We hear about recycling a lot, though as we will discuss in class this week, we actually do less of it than we might think in the United States. For this blog assignment, I would like you to select one material that we have the capability to recycle (e.g., paper, plastic, metal, glass, etc), and address the follow topics:
- What are some of the products that contribute to this class of materials?
- How much waste do we generate of, and to what extent do we recycle, this material in the U.S.? How does this compare to other countries? You may decide for yourself (and explain to the reader) which countries offer the most appropriate comparison.
- What are the advantages of recycling this material? You must put this in context using at least one of the following metrics:
- Money
- Energy
- Greenhouse gases
- If the recycling rate of this material is relatively high (>65% or so) in the U.S., why is that? If it is low (i.e, <<65%), why is that? In the former case, comment on the lessons we might learn that could be applied to other materials. In the latter case, what strategies do you suggest for increasing the recycling rate of this material?
Please organize your post so that you answer the topics in the order they are presented above. Remember that you MUST underline or bold-face ALL DATA and FACTS, and you must present a figure that you have made or found (along with appropriate references).
I suggest this URL as a place you may wish to begin your search:
https://www.epa.gov/facts-and-figures-about-materials-waste-and-recycling