Running head: RECYCLING

Shatasia Johnson ENG 1313-04 Writing in a Digital World Recycling Ms. Priest, Instructor October 26, 2013

RECYCLING Recycling What is recycling? The process of making or manufacturing new products from a product that has originally served its purpose (Merriam-Webster, n.d.). Some may ask what can be recycled. Items that can be recycled are furniture, car parts, paper, cardboard, metal, glass, plastic, cds, computer ink cartridges, compact fluorescent bulbs, cellphones, etc. there are millions of people around the world with these items just sitting around their homes taking up space. I want to persuade my readers that recycling is a good thing, its helps the environment by saving energy, money, and creates jobs. Using the three Rs, are great ways to recycle, Buying recyclable products, buying items made out of recycling materials; avoid purchasing hazardous material, composting, and grass recycling, planting trees. Recycling products saves a lot more energy than making something from scratch for example recycling one ton of paper saves three hundred eighty gallons of oil. One can of aluminum is equal to one cup of gas saved, recycling one ton of Figure1. Keep calm and recycle [Picture], (2009). Retrieved October 26, 2013 from: http://www.zazzle.com/kee p_calm_and_recycle_poste rs -228298871749057160 glass equals nine gallon of gas (Recycling fact sheet, n.d.). These facts may not seem like a lot but in the future like if you recycle all month long or all year long you will see a difference. Other ways to help the environment is to reduce and reuse; buy products with less packaging, rent/ borrow items instead of buying them. Carpool, ride your bike, or walk to places nearby, use the computer to do work electrically to reduce the amount of paper being used. Turn off light and water off when not in use, also unplug items like lamps because even if a lamp is off it still is using electric, and stop unwanted mail from

RECYCLING

coming to your home for example unsubscribing from magazines, etc. A person can reuse by using plastic reusable containers and plastic bags, save shoebox, etc. keep older washcloths and towels to use when you clean the house, and use silverware. Recycling aluminum cans takes just five percent of energy needed to make them from raw. Glass takes about forty percent less energy to make into another glass product then creating the glass from scratch, paper uses sixty-six percent less energy than cutting trees, and recycling can provide around forty percent of the United States electric needs says (deby1012, 2007). Meanwhile, Recycled Energy Development (n.d.) states that recycling can save the United States around $70-$150 billon dollars a year. Recycling can also create jobs, Hershkowitz (2011) states that recycling 75 percent of the nations waste can create nearly 1.5 million jobs by 2030. In the recycling industry there are jobs as driver, sorters, mechanics, route managers, sales Figure2. Library desk made out of recycled books [Picture], (2012). Retrieved October 26, 2013 from: http://blogof.francesco mugnai.com/2012/07/re cycling-at-home-30fantastic-items-madeusing-recycledmaterials/ representatives, etc. Some benefits of recycling it reduces waste in landfills, reduces the uses of natural resources, pollution, and greenhouse gases. Recycling was several benefits for the economy and the environment. If one person can recycle that can make a huge change from creating one more job to saving resources. If the United States as a whole could do a little more of the

three Rs that can help with the problems of global warming and the cutting down of trees, the very thing that gives us oxygen to breathe.

RECYCLING References Benefits-of-recycling: Retrieved from: http://www.benefits-of-recycling.com/whatisrecycling/ Benefits of recycling: Retrieved from: http://www2.epa.gov/recycle/recycling-basics Bureau of Labor Statistics: Retrieved from: http://www.bls.gov/green/recycling/ ECO Coach: Retrieved from: http://www.eco-coach.com/blog/2007/10/30/recycling-savesenergy/ Recycled Energy Development: Retrieved from: http://www.recycled-energy.com/main/factsabout-energy-recycling Recycling Fact Sheet: Retrieved from: http://www.nemcog.org/downloads/recycling_fact_sheet.pdf Recycling Guide.org.uk: Retrieved from: http://www.recycling-guide.org.uk/recycle.html Recycling Process: Retrieved from: http://www.all-recycling-facts.com/recycling-process.html SFGate: Retrieved from: http://homeguides.sfgate.com/much-energy-recycling-save-79720.html SwitchBoard: Retrieved from: http://switchboard.nrdc.org/ blogs/ahershkowitz/recycling_can_create_15_millio.html The Three R's Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle: Retrieved from: http://www.dnr.mo.gov/env/swmp/pubs-reports/threers.htm The Ultimate Recycling List: Retrieved from: http://www.buffalo.edu/recycling/recyclable.html