Aside from the fact that recycling is very trendy these days, it is actually incredibly important in conserving our environment that supports us. The questions about recycling are mostly what, where, when… but very few people question why? Why is it so important to recycle?
Many of our resources are limited (oil, wood, etc.) and even though recyclables such as plastic bottles are not made of oil, they still require oil to produce them. In fact, to make a plastic bottle, 25% of its volume in petroleum is needed. Newspapers alone claim about 250 million trees a year. These non-renewable materials are imperative to all things we do or use,
and unfortunately, we only have a limited amount.
We know that we humans waste, A LOT. In fact, just the US produces 220 million tons of garbage a year. The estimation of the entire planets garbage production is 4 to 5 billion tons. Such figures are hard to visualize, but needless to say, it is A LOT.
Between what we have and what we waste, soon our poor earth will be a bit worse for wear.
Recycling, although not the only solution is one way to mediate between what we have and what we use. At Baruch we recycle several things: paper, plastic, cardboard and glass. This process of using old materials to make new do many things for the environment, and ourselves:
- Prevents waste of potentially useful materials
- Reduces consumption of fresh raw materials
- Reduces energy usage
- Reduces water and air pollution
- Lowers greenhouse gas emissions
- Saves money
- Decreases landfill growth
At Baruch, there are many reasons to recycle. Firstly, it’s cool. Over 97% of students at Baruch College recycle. Also, from 2010 to 2012, the average number of bags filled with recyclables went from 5 to 60, a huge increase in just two years. So get with the program, and start being more aware of where you put your trash! Secondly, you can add to NYC’s outstanding environmental record. New York City has one of the lowest per capita green house gas emission levels among major global cities, due to our density and mass transit. By recycling, you can be a team player in reducing New York’s emissions. Also, we just want to keep our campus and world clean! So grab your finished water bottle, scribbled scrap paper, or emptied pickle jar, and put them into our designer recycle bins around campus. You are not only helping yourself, but you are helping Baruch and the world.
