For many, recycling is a stressful activity that they just don’t see themselves engaging in – the whole process just seems cumbersome, and “For what?”, they ask agitatedly. They just don’t think it’s worth the stress – even if it’s to save the environment.
Contrary to the views that those with such a school of thought hold, recycling actually does a great deal of good to the environment…and your pocket.
The thing is, recycling helps us reduce the levels of waste that we produce and this is crucial to preserving the environment, especially as the world is in the middle of a climate crisis. This means that the more we recycle, the less garbage ends up in landfills which does the environment a lot of good and also has economic and social advantages.
For one, recycling cuts down the amount of waste in landfill sites and mitigates pollution that stems from waste (e.g methane), some of which are burnt and release a high volume of CO2 into the atmosphere, causing huge health risks and contributing to global warming.
In addition, it prevents pollution of oceans, soil, and underground water.
Secondly, it is a huge industry and creates job opportunities for waste collectors, machine operators, and various people involved in the waste collection and delivery/transportation chain.
Thirdly, it is a source of income as many people make money off selling cans, plastic, and out-of-use electrical appliances to recycling companies. Some governments have formulated policies and are incentivizing the deposit of used items at various collection points.
Fourthly, it reduces energy consumption and significantly reduces the cost it would ordinarily take to produce new items. How? by producing alternatives to raw materials thereby saving the energy required in their extraction and processing, leading to decreased production cost.
This also helps to conserve natural resources like resources and ensures their sustainable and optimal use. For instance, recycling paper and wood helps preserve trees and forests.
Bottom line
You can see that it is a win-win situation for you and the environment as you do not only properly get rid of waste but also earn while at it.
The benefits of recycling should be enough reason for you to rethink your views about recycling if you’re not keen on it and the good part is that the whole process has been made easy, thanks to innovative waste-recycling organizations.
