Recycling is probably one of the most widely-practiced, common-knowledge, things you can do to live a greener life. There are now over 9,000 curbside recycling programs nationwide. However, myths still surround the actual benefits of recycling and the rationale for the need for recycling in general. Myth: We are already recycling what we can. Fact: Hardly. Although recycling has grown tremendously in the past thirty years, we should be able to recycle as much as 80% of our what currently goes into our landfills. Half of landfill contents is good old paper–easily recyclable. Myth: We are not running out of ‘room’ for our trash, so landfill space is not a problem. Fact: In many areas of the country, there is plenty of room for trash. Not so in some heavily-populated areas of the East Coast, where landfill space issues have translated into higher landfill costs. Landfill space could be used for other things than trash, like the natural habitats landfills often displace. Myth: It takes just as much energy to recycle as it does to produce ‘virgin’ materials. Fact: When comparing the impact of recycled vs. raw, you must compare the impact over the […]