Recycling 101

Of the three R’s, recycling is perhaps the easiest to participate in with minimal commitment or involvement: You simply dispose of your trash with a little added sorting.

Almost all of us have been brought up to value thriftiness in some form and tend to feel that pang of guilt when we act wastefully. Yet, because of the simplicity of recycling, many of us can’t help but wonder if the programs are little more than feel-good opportunities.

If you’re a recycling skeptic, consider the fact that the 1.3 million tons of paper, glass, metals and plastic Minnesotans recycled in 2000 saved enough energy to power nearly 217,000 homes for an entire year. Recycling also resulted in a 931,000-ton reduction of net greenhouse gas emissions by our state alone.

In 2003, Minnesota’s recycling industry supported more than 9,000 jobs and added about $3 billion to the state’s economy. Nationally, the recycling industry makes a vital contribution to the economy by employing more than 1.1 million people and generating more than $236 billion in annual revenues.

Nevertheless, as beneficial as recycling is for the environment and our communities, it’s essential that we don’t forget the two most important Rs. Keep in mind that it’s better to reduce our consumption and reuse what we can before recycling even becomes an option. a

Janessa Dohse