May 17 is World Recycling Day, to raise awareness of how to take care of our natural resources and prevent them from running out.
Man produces billions of pieces of waste that reach the Earth in different forms. Much of the waste has the potential to be reused to form new things.
In the US, every year 22 million tons of household recyclables go to landfills, become litter, and pollute our waters. While packaging plays a key role in keeping products safe and transportable, it too often is discarded when it could be used again. Recycling protects resources from depletion, allows communities to manage the amount of trash they have to handle, and protects the environment by saving water and greenhouse gases.
The Recycling Partnership
What are the 3 R’s? Reduce – reuse – recycle
Recycling includes 3 practices:
1) Reduce: it is about using the least amount of non-environmentally friendly products. For example, when shopping, avoid plastic bags and prefer cloth ones.
2) Reuse: it is to give a new life and utility to things that no longer serve us. For example, a bottle instead of becoming waste would look good as a decorative vase.
3) Recycle: the correct way to recycle is to separate the garbage and deposit it in the corresponding container according to color:
- Blue: paper and cardboard.
- Yellow: containers (bottles, bags, cans).
- Light green: glass.
- Dark green: rest of the waste as organic matter.
Before dumping the waste, it is necessary to clean it and reduce its volume as much as possible whenever possible.
Why is recycling important?
Changes in climate are largely due to the depletion of natural resources. The disorderly heat and rains allow us to speak of an unprecedented climatic emergency. As a result, we see more disasters every day that translate into:
- increased poverty,
- immigration of displaced communities,
- job loss,
- disappearance of natural habitats.
This is the call to promote a sustainable world in which not only people intervene, but also governments and world organizations, such as the United Nations, UN.
Recycling helps protect natural resources. Thanks to this practice there are less CO2 emissions, making the planet healthier for the preservation of humanity.
How to celebrate World Recycling Day?
World Recycling Day is a new date. We celebrate since 2005 when the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) created the date. The idea was to help recognize and celebrate the importance of recycling to preserve our precious primary resources and secure the future of our planet.
This date is favorable for:
- Remember the responsibility of each person who plays an important role in a greener future.
- Teach people to treat waste properly to protect the environment.
- Recognize that the planet comes first to private interests.
- Solicit the participation of governments in global practices that help create awareness about recycling.
