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| photo by aussiegall | via PhotoRee |
I haven’t had the greatest track record when it comes to recycling, being one of the “when I remember” breed of recyclers. Back when my then four year son came home from school and proceeded to tell me why recycling was important and what we as a family could do to help I really had to open my eyes.
Recycling continues to be a very important concept in our world. Millions are spent every year on trying to educate us on why it is so important and what we can do to help. Unfortunately, however, these efforts never seem to be enough – a huge number of people still remain ignorant of just how much good they can be doing by recycling a bit more, and many don’t even realise how many used products are actually recyclable . In fact, for many people, a concerted recycling effort simply means remembering to throw a plastic bottle into the recycling bin rather than the general waste bin (I’ll hold my hand up here, this was me, often the bin was closer that the recycling box – laziness on my part!).
Ideally with some more education and a little effort we can begin to progress to a more environmentally conscious world. Little changes across the world can and will make a big difference. For example, for some time now electronic companies, such as mobile phone provider O2 , have been urging their consumers to take steps to recycle their used electronics. Mobile phones are a perfect example; most people just don’t realise that these items can still be put to use. If you ask around, you’ll probably find that most of your friends simply forget about their used mobile phones, lost in the back of drawers or in forgotten cupboards.
What many people do not realise is that recycling is just as much about conserving materials as it is about preventing waste. Sure, if you keep your old mobile phones in your home, you aren’t throwing harmful rubbish into the environment. You are, however, hoarding items that contain various useful materials, including (in the case of electronics specifically) various plastics and metals.
We live in a world of limited resources, we are reminded of that every time our gas and electricity rates go up. What this does mean is that we need to do our very best to conserve all of the useful materials that we can for re-use, and also that we need to manufacture as infrequently as possible. Building new mobile phones and electronics requires manufacturing work, which in most cases involves carbon emissions, which in turn harm our environment. Again, you may think that your tiny, used mobile phone wouldn’t make much difference whether recycled, lost, thrown out, etc. However, this is just the thing about recycling – imagine your efforts on a global scale, and you can begin to understand the good that you may be able to contribute to.
As a family we are now much more recycling savvy and are proud to be doing our bit. Our small efforts to recycle and re-use make a difference and we know that. It all adds up.
*I have received remuneration for writing this post however that does not detract from the message or the fact that it is something that I very much believe in.
