Why is recycling not mandatory?
I am happy to say our community is active in recycling. Our City Trash leaves a large green bin for trash, and a large blue bin for recycling. Our personal recycling is usually just as large or larger than our trash.
Not every city or town does this, and I don’t understand why not. I have heard the excuse that it is expensive. Well a lot of things are expensive, but it is the right thing to do. We only have one planet, and no one wants a trash dump next to their house. Plus it adds jobs, and we know we need those. Good for the economy also.
According to a study by Men’s Health magazine, the city of San Antonio is ranked third in the U.S. for recycling. Even though Texas is the second largest by population, Houston, the largest city in Texas (by population), only recycles 2.6 percent of its waste. Texas has been slow in getting involved in recycling. However in 1990, the state of Texas operated 790 landfills. By 2002, the number of landfills had been reduced to 190.
Did you know that recycling one aluminum can saves the equivalent of enough energy to run a television set for three hours? Aluminum can be recycled and reused indefinitely without a decline in material performance or quality. About 566 steel cans are recycled every second. Every day, Americans use more than 100 million steel cans. Glass is 100 percent recyclable- there are no waste by-products. Americans throw away 2.5 million plastic bottles every hour. They have come a long way in finding other uses for rubber tires.
I know a local grocery chain in Kansas has collection bins for customers to bring in paper, glass and plastic.
What is your town doing? What can you do to help?
Sherry Scales, Austin Real Estate Specialist
HomeNet Realty, REALTOR, ABR, GRI
512-925-8928
Contact me or Find your home here
Serving Austin, Round Rock, Georgetown, Cedar Park, Leander, Lago Vista, Lakeway, Bee Caves, Dripping Springs
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