By Reducing, Reusing, and Recycling you are:
- Decreasing emissions of greenhouse gases that contribute to global climate change also known as Global Warming.
- Protecting wildlife by reducing the need to damage wetlands, forests, and rivers which are essential to wildlife.
- Conserving natural resources such as water, minerals, and timber.
- Protecting manufacturing jobs, expanding them as products are repurposed in various markets.
- Helping to sustain the environment for future generations.
- Preventing pollution caused by the manufacturing of products from virgin materials.
- Reducing the need for incineration and landfilling.
- Stimulating the development of greener technologies.
- Saving energy.
When you throw your trash away, it just doesn’t disappear! It goes to a landfill where it’s put into the earth we live in. Below are a few examples of items we just throw away in the trash and approximately how long it takes to biodegrade in the earth. So before you trash it think twice about reducing, reusing or recycling it and remember recycling helps prevent global climate changes by reducing greenhouse gas emissions!
How long each item takes to biodegrade in the earth:
- Paper – 2 to 6 weeks
- Aluminum cans – 80 to 200 years
- Batteries – 100 years
- Disposable diaper – 550 years
- Plastic soda bottles – 450 years
- Plastic bags – 10 to 20 years
- Foamed Plastic Cups - 50 years
- Cigarette Butt – 1 to 5 years
- Glass – 1 million years