Is Recycling Really Helpful?

Recycling Bins

    Impacts

    Most people grow up thinking that recycling is simple and helpful to the environment. After listening to the podcast "Recycling! Is it BS?" by How to Save a Planet, I have learned that is not the case with everything. Recycling is a climate issue since it reduces greenhouse gas emissions. Ayana and Alex explain that materials such as aluminum, glass, and paper are easier to recycle and can be remade. Aluminum can be made over and over again by recycling and the cost to do so is less than an original product. Glass is similar in some ways. There are some forms of glass that cannot be recycled because they have plastic lining inside, or others are   too hard to melt. Overall, the majority of glass is great to recycle and can be used over and over again. Paper is recyclable but after some time it becomes weaker. The process can only be done so many times before the paper won't be usable anymore. Plastic, on the other hand is different. Most plastics can't be recycled, while others have to go through a process more costly than the original plastic. What tends to happen with plastics is down-cycling. For example, we could turn plastics into a jacket like Ayana stated, but once it has become that, there is no way to recycle it again. Over 150 million tons of plastic are single-use. It is interesting how society had to be taught how to throw away this kind of plastic when it was first introduced. People would reuse them. There is a guilt when ordering products that contain additional plastic than what is necessary. This is not our fault because "we did not choose the system", as said by Deia Schlosberg. We buy things that are necessary and that will last for a long period of time, but the way they are packaged is out of our control. I was very intrigued how people's first instinct was to reuse single-use plastics before they were told it had to be thrown away. If that had never happened, maybe we would do a better job with plastic today. 

PET Bottles

My Experience

Based on personal experience, I can relate to Ayana's statement about feeling guilty when buying products that come with extra plastic wrappings. I crochet as a hobby and make my own clothing at times. However, when purchasing items like hooks, needles, or yarn; they all come with additional plastic, sometimes way too much than necessary. Although making personal items can be environmentally friendly, there is still that thought of not really doing anything because I am purchasing items that include too much plastic that cannot be "recycled." Similarly, single use plastics are in everything, and it is incredibly hard to avoid it. Food, drinks, clothing, all everyday items use it. I have been told that buying in bulk is better in order to avoid using too much plastic, however I live alone and for some items I know it could go to waste because I am not capable of using it all; this then makes me question my actions. 

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Oil Drilling & Plastic Relation

Environmental problems are like a butterfly effect. One issue leads to another. Plastic and oil drilling can be related. Oil drilling is a big problem that affects indigenous groups. According to Vice's video about oil drilling, companies who do this take away land from them, pollute the air in the area, which leads to diseases that affect those living there. Animals are also affected. How is this related? Well, government officials and large companies have a say in what they can do. Since they lead and have the funds to do so, they can drill oil from smaller communities. Plastic use is in every item we have, and although the majority of us are aware of it, there isn't much to be done because companies chose to use abundances of plastic, even when not needed. Of course, plastic use cannot be compared to the effects oil drilling causes to indigenous groups, but we can compare the relation of larger companies say in things. EIA reported that plastic contains minimal oil. The amount is unknown, but it is minimal. Even though it is a small amount, oil is still found in plastic; butterfly effect.

Oil Drilling

How Can We Help?

At Keene State, I have noticed how much single-use plastics we purchase. This adds up to the millions of tons of plastic. Although the majority of people recycle plastic, it is not the best way to help. Continuing to recycle aluminum, glass, and paper is still a good thing to do; however we can do so much more. We tend to forget that reusing is also part of recycling, so that is a good place to start. Ayana in "Recycling! Is it BS?" mentioned that we could use containers to store small items we don't use everyday. In my case, sewing supplies can be stored in cookie tins after properly getting it sanitized. Single use plastics are a big problem, so limiting how much we use can be so helpful.  There are products that are made to be environmentally friendly. This might be expensive for many of us, but it can be a great option for those who can afford it. The way companies convinced society to "properly use" single-use plastics, the same way we can convince companies otherwise. Petitions can be very motivating and can help start a move. In my personal time, I have seen companies change the amounts of plastic they use because of young adults who believe it is wrong. All these examples are little things, but I believe it is important we start with what we can do as one person.

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