Why recycle...

Recycling is a pretty controversial issue right now. I have found that is has become a somewhat confused topic with many (especially in the media) believing it is our key to saving the planet. While this is a nice idea I think its safe to say that recycling forms part of a much bigger picture and will not single handily save the planet. But this doesn’t mean we shouldn’t recycle. At the end of the day every little bit helps and if we all contribute then the effects are bound to be positive. In this article I will discuss my take on why we need to recycle. I’m sure I will leave stuff out but that’s for you guys to pick up on. Please feel free to comment on what I have to say.

One of the primary and most immediate effects of recycling is a reduction in the amount of refuse going into landfill sites. This fact is pretty major as we are fast running out of space with the vast amounts of rubbish being generated. According to WasteWatch.org “each UK household produces over 1 tonne of rubbish annually, amounting to about 31 million tonnes for the UK each year”. Now that’s a lot. Having grown up in the countryside it used to (and still does) bother me quite a bit to see large tracts of land being swallowed up by rubbish tips. By recycling more this means less tonnage that needs to be put into the ground. And this has knock on effects on the environment and a whole host of other items. I will go into these in a later posting.

The second most important reason to recycle is this… a lot of stuff we throw away can be used again! All those plastic bottles, newspapers, cans etc can be recycled. This is what I love most about it, stuff we use everyday can be turned back into well stuff that we use everyday. An interesting cycle really. But back to the point it is simply wasteful to throw something away that can be recycled or used again. One thing that really worries me is our rapidly rising global oil consumption. Linked into this is our demand for plastics. And where does the majority of it end up? In landfill sites, where it will take a very long time to break down and be of use to no one. So I think it’s pretty scary that we throw away that which comes from a source that will eventually run out. At the end of the day it simply doesn’t make sense does it?

Finally the third reason to recycle… yes I believe there is a third reason. Funny as it may sound but I believe this reason is self-gratification. I find recycling really enjoyable. Every time I take an armful of stuff to the recycle bin and drop it in I get a real feel good factor having done so. Ok some might say that this is a bit selfish but why should it be? I think its great that we can feel “good” when we do our bit. Its important to remember that recycling doesn’t need to be tedious or a chore. If it becomes that then no one will bother. And that is one of the main reasons why I wanted to setup this Blog. To inform others how fun recycling can be. In a way encouraging people to recycle requires winning the "hearts and minds war" (no not to be confused with the the other use for that statement). My next article will be on this very topic so check back for the next update.