We’re wasting our waste

75% of America’s waste can be recycled, yet only 30% of it actually is. The world needs to become better at recycling for three main reasons: It saves energy, it keeps our oceans/marine life clean and safe, and it prevents pollution.

We can have a greener Earth by doing one simple task each day. Some recyclable materials you may not have known are recyclable are tires, batteries and electronics. Now, your typical papers and plastics are just as important to recycle, as well. A piece of plastic can be reused about two to three times.

By reusing materials, it saves energy by reducing the need to make new materials from scratch. Remember when you watched that documentary on those cute dolphins? Well, about 300,000 dolphins and porpoises die each year from waste dumped into the ocean. Oil spills also affect dolphins’ lungs, and if they inhale enough oil, they can die.

Did you know that another form of recycling is composting? Yep! Biodegradable things like food and garden waste can be “recycled” by composting it. Composting is simply decayed organic material used as plant fertilizer. So the next time you don’t quite finish that salad, throw it in your garden!

Emma Pearson

Spokane