After years of having the phrase “reduce-reuse-recycle” drilled into our heads, and with the rise of greening popularity, recycling in the conventional sense has lost its allure.  But recycling has as much to do with economics as it has to do with environment.  The balance of environmental awareness and dollar-sense is best depicted by the concept of "fiscal environmentalism," phrase used to describe the melding of two often-conflicting philosophies in which the goals of both environmentalism and fiscal conservatism can be achieved.  Reducing the amount of materials entering the waste stream reduces the rate at which landfills are being filled, but also reduces the costs of collecting, transporting, and disposing of waste.  Some materials we use today can be recycled indefinitely and never enter the waste stream.  This includes items like aluminum cans and glass.  Limitless recycling diminishes the need for additional strip-mining of raw materials, thereby, lowering the cost and energy necessary to produce manufactured materials while also reducing environmental contamination.  Recycling uses 95% less energy than the cradle-to-grave process. With recycling and reuse programs contributing $12.9 billion in tax revenues for state and federal governments, the “3R’s” make both fiscal and environmental sense.

Donations

One easy way you can recycle unwanted belongings, even if your neighborhood does not have recycling capabilities, is to donate household items to local groups.  Places to Donate provides you with a list of some of these groups. Also, items with longer life-spans are recyclable as well.  Cell phones and print cartridges can be donated by visiting Think Recycle.

“There are more than 4,500 recycled-content products available, and this number continues to grow. In fact, many of the products people regularly purchase contain recycled-content. The list on the right presents just a sampling of products that can be made with recycled content.”

Plastics

Read about plastic bags and the dangers they pose to the environment. Learn more (PDF) >

Please note: Some plastics are better to use than others. For example, you should avoid buying or using #3 (PVC), #6 (PS), and #7 plastics. These plastics can be very toxic and have exhibited the ability to leach certain chemicals into your food and drink. Click here to learn more or read in the Washington Post about how retailers are beginning to phase out PVC from their stores and products. You can also learn how to Recycle the Hard Stuff (PDF).

For Informational Purposes:

EPEAT rates computers based on life cycle impacts, from manufacture, thru energy use, to disposal and recycling potential.

The Recycling Cycle

Visit The EPA's website to learn more about the recycling process, recycling facts and figures, and what you can do to help!

What's new?

NATURE, Vol 450, December 6, 2007 - Sustainable Technology: Green Chemistry Q&A