2. Recycling
Recycling is when we are able to reuse things we
could throw away and have them remade into other
useful things, such as plastic and glass bottles, metals,
paper, and cardboard.
By recycling, we can save very large amounts of
energy and money
For example, energy recycling could provide the U.S.
with 40% of its electrical needs, and save from $70-150
BILLION each year!
3. Some Recycling Facts
Every year, Americans use approximately 1 billion
shopping bags, creating 300,000 tons of landfill waste.
The state of California spends about 25 million dollars
sending plastic bags to landfill each year, and another 8.5
million dollars to remove littered bags from streets.
Every year, Americans throw away enough paper and
plastic cups, forks, and spoons to circle the equator 300
times.
In 2008, only 23.1% of glass disposed of was recycled, and
only 7.1% of plastics and 21.1% of aluminum.
Opening up recycling compost stations could produce
6 to 10 times as many jobs as dumps and landfills
5. Landfills
The most common form of waste disposal
Landfills are massive holes in the ground, some being
several acres in size, that trash is simply dumped into
and covered with dirt.
This leads to contamination of the soil, and possible
nearby water supplies as rainfall causes the waste to
seep through the soil and farther from it’s origin.
Thousands of tons of recyclable material is thrown
into landfills each year, which has potential to save
hundreds of millions of dollars!
6. Earth Day History
Established on April 22nd, 1970 by founder and
Wisconsin senator Gaylord Nelson
After the horrific oil spill in Santa Monica, CA in 1969,
he proposed a nationally recognized day that
encouraged people to help clean the environment in
any way and build awareness of the
Once recognized, the first Earth Day was a success,
drawing in 20 million people protesting to help clean
up the Earth
7. Earth Day today
Earth Day is now observed in 175 countries, with close
to 500 million people doing their part to help keep
the Earth clean in any way possible.
Even the smallest way to do your part helps keep the
environment clean, even if that means to recycle
some old soda cans
8. How you can help!
Don’t throw any paper, plastic, cans, or bottles in the
trash can, throw them in recycling bins
If you have recycling bins, place the paper in the
paper bins, plastic in the plastic bins, and glass in the
glass bins
That way it makes it easier for the recycling workers
to sort the different items to where they’re supposed
to go
Soda cans are worth a nickel a piece…it might not
seem like a lot but they can add up quick and you’ll
have an extra few dollars in your pocket at the end of
