Savvy Recycling (Washington, DC)
Oilandnaturalgas pricesare at record highs and abnormally dry or drought conditionsare affecting nearly half the country, meaning thatmany people have energy and water conservation in mind.While often overlooked, recycling common household materials can have a big impact on energy and water use. Recycling also means that less land is needed to store our garbage.
Viewer Tip:In 2004, DC recycling diverted 13.6 percent of waste from landfills. November 15th is “America Recycles Day” –toss these household items into your recyclingbag for big environmental benefits:
- Paper: Recycling one ton of paper saves 7,000 gallons of water, 17 trees, 3 cubic yards of landfill space, and enough energy to power an average home for five months.
- Aluminum: Recycling just one can saves the amount of energy needed to power a computer for three hours, or run a 100-watt lightbulb for 20 hours.
- Plastic: 95 percent less energy is used to make a plastic item from recycled materials than new materials.
Looking for alocal recycling program? Visit www.cleanup.org and enter your zip code for local information.
Season: Fall
(Sources: U.S. EPA. “Environmental Benefits of Recycle on the Go.” http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/osw/conserve/onthego/benefits/index.htm; Government of the District of Columbia: Public Report on Recycling, Fiscal Year 2004. http://www.recycle.dpw.dc.gov/recycle/frames.asp?doc=/recycle/lib/recycle/pdf/brochure-factsheet/fy2004_recyclingreport_final.pdf)
