Waste is a huge problem. As the global population and living standards rise, increasing volumes of waste are being generated.
One of the things all of us can do to protect and improve our environment is: recycling. It doesn't matter how big you are or how old you are. You can make a difference in the environment.
Have you ever turned a piece of old rubbish into something new? For instance, a do-it-yourself (DIY) toy from a milk carton or cardboard box. That is recycling. In this lesson, we will learn about:
Recycling is how we take the trash and transform it into new products. Do you know in Sweden almost 250,000 homes are powered with burned-up waste? The garbage of many major Swedish cities is used to create electricity and heat?
When you throw rubbish away in a bin, it is either set on fire or sent to a big hole in the ground. Both are very damaging to the environment because they release harmful gases into the atmosphere that pollute the air. Residue from these materials also seep into the soil and groundwater and can enter the human food chain through crops and livestock. They also destroy animal habitats and can spread diseases and remove local wildlife.
Soda cans, plastic water bottles, plastic milk cartons, newspapers, cereal boxes, and old computers are just some of the common items that are recycled every day. In Canada, used tires are recycled, and they use the material to mix with asphalt and build roads or playground surfacing.
1. Recycling saves natural resources
The world's natural resources are finite. New products are made by extracting raw materials from the earth, through mining and forestry. When we recycle, used materials are converted into new products, reducing the need to consume natural resources.
2. Recycling protects wildlife
Lesser waste means the smaller size of landfills and lesser greenhouse gas emissions. Landfills take up what would be habitable space of animals. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions means less habitat loss due to climate change.
3. Recycling conserves ecosystem
If our plastic waste isn't safely put in the recycling, it can be blown or washed into rivers and seas and end up hundreds or thousands of miles away, polluting coastlines and waterways and becoming a problem for everyone.
4. Recycling is important for future generations
Natural resources are depleted and landfills are filled at an increasing rate. Our current system of production, consumption and disposal has become unsustainable. Therefore, it is important for everyone including individuals, families, and companies to rethink trash disposal practices. By reducing the amount of trash produced and reusing existing materials, we can all make a difference by protecting the environment, conserving natural resources, and sustaining the planet for future generations.
All sorts of materials can be recycled. Some of the most common processes in use today involve recycling plastic, glass, metals, paper, electronics, and textiles. Typically used items made of these materials include soda cans, plastic milk cartons, newspapers, old computers, and cardboard boxes.
Firstly, we must not throw everything in the general waste bin. These days, recycling bins are readily available everywhere. A recycling bin (or recycle bin) is a container used to hold recyclables before they are taken to recycling centers. These exist in various sizes for use inside and outside homes, offices, and large public facilities. Separate containers are provided for paper, tin, glass, plastic, and food waste.
Recycling bins are marked with easily recognizable signs like below:
You can recycle most things with a little effort and by not throwing them in your general waste bin.
Paper and cardboard recycling - Paper is recycled by mixing paper together. It is cleaned with water and soap to remove all the ink. Once the ink is cleaned off, the paper is rolled out really thin and left out to dry. By adding chemicals and colors to the paper mixture when it is wet, you can create different types of recycled paper, such as colored cardboard.
Tins and cans recycling - Food tins and cans should also go in the recycling bin and to recycle them they are heated to a very high temperature in a huge furnace and melted down to make metal ingots.
Glass recycling - Glass can be recycled forever, over and over again. To recycle glass, large piles are washed and crushed into tiny glass balls. The glass is then melted down and put into moldings like when you place a baking tray in the oven but with liquid glass which is then left to cool and get hard.
Plastic recycling - Recycling plastic is similar to how glass is recycled however, plastics go through a giant shredder and are made into granules and flakes. These are then melted and molded into items like food containers, chemical bottles, and drinks bottles.
Metal Recycling - For metals to be recycled they are first separated, this can be done by hand or by huge powerful magnets. Once separated, the various metal types are melted down like tins and cans and made into metal ingots. These are then sold to manufacturers to make new products such as cars, motorway signs and many other everyday items.
The recycling symbol, or loop, has three arrows. Each arrow represents a different step in the recycling process. These steps are
Some of the common products you can find that can be made with recycled content include the following:
Have you ever noticed the codes on the bottom of your plastic products? On bottles, containers, and other packaging products, you will find what looks like a triangle logo with a number inside. This number indicates the type of resin used to produce the plastic. Below are a few descriptions of the different grades of plastics that are coded:
1. PETE or PET (polyethylene terephthalate)
2. HDPE ( high-density polyethylene)
3. V or PVC (vinyl)
4. LDPE (low-density polyethylene)
5. PP (polypropylene)
6. PS (polystyrene)
7. Other (miscellaneous)
Just as we learn the importance of recycling, we also should learn about reusing and reducing.
Reusing means taking old items that you might consider throwing away and finding a new use for them. For example, reusable bread bags, reusable coffee cups and lids, stainless steel drink bottles, reusable lunch wraps, recyclable cutlery, and biodegradable garden pots. The essence of reuse is that it preserves some or all of the energy and materials that went into making an item, and it also prevents more waste in the landfill. Reusing things that can be reused means less pollution and more of our precious natural resources are left intact. Reuse is different from recycling, but it does lead to reduced consumption which is a good thing.
Think about the possibilities of a product before you throw it away; it could be reused for another purpose.
Reducing is another important thing to learn. Keeping our new purchases to a minimum is a way to reduce our use of natural resources. It means lowering usage of physical objects from the very start. For example, reducing the use of electricity, water, and gas.
Donation
Instead of discarding unwanted clothes, books, and toys, try selling or donating them. Not only will you be reducing waste, you'll be helping others. Local churches, community centers, thrift stores, schools and nonprofit organizations may accept a variety of donated items, including used books, working electronics and unneeded furniture.
