Recycling - Saving Earth's Resources

Recycling is a very important step in slowing down and eventually stopping wasting of earth's natural resources. Scientist worldwide are exploring new ways to have better fuel efficiency and lowering pollution emissions. In an attempt to reverse the effects of overusing earth's valuable natural resources, everyone is called upon. Recycling is a big part of the effort to re-use and limit the use of our resources.

There are many categories of products people can recycle. Paper and its derived products such as carton are now being recycled successfully everyday.

Other resources like metals are being recycled daily. Such metal objects as tin cans, aluminum cans and tinfoil plates. Before recycling metal items, they have to be rinsed and free of food residue as this can cause toxic problems in the recycling process.

Another very useful way of giving a second life to metal products is to use them for storage or making crafts. By creating crafts with our children with used metal objects, we are showing them that many uses can be found and wasting is not the only solution.

Recycling glass has also been around for a while as bottles and jars are getting a second life everyday. Again, all these glass containers need to be rinsed before put in the recycling bin.

Plastic is now part of our lives and is very useful. The quantity of plastic we are discarding everyday is a major problem nowadays. Recycling and reusing plastic containers are the best way to ensure we are not polluting earth. Plastic bags can be also recycled. The easiest way to recycle them is by putting them all in one plastic bag.

Another very important point is to rethink our packaging methods and realize we are overusing wraps and seals unnecessarily. We have to honestly ask ourselves if a brand new music recording requires all this plastic wraps and sealing to conserve its "freshness". It is more commonly accepted to walk out of a convenient store with a very small item and refuse the small plastic bag offered knowing it will be thrown away a couple of minutes later.

Not everyone is aware that milk cartons and juice cartons are recyclable and can be put in the glass/plastic/metal section of the recycling bin. They need to be rinsed out of their food residue first of course.

Another good way of recycling is to have consignment refunds on tin cans and bottles. Not every American state offers a valuable refund and recycles soda drinks bottles and cans. It is every citizen's duty and right to ask their governments in power to implement such recycling politics.

If everyone starts recycling and takes environment seriously, we can have hope that our children and grandchildren will be able to enjoy nature's resources as we did.

Important items that cannot be recycled for now are: diapers, used toys, dishes, soiled pizza boxes, food leftovers (although they can be easily turned into composting), clothing and many more.

Hopefully, there will come a time in the future when we will be able to enjoy the commodities of life without sacrificing any of earth's natural resources.