Minimum of 200 words You are articulating your project for the first time in this unit. What do you think about the process of creating a project so far? Have you found it difficult or appropriately challenging? What are some of the things that you have learned so far—about the process and about yourself as a researcher? If you could go back in time to a few weeks ago, what are some of the things you know today that you would tell yourself? In other words, what are some of the key lessons you have learned? Similarly, what have you learned in researching that has made your process easier? Alternatively, you have been deeply situated in your research for the past few units. What have you learned about your topic that you did not know before? What do you find fascinating? What advice would you share with future students taking this course? 1 Recycling Can Be Worth It, If We Focus Efforts Student’s Name Columbia Southern University Course number/Course name Instructor’s name Date assignment is due 2 Recycling Can Be Worth It, If We Focus Our Efforts (The Topic) For decades, people have expressed concern about the environment and how human activity may impact it in a negative way. Conservation efforts have included global concerns about production waste, water pollution, and endangered species. Because the scope of human activity has an array of negative effects, many people feel somewhat powerless to affect any kind of real change. As a result, ecologists and activists have attempted to educate the public about ways that every individual might make small changes that will begin to alleviate long-term effects. One of these methods is household recycling. Recently, however, some people have begun to question the efficacy of recycling as a means for alleviating landfill waste. The Controversy An on-going concern is that recycling is not the solution that the U.S. government thought it would be in the 1980s. While many people do not disagree that recycling is a good idea, there is little to incentivize people to recycle. Further, some people even question whether recycling bottles is better for the environment because of the shear amount of energy resources used in the production of recycled bottles that still cause waste. There is increasing concern about unsustainable resources and whether or not the human race can afford not to recycle. Pro Side of the Controversy While there are imperfections in the recycling process, those in favor of recycling contend that investing in the process is worth it because of the positive impacts to the environment. According to the Aluminum Association (as cited in Moss & Scheer, 2015), aluminum cans are the most recycled material, which is good because recycling these cans saves aluminum and only uses 8% of the energy to make a new can. Recycling prevents the release of dangerous carbon dioxide. According to Moss and Scheer (2015), w ...

1. Minimum of 200 words
You are articulating your project for the first time in this unit.
What do you think about the process of creating a project so
far? Have you found it difficult or appropriately challenging?
What are some of the things that you have learned so far—about
the process and about yourself as a researcher?
If you could go back in time to a few weeks ago, what are some
of the things you know today that you would tell yourself? In
other words, what are some of the key lessons you have
learned? Similarly, what have you learned in researching that
has made your process easier?
Alternatively, you have been deeply situated in your research
for the past few units. What have you learned about your topic
that you did not know before? What do you find fascinating?
What advice would you share with future students taking this
course?
1
Recycling Can Be Worth It, If We Focus Efforts
Student’s Name
Columbia Southern University

2. Course number/Course name
Instructor’s name
Date assignment is due
2
Recycling Can Be Worth It, If We Focus Our Efforts (The
Topic)
For decades, people have expressed concern about the
environment and how human
activity may impact it in a negative way. Conservation efforts
have included global concerns
about production waste, water pollution, and endangered
species. Because the scope of human
activity has an array of negative effects, many people feel
somewhat powerless to affect any kind
of real change. As a result, ecologists and activists have
attempted to educate the public about
ways that every individual might make small changes that will
begin to alleviate long-term
effects. One of these methods is household recycling. Recently,

3. however, some people have
begun to question the efficacy of recycling as a means for
alleviating landfill waste.
The Controversy
An on-going concern is that recycling is not the solution that
the U.S. government
thought it would be in the 1980s. While many people do not
disagree that recycling is a good
idea, there is little to incentivize people to recycle. Further,
some people even question whether
recycling bottles is better for the environment because of the
shear amount of energy resources
used in the production of recycled bottles that still cause waste.
There is increasing concern
about unsustainable resources and whether or not the human
race can afford not to recycle.
Pro Side of the Controversy
While there are imperfections in the recycling process, those in
favor of recycling
contend that investing in the process is worth it because of the
positive impacts to the
environment. According to the Aluminum Association (as cited
in Moss & Scheer, 2015),

