America Recycles Day, November 15, 2007

Key Web Sites

Reduce, Reuse Recycle - Learn about the three "Rs": Reduce the amount and toxicity of trash you discard, Reuse containers and products, and Recycle as much as possible.
Resource Conservation Challenge (RCC) 35% Recycling of Municipal Solid Waste Goal - Campaign that will focus on achieving a 35 % national recycling rate for paper, organics, and packaging/containers.
America Recycles Day (ARD) - ARD is a national all-volunteer, non-profit organization. The goal of their annual campaign is to encourage Americans to recycle and to buy recycled products.

In 2006, the United States produced 251 million tons of municipal solid waste, approximately 4.6 pounds of waste per person per day. Most of this material is recyclable. Recycling benefits the environment at every stage in the life cycle of a consumer product, from the raw material used to make the product, to the final method of disposal. Environmental benefits of recycling include:

Conserving energy and natural resources;
Providing feedstock for key domestic industries;
Reducing air and water pollution; and
Reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

By using our resources wisely, we strengthen our economy and national security. Literally thousands of products are recyclable, including paper, yard waste, motor oil, tires, plastic, glass, batteries, building materials, and obsolete electronic products.

It's important to recognize used materials as a product or commodity and not simply waste. . You can do that on November 15, 2007, by participating in America Recycles Day . America Recycles Day helps people understand how everyday activities - be it reading a newspaper, eating lunch, drinking a bottle of water, or mailing a package - affect our environment. The materials we use and the actions we take in our daily lives each affect the environment in some way. By committing ourselves to producing less waste, reusing and recycling more materials, buying more recycled and recyclable products, and reducing toxic chemicals in products and waste, we conserve energy and preserve natural resources.

Did You Know?

If we recycled the 48 billion aluminum cans that we throw away each year, we could save the equivalent of 24 million barrels of oil.

EPA is proud to be part of the 10th annual America Recycles Day as both a participant and a sponsor. America Recycles Day is a partnership between government, industry, and environmental organizations to promote and encourage recycling nationwide. America Recycles Day is an important part of EPA's drive to achieve our goal of a 35 percent national recycling rate.

America Recycles Day, November 15, 2007

Key Web Sites

Did You Know?

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