8 Reasons Why Recycling Will Save Our Earth
Recently there’s been a lot of debate whether recycling is good for the environment or not. I’m here to convince you about the positives of recycling and why we should do it. Recycling is beneficial for maintaining our health and preserving our natural resources.
Here are 8 reasons why recycling will save our earth.
1. Recycling reduces toxic E-waste
E-waste is discarded electrical or electronic waste and can be toxic if not disposed of properly. Their toxic chemicals and fumes which can harm the environment and people’s health. Electronics that are still in good working condition such as TVs, computers, and phones should be donated to people who can still use them. If they’re not in good condition, it’s important to recycle them through the process according to your state. You can find out more on Earth’s Friends.
2. Recycling helps minimise pollution
When we dispose of rubbish, it creates pollution. When people burn rubbish, it damages the ozone layer and can pollute the air quality which can lead to respiratory diseases such as asthma. Every time we recycle non-biodegradable products, we reduce the amount of air pollution that causes harm to the ozone layer and our respiratory systems. Recycling is beneficial for our health and Wynn Sarden can tell you more.
3. Recycling conserves natural resources
As stated on Love to Know, the manufacturing of products requires the use of natural sources such as wood and non-renewable fossil fuels. There’s only a limited amount of mineral ores and fossil fuels that can be mined, so these natural resources are very precious. At this rate, the world will run out of these natural resources. It’s critical that we recycle so we can preserve these natural resources for future generations.
4. Recycling reduces landfill
According to Capital Scrap Metal, recycling separates beneficial scrap metals from your rubbish and reduces the amount of waste heading towards incineration. Whereas if these beneficial metals were in landfill, they would pollute the air, land and nearby water sources, degrading our quality of life.
5. Recycling saves energy
Manufacturing new products from raw materials uses up a considerable amount of energy compared to manufacturing products from recycled materials. Even when factoring in other costs such as transport, using recycled materials requires much less energy. You can go to Wise Up To Waste for more information.
6. Recycling reduces greenhouse gases
By saving energy through manufacturing products from recycled materials, factories use less greenhouse gas emissions as stated on Conserve Earth. This also minimises the use of harmful gases that are created during production by fuels.
7. Recycling saves forests
Trees are chopped down to create paper pulp. According to the World Wide Fund For Nature, 40% of the world’s timber use is attributed to paper pulp. Paper pulp causes more deforestation in the tropics than mining or palm oil cultivation. Not only do we lose the trees, but we also lose the animals who call these forests their homes. By recycling paper, we can reduce the number of trees getting chopped down.
8. Recycling reduces the plastic ending up in our oceans
Plastic can take from 450 to 1,000 years to break down according to The Independent. Once people discard their plastic, it usually ends up in our oceans as microplastics and affects marine organisms. This litter can also end up in the seafood we end up eating. There is an estimate of 8 million metric tonnes of plastic floating in our oceans. By recycling and using reusable materials, there’ll be less litter in the ocean, and less litter in our seafood.
Which of these facts about recycling interests you the most? Were there any you didn’t know? Do you have any recycling tips?
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Julie is currently studying s Bachelor of Arts (Professional and Creative Writing) at Deakin University in Australia. She's a hardcover book and journal collector, she owns way too many planners, and she keeps telling herself that one day she will go to Paris.