Originally published Feb 12, 2014. The Reminder. Flin Flon, Mb. Sponsored by North of 53 Consumers Coop.
People think recycling is all 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 tonne (1,000 kgs or 2200 lbs) saves 17 trees. Recycling paper uses 60% less energy. This produces 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. The aluminium used today may have been mined in the early 1900’s.
What about the money? Landfills are expensive. Covering the garbage requires dirt and big machines. Recycling reduces these costs and the landfill will last longer. Building a new landfill is expensive, especially in a land of rocks and lakes. Garbage may be trucked to a regional landfill in the future.
In Manitoba, there is a $10.00 levy on every tonne of garbage. Up to 80% of that is returned based the amount of recycling. In 2012, only 43% of the Flin Flon’s levy was returned.
Recycling saves the earth and money.
People think recycling is all 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 tonne (1,000 kgs or 2200 lbs) saves 17 trees. Recycling paper uses 60% less energy. This produces 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. The aluminium used today may have been mined in the early 1900’s.
What about the money? Landfills are expensive. Covering the garbage requires dirt and big machines. Recycling reduces these costs and the landfill will last longer. Building a new landfill is expensive, especially in a land of rocks and lakes. Garbage may be trucked to a regional landfill in the future.
In Manitoba, there is a $10.00 levy on every tonne of garbage. Up to 80% of that is returned based the amount of recycling. In 2012, only 43% of the Flin Flon’s levy was returned.
Recycling saves the earth and money.
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