People think recycling is about saving the environment. It is also about saving money.
Recycling is good for the environment. We need less space to store garbage. Materials have two, nine or even 20 lives, rather than being buried after one use so fewer resources are taken from the earth. It takes less energy to make something from recycled materials than from scratch.
For example, recycling one metric ton or tonne (1,000 kg or 2200 lbs) saves 17 trees. Recycling paper uses 60% less energy, producing less greenhouse gases.
Recycling one aluminium can saves enough electricity to watch TV for 3 hours. Aluminium and other metals can be recycled many times.
What about the money? Landfills are expensive. Covering garbage requires dirt and expensive machines. Recycling reduces these costs.
Recycling increases the life of the landfill. Building a new landfill is expensive, especially in a land of rocks and lakes. Garbage may need to be hauled to a regional landfill.
In Manitoba, there is a $10.00 levy on every tonne of garbage. Up to 80% is returned based the percentage of recycling in Manitoba that comes from this community.
The news here is not good. In 2012, 43% of the Flin Flon’s levy was returned. That dropped to 30% in 2013. This means the rate of recycling in our community has fallen behind those in other communities.
Recycling saves the earth and money.