America Recycles
By:  Rebecca Owen

America Recycles Day observed in November, also known as National Recycling Day, was started on November 15, 1994. Forty states took part in this day after two employees from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality suggested the idea to the Nation Recycling Coalition. Recycling is vital to conserve natural resources like oceans and forests and to reduce landfill waste. This day is a time where we can teach how important it is to recycle at home, work, schools and throughout our communities.

Why it is so important to recycle:The U.S. Recycling System

For the environment, recycling:

  • Reduces the amount of waste sent to landfills and incinerators
  • Conserves natural resources such as timber, water and minerals.
  • Prevents pollution by reducing the need to collect new raw materials.

For the economy, recycling:

  • Increases economic security by tapping a domestic source of materials.
  • Saves energy.

For communities, recycling:

  • Supports American manufacturing and conserves valuable resources.
  • Helps create jobs in the recycling and manufacturing industries in the United States.

Some of the things we can do daily are listed here:  Reducing Waste: What You Can Do

Home Improvement

  • Use insulation made from recycled paper, glass, and other recovered materials.
  • Clean and properly store tools, toys and outdoor furniture to protect them from damage and keep them out of landfills.

Moving & Cleaning

  • Use moving boxes with the highest content of recycled paper and bubble wrap containing recycled plastic. Be sure to recycle packaging materials after your move. Many organizations, such as U-Haul, have places where you can drop of unused boxes for others to reuse.
  • Be sure to properly dispose of any non-recyclable items that you won’t be taking with you. Look for household hazardous waste collection days in your community to properly dispose of cleaners, paints, automotive supplies and other hazardous items.
  • For cleaning chores, buy reusable mops, rags and sponges. When using cleaning products, use only the amount you need and follow the bottle’s directions for use and disposal.

 In the Cafeteria 

  • If you bring your lunch to school, package it in reusable containers instead of disposable ones. Carry food in reusable plastic or cloth bags, bring drinks in a thermos instead of disposable bottles or cartons. Read EPA's Pack a Waste Free Lunch guide for more tips.
  • When buying lunch, grab only what you need. Too often extra ketchup packets and napkins go to waste.
  • Remember to recycle your cans and bottles after you finish eating.

In the Office

  • Instead of printing hard copies of your documents, save them to your hard drive or email them to yourself to save paper.
  • Make your printer environmentally friendly. Change your printer settings to make double-sided pages. Use small point fonts when possible and use the “fast draft" setting whenever possible to save ink.
  • Pay your bills via e-billing programs whenever possible to save paper.
  • Use paperclips (over staples) whenever possible.

 e-Cycling

  • Donate your old computers and tablets to a school. Many schools will be able to make good use of your old machine.
  • Before replacing a computer that no longer fits your needs, consider enhancing the computer’s capacity by upgrading the hard drive or memory. This can save you money too.
  • Donating used (but still operating) electronics for reuse extends the life of valuable products and keeps them out of the waste stream for a longer period of time.  Learn more about electronic recycling on the Department of Environmental Conservation page: Recycling Consumer Electronic Waste.