(60b) Recycling and Its Importance

Recycling is an important practice that consumers and industry alike can do to help conserve non-renewable resources (fossil fuels) that are used for energy and help the environment in which we live. Recycling efforts include recycling paper, glass, plastics, and metals. This study investigates the efforts that the government and local municipalities take to encourage recycling among consumers and private industries, as well as, the amount of energy and non-renewable resources conserved when products are recycled. Results indicate that local and government programs have been designed to promote recycling and encourage purchase of recycled materials vs. raw materials. As a result of using recycled materials, energy consumption is decreased and raw materials are conserved. Recycling also reduces the destruction of forests and natural habitats due to the mining of raw materials, as well as, water and air pollution via the production process using raw materials. The resulting effect of recycling is only a small part of conserving energy and fossil fuels; recycling must be conjoined with other conservation efforts like renewable energy resources to help rid the total dependence on fossil fuels.