How can recycling impact a community? - Science ...

Recycling programs also contribute to the overall health and well-being of a community. Sustainable companies, or corporations that use recycled materials, ... HealthScienceHome&GardenAutoTechCultureMoneyLifestyleEntertainmentAdventureAnimalsQuizzesSubmitSearchSignupforourNewsletter!MobileNewsletterbannerclose​HowStuffWorksNewsletterMobileNewsletterchatcloseMobileNewsletterchatdotsMobileNewsletterchatdotsMobileNewsletterchatdotsMobileNewsletterchatavatarMobileNewsletterchatsubscribeHealthScienceHome&GardenAutoTechCultureMoneyLifestyleEntertainmentAdventureAnimalsQuizzes MoreMoreMoneyLifestyleEntertainmentAdventureAnimalsQuizzesAdvertisementHowStuffWorksScienceEnvironmentalScienceGreenScience Howcanrecyclingimpactacommunity? By:MeghanE.SmithShareContentonTwitterShareContentonFacebookShareContentonLinkedInShareContentonFlipboardShareContentonRedditShareContentviaEmail Doyourecycle? iStockphoto/ThinkstockLotsofpeopleconsiderrecyclingtobekindofano-brainer,somethingweallshoulddo.It’sgoodfortheenvironment,itre-usesmaterialsratherthancreatesnewones,itreduceslandfills--thelistgoesonandon.Butonemajorbenefitthatpeopleoftenoverlookistheimpactrecyclingprogramscanhaveonacommunity.Foronething,recyclingprogramsencouragepeopleto(youguessedit)recycle.Whenyourtowndoesn’thaveabuilt-inwaytorecycleandyouhavetogooutofyourwaytodoit,areyoumoreorlesslikelytomakeithappen?Theeasieritisforcommunitymemberstorecycle,themorelikelytheyaretodoso.Therefore,ifacommunityinvestsinasolidandreliablerecyclinginfrastructure,morematerialswillultimatelyberecycledratherthanincineratedorputinalandfill--bothofwhichhaveharmfulenvironmentaleffects.AdvertisementLandfillsareaprimarycontributortothegreenhousegasoutputoftheUnitedStates.Decomposinggarbagegeneratesmethane,whichisabouttwentytimesmoreeffectivethancarbondioxideattrappingheatintheEarth’satmosphere,accordingtotheEnvironmentalProtectionAgency.So,allthestuffwethrowinlandfillshasadirecteffectonglobalwarming,whichmakesrecyclingsoundlikeaprettygoodidea.Recyclingprogramsalsocontributetotheoverallhealthandwell-beingofacommunity.Sustainablecompanies,orcorporationsthatuserecycledmaterials,willbemorelikelytoestablishtiesoropenupbranchesinatownthathasavestedinterestinrecycling.Fewerlandfillsmeansbetterpropertyvalues,aswellastheknowledgethatyourcommunityisactuallyworkingtomitigateglobalwarming.Communitiesthatactivelyrecyclesendthemessagethattheyreallydocareabouttheenvironment.Allaltruismaside,recyclingcanstimulateyourlocaleconomyinabigway.Preparingmaterialforrecyclingismuchmorelabor-intensivethanincinerationorlandfilling.Therecyclableshavetobesortedandthenprocessedaccordingtotype,whereasnon-recycledtrashdoesn'tundergoanykindofspecializedprocessing.Infact,theInstituteforLocalSelf-Reliancereportsthatindustriesengagedinsortingandprocessingrecyclablematerialemploy10timesmorepeoplethantraditionalwastedisposalfirmsdo.Therecyclingprocesshasalotofsteps,andthemoreofthosestepsyouhavelocally,themorejobsyoucreateinyourcommunity.And,ofcourse,thosejobshelpstimulatethelocaleconomy,intermsofbothindividualandcorporatebuyingpower.So,howcanyourcommunity’srecyclingprogramimprove?Forone,youcancontactyourlocalgovernmentandmakesureithasagoodunderstandingoftherecyclingprocess.Trytocommunicateopenlywiththepeopleinyourarea.Youmightfindawaytohelpyourneighborhood,yourlocaleconomyandyourplanetallinonego.AdvertisementLotsMoreInformationRelatedArticlesHowtoRecycleTiresHowdoesoilrecyclingwork?CellPhoneRecyclingSourcesAcetiAssociates.“Recycling:WhyPeopleDoIt;WhyTheyDon’t.”CommonwealthofMassachusettsWebsite.Dec.30,2002.(May28,2010) http://www.mass.gov/dep/recycle/reduce/crbdrop.pdfCampaignforRecycling.“HowDoesRecyclingReduceGreenhouseGasEmissions?”(May31,2010) http://www.jgpress.com/archives/_free/000552.htmlInstituteforLocalSelf-Reliance.“WastetoWealth:RecyclingMeansBusiness.”2006.(May31,2010) http://www.ilsr.org/recycling/recyclingmeansbusiness.htmlU.S.EnvironmentalProtectionAgency.“Methane.”March5,2010.(May31,2010) http://www.epa.gov/methane/scientific.htmlU.S.EnvironmentalProtectionAgency,Region4.“MunicipalGovernmentToolkit.”Dec.1,2008.(May31,2010) http://www.epa.gov/region4/waste/rcra/mgtoolkit/improving.htmlU.S.EnvironmentalProtectionAgency,Region4.“Recycling:AComponentofStrongCommunityDevelopment.”Dec.1,2008.(May31,2010) http://www.epa.gov/region4/waste/rcra/mgtoolkit/Community.html​ CiteThis! Pleasecopy/pastethefollowingtexttoproperlycitethisHowStuffWorks.comarticle:Copy MeghanE.Smith "Howcanrecyclingimpactacommunity?" 29August2012.HowStuffWorks.com. 3June2022 Close CitationFeaturedSpecialOfferonAntivirusSoftwareFromHowStuffWorksandTotalAVSecurityTryOurCrosswordPuzzles!CanYouSolveThisRiddle?LearnMore:UpNextHowDoesOilRecyclingWork?ExploreMoreYouMayLikeHowcanyourecyclewaterforyouroutdoorgarden?ExploreMoreKeepReadingHowdoespolystyrenerecyclingwork?ExploreMoreAdvertisementAdvertisementLoading...AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement