Since 1994, November 15th has marked a nationwide celebration of recycling with America Recycles Day. It started off in Texas as Texas Recycles Day, but soon became part of a push to keep America beautiful.
According to the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency), the benefits of recycling are many, including: the reduction of waste sent to landfills and incinerators, the conservation of important resources, and the conservation of energy. What you might not know, however, is just how many other benefits it can have. In 2019, the EPA found that recycling accounted for 681,000 jobs and $37.8 billion dollars in wages to folks in the US. That’s a huge economic impact!
Recycling isn’t the only thing you can do to help the environment. There are plenty of ways to reduce your waste. If you’re looking to reduce your waste at home, composting your food scraps and donating unwanted clothes, books, and toys are both easy ways to be a little more environmentally friendly!
In addition to recycling and reducing your waste, it’s also important to keep the environment in mind while shopping. Look for recycled products, or items made with recycled ingredients!