 |
RECYCLING
source: http://www.direct.gov.uk/
en/Environmentandgreenerliving/
Greenerlivingaquickguide/
DG_064391
www.nrdc.org/cities/recycling/
ften.asp
www.earth911.org/master.asp?s=lib&a
=energy/EnergyFacts.html
|
|
Reuse and recycling are critical to protecting the global environment. By reducing the need for ‘virgin’ resources extracted from forests, oil reserves and mines, we use less energy, reduce emissions of greenhouse gases and other air and water pollutants, and conserve natural resources…
| Energy saving/Recycling | (%) | | aluminium | 95 | | steel and tin cans | 60 | | newspapers | 30 | | glass bottles | 30 |
An aluminium can is 100% recyclable and it can be recycled indefinitely. Recycling 1 aluminium can saves enough energy to run… - a 100-Watt bulb for 20 hours,
- a computer for 3 hours,
- a TV for 2 hours.
The energy saved from recycling a glass bottle will light a 100-watt bulb for 4 hours…- glass produced from recycled glass instead of raw material reduces energy consumption by 60% and related air pollution by 20%,
- 1 ton of recycled glass = energy savings: >300%; = CO2 emissions: -3.46 tons
Using 1 ton of recycled rather than virgin paper saves… - the equivalent of 6 months worth of home electricity use (about 4,100 kwh), saves 17 trees, avoids production of 60 pounds (22.2 kg) of air pollutants, avoids using 3 cubic yards of landfill space, and saves 21.000 litres of water;
- it requires 64% less energy (kWh) to produce paper from waste paper than virgin wood pulp;
- according to Clean Ocean Action, recycling a 36-inch tall stack of newspaper saves the equivalent of about 14% of the average household electric bill;
- people in the US throw away enough wood and paper products each year to heat 5 million homes for 200 years, according to Treecycle Recycled Paper Co.
|
