Description

With global warming causing major climaticchanges in different parts of the world, it becomes our primaryduty to take certain steps to reduce it so that the environment canbe protected. Although, world leaders have come up withenvironment-friendly policies, which are being implemented on anational level in various countries, we, as individuals, shouldalso make some efforts to keep our environment safe. A small thingwhich each one of us can do is recycle the bottles that we useeveryday. If each one of us start recycling on a daily basis, itwill make a lot of difference to our environment.

Facts
It is estimated that Americans use approximately two millionplastic bottles every hour. Majority of these are discarded and notrecycled.
It takes close to a thousand years for them to getdecomposed.
Recycled plastic cannot be used to make bottles again. Instead, itis remade into other items, such as clothing, carpeting, toys,etc.
According to estimates, around one million barrels of oil are spentin supplying plastic bottle in one year.
Processing one bottle helps in conserving energy equivalent tolighting a 60-watt bulb for about six hours.
Four-fifth of households in America access plastics recyclingprogram.
How to Recycle

The Environmental Protection Agency has a target to recycleone-fourth of all wastes generated in America. Plastic bottles canbe recycled through the curbside recycling, through grocery storedrop bins, and through drop-off centers. By reading the number atthe base of the bottles, it can be known whether the bottle can berecycled or not. Once the type is determined, (it ranges from type1 to type 7), calling the department of public works or a nearbyrecycling center, will help in determining whether a particulartype can be recycled, and if yes, where it can be recycled.

Benefits

Saves Energy
To truly understand the benefits for the environment, one has tolook at the statistics. Processing a pound of polyethyleneterephthalate i.e. PET plastic bottle, helps in saving heat energy,to the extent of about 12000 British Thermal Units, i.e. BTU. Itdoes not end here. When this is used for producing new products,much lesser energy, almost 66% lesser, is required when compared toenergy used to manufacture fresh, new plastic. Another advantage isthat the greenhouse gas emissions through this method get reducedtoo.

Saves Landfill Space
Today, America is already facing a high risk of running out oflandfill space. Recycling plastic bottle can help in counteringthis risk since one ton of recycled products help in saving 7.4cubic yards of the landfill space.

Makes Money
Recycling for money generation has become a possibility in Americanow, with demand for recycled bottles exceeding supplyconsiderably. So, another advantage is that it generates revenueand employment.

Product Manufacture
Recycled plastic bottle is very useful in the sense that by usingit, a host of everyday products such as carpeting and fleecejackets are manufactured.

As you can see, this process is easy and has many benefits andusages too. So, from today onwards, let us all join the mission tosave our environment, by disposing off plastic appropriately.

source: buzzle.com