The Most Recycled Product in the U.S. is Not What You Think
By Jerry James Stone
The Most Recycled Product in the U.S. is Not What You Think
Well, it's Earth Day. I am sitting here with the Greenopolis crew down in Times Square. We are showcasing--and celebrating--our new Dream Machine. To learn more about the Dream Machine, click here.
The Pepsi-sponsored product is a great way to engage people with recycling. I know some greenies will call greenwashing. But before you do, hear me out.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), less than 30-percent of all waste generated in the U.S. is recycled. Most waste just ends up in landfillls or incinerators. That's a pretty depressing number.
Don't worry, I am not going to play the Earth Day card because I am personally against Earth Day. It's just not relevant anymore. Forty years ago, yes. Today, not so much. The fact is, the earth will be just fine no matter what we do to it. Like pressing the reset button on your computer, the earth can reboot; it'll take 5 billion years but it can happen. Earth Day is every day!
Here's the real question: are humans living in a way where we can sustain 5 billion years? Well, obviously not.
Sure, we might go the way of the Dinosaur but that's not the point. If we don't let conventional companies attempt to make changes without support, how can we solve these problems?
So do you want to know what the most recycled product in America is?
Well, it isn't that can of Pepsi you are drinking...it is car batteries. More than 99-percent of them end up recycled. Only half of aluminum cans are recycled. For office paper, more than 70-percent of it is recycled. I hope by next Earth Day that these numbers are much higher!
Now I have to go, it has started to rain.
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Greenopolis.com is dedicated to our users. We focus our attention on changing the world through recycling, waste-to-energy and conservation. We reward our users for their sustainable behaviors on our website, through our Greenopolis Tracking Stations and with curbside recycling programs.
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