4. aluminum cans are the most recycled material, which is good
because recycling these cans saves
aluminum and only uses 8% of the energy to make a new can.
Recycling prevents the release of
dangerous carbon dioxide. According to Moss and Scheer
(2015), who interviewed the U.S.
3
Environmental Protection Agency in 2013, recycling and
compositing saved nearly 186 million
metric tons of carbon dioxide from being released into the
atmosphere. Szaky (2015) argues that
those against recycling fail to account for the current impacts of
failing to recycle. For example,
a new study by the 5 Gyres Institute indicates that there are
more than five trillion pieces of
plastic floating on the surface of the world’s oceans, which is
roughly the weight of 134,500
average U.S. cars (Elks & Hower, 2014). While the statistics
can be staggering, others are
concerned about the economic questions regarding recycling
and sustainability.
Con Side of the Controversy

5. Those who question recycling do so on the basis of
effectiveness and convenience.
Hutchinson (2008) contends that while a plastic water bottle
might last in a landfill for centuries,
the petroleum reused is barely worth the diesel fuel burned by
the large trucks sent to collect the
bottles. While recycling aluminum is worth the energy,
recycling glass uses 21% less energy
(Hutchinson, 2008). There are further concerns about looking at
recycling as part of a larger
picture. For example, Chris Goodall calculates that “if you wash
plastic in water that was heated
by coal-derived electricity, then the net effect of your recycling
could be more carbon in the
atmosphere” (as cited in Tierney, 2015). While some cities are
attempting to convert to a “zero
trash” policy within the next 15 to 20 years, there is no
guarantee that these expensive measures
will have any positive impacts on the environment; in fact,
many speculate that the benefits are
few (Tierney, 2015).
4

6. Tentative Thesis Statement
Recycling efforts should continue because materials that are
recycled are often
unsustainable, there should be a more focused effort to recycle
materials that have a
reproduction-cost benefit.
5
References
Elks, J. (2014, December 18). Reports find over 5 trillion pieces
of plastic floating in the world’s
oceans…and 10,000 times more in the deep sea. Sustainable
Brands.
http://www.sustainablebrands.com/news_and_views/waste_not/
mike_hower/report_5_tril
lion_pieces_plastic_floating_world%E2%80%99s_oceans
Hutchinson, A. (2008, November 13). Is recycling worth it? PM
investigates its economic and
environmental impact. Popular Mechanics.

7. http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/environment/a3752/4
291566/
Moss, D., & Scheer, R. (2015, November 5). Is recycling worth
it? Scientific American.
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/is-recycling-worth-it/
Szaky, T. (2015, October 13). 7 reasons why recycling is not a
waste: A response to “The Reign
of Recycling.” Sustainable Brands.
http://www.sustainablebrands.com/news_and_views/waste_not/t
om_szaky/7_reasons_wh
y_recycling_not_waste_response_reign_recycling
Tierney, J. (2015, October 3). The reign of recycling. The New
York Times.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/04/opinion/sunday/the-reign-
of-recycling.html?_r=0
http://www.sustainablebrands.com/news_and_views/waste_not/
mike_hower/report_5_trillion_pieces_plastic_floating_world%E
2%80%99s_oceans
http://www.sustainablebrands.com/news_and_views/waste_not/
mike_hower/report_5_trillion_pieces_plastic_floating_world%E
2%80%99s_oceans
http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/e nvironment/a3752/4
291566/
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/is-recycling-worth-it/
http://www.sustainablebrands.com/news_and_views/waste_not/t
om_szaky/7_reasons_why_recycling_not_waste_response_reign
_recycling

8. http://www.sustainablebrands.com/news_and_views/waste_not/t
om_szaky/7_reasons_why_recycling_not_waste_response_reign
_recycling
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/04/opinion/sunday/the-reign-
of-recycling.html?_r=0
Follow Instructions
Follow the directions below for the completion of the Research
Proposal assignment.
· Purpose: The purpose of the research proposal is to help you
to understand your project, to gain direction and feedback on
your project, and to establish a blueprint for your project.
· Description: In this assignment, you will create a research
proposal consisting of three sections:
. Section 1: What is the topic? (100-150 words)
. Section 2: What is the controversy? Include paragraphs that
detail both sides of the controversy. (300-400 words)
. Section 3: Your tentative thesis statement (one to two
sentences)