Recycling has always been in place for thousands of years. However, it has become a more developing tendency since the 1970s. During this decade, Earth Day was founded and the refundable deposit on bottles and cans was introduced. In the 1980s cities began mandating recycling and providing the blue recycling bin for residents to incorporate recycling at home. While, in the 1990s, the use of Styrofoam food containers began to decline with the discovery that they are detrimental to the planet. The EPA confirmed the link between global warming and waste in the 2000s. In addition, electronic manufacturers and recycling companies started offering recycling services for electronic waste. And most recently, in 2015, state regulations have started to look at the use and disuse of plastic grocery bags.
Our society has come a long way in recycling, but will it continue? The article here, discusses how the reuse of plastics may be more of a detriment than a help. This can lead to additional hindrances within the recycling world.
People have two choices when getting rid of an item. The first is, they can put the item in the trash, which ends up in a landfill, forever. Unfortunately, many people question if recycling IS easier, more cost effective, or if it’s just greener for the environment. Of course, the latter is reason enough to recycle. But, too many aren’t thinking about the future, and want to just dump their stuff, now. If we don’t recycle, we are looking at deterioration of this planet, at a faster pace, and in the long run, this can cost us even more money.
The second option is to recycle the item to be utilized in another way. Through these past few decades, and still, individuals and companies are finding ways to take old items and turn them into something usable. This process of recycling has been a trend; however, the excitement is starting to die down. People are realizing that recycled items are pricey to purchase. They’ve also realized that it is still less expensive to buy newly manufactured items, rather than the recycled product. When their heart is in the right place, they want to recycle, and buy recycled items. Yet, in the long run, their pocket takes over, and many don’t want to pay more to buy those recycled items.
Lately, there are many stories in the news about cities who are closing recycling plants and are no longer offering money for cans, glass, and water bottle returns. It has become more costly for them to do these services, since recycling has declined, and they are no longer making a profit. This is not good. If these items aren’t recycled, then they are being thrown in the trash, and ending up in a landfill. Landfills can’t continue at the rate they have been, because they just continue to fill up more land, create smells, and are just so hazardous to our environment. Unfortunately, still too many are taking the easy way out and just dumping their stuff in the trash. Recycling needs to become easier for the average person, for all items, not just household materials.
