Student Engagement Ambassador, Adeorite, discusses Global Recycling Day and offers suggestions of ways we can all waste less.
The process of transforming waste resources into new materials and objects is known as recycling; Global Recycling Day (18th March 2022) raises awareness of the potential impacts of what we throw away on a regular basis and is in response to the rapid climate change we have witnessed over the last few decades; which will negatively impacting future generations and the species on Earth. Through recycling, we are able to protect not just our natural resources, but the Earth and the beings who live on it.
Benefits of Recycling:
- Reduces pollution
Recycling can assist to alleviate the problem of massive amounts of rubbish that are simply abandoned on sites and burned. The burning process releases massive amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, which exacerbates the problem of global warming. However, when rubbish is recycled, the amount of waste that is burned decreases.Thus, recycling can help to combat one of the causes of global warming and pollution in this way.
- Conserves natural resources
Recycling, through reusing materials, can aid in the conservation of the planet’s natural resources. Recycling, rather than mining raw materials from the soil, is a more ecologically responsible option. Reduced raw material demand can also help prevent enormous areas of forestation from being destroyed in quest of natural resources.
- Creates more employment
Recycling is able to provide individuals with jobs as people are required to sort out the materials into different categories and ship them to different locations to be repurposed.
Ways you can incorporate recycling into your day to day life:
- Reuse items you have at home.
For instance glass jars purchased from the store can be used to store other goods such as seeds,nuts and coffee grounds, while old towels can be repurposed into rags to help with cleaning around the house.
- Never throw away clothes.
It may be a good idea to ask friends or family if they like any of the clothes you do not want any more. You could also check if either your local council or charities are accepting clothes donations.
- Practice sustainable shopping.
Even though we all love to keep up with fashion, there are many websites where people resell clothing items they have bought but no longer want to keep such as Depop and Vestiaire collective. If this is not for you, there are now affordable clothing brands who have clothing made from recycling materials such as plastic bottles.
Clothing Brands that use recycled materials or practice Upcycling.