than 50,000 jobs could be created by 2025 in the UK if the 70% recycling target is achieved.
