What are the Economic and Environmental Benefits of Recycling?
The phrase “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” has been around since the 1970’s. But, why are these actions so important? If you take a few minutes to go through all your recyclable waste, you can help to preserve the economic and environmental well-being of our planet by reducing your carbon footprint. There are a number of environmental and economic benefits of recycling. Not only does it decrease our environmental impact on the planet, but it can also reduce our consumption of natural resources. Not to mention, all the jobs it can create.
Environmental Benefits of Recycling
Recycling can encourage us to be aware of how much of the Earth’s natural resources we consume, and it forces us to think about how much trash we create. By reducing both, we can help the environment on both a local and global level. Some of the benefits of recycling on the environment can include:
- Conservation of Natural Resources — While there appears to be an abundance of natural resources on the planet, they do have limits. We can’t rely on them for the manufacturing of new materials forever. Many of the materials we use for manufacturing can’t be quickly replenished, which is why this is one of the most important reasons to recycle.
- Reduction of Pollution and Greenhouse Gases — Because recycling reduces the need for newer materials, it can lower the amount of air and water pollution that’s created by extraction and production processes. Recycling is 194 times more effective in reducing greenhouse gas emissions than landfills and incineration.
- Reduction of Landfill Waste — While a lot of waste products can be recycled, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that only 32% of trash is being recycled or composted. Increasing recycling rates can help communities and even the entire planet.
- Conservation of Energy — Recycling consumes a lot less energy than it does to create new materials. In fact, it’s equal to a reduction of carbon emissions that would come from taking approximately 42 million cars off the road each year.
Be sure to look for some recycling centers in Corpus Christi to find out more.
Economic Benefits of Recycling
Because of its relationship with the manufacturing industry, recycling can have the following economic benefits:
- The Creation of Better Jobs — An organized national increase in recycling could cause a huge spike in well-paying green jobs, which would be great for local communities and even the entire nation. According to the EPA, recycling programs and reuse activities in the United States created approximately 681,000 jobs within a single year. The recycling industry also reported that nearly two new jobs are created for every 1,000 tons of material that’s recycled.
- Reduction of Production Costs — Recycling product materials can reduce the energy cost of production by up to 95%, which can help to offset the cost associated with the collection and recycling of those materials.
If you’re looking for one of the best places for recycling in Corpus Christi, be sure to get in touch with Dawson Recycling and Disposal.
