How Recycling Can Change the World

In United States, American citizens produce and use over 300 million tons of plastic every year, which fifty percent of this plastic are single-use plastic such as straws, drinking bottles, bags and wrappers (BETTINA WASSENER). There are many solutions to fixing these issues, recycling is one of the most important of all , in order for it to be successful citizens must be involved, the solution starts with the citizens making positive movements. 

The main problem revolving around single-use plastic is that it’s wasting resources that could be recycle and reused, not only that but these plastics end up in oceans and homes of citizens all over the U.

S. Recycling can not only help American’s daily lives, but it can also help stop water pollution in the beautiful oceans and the effects it has to both sea animals and American citizens .The amount of waste being thrown in the ocean and streets can be reduced if citizens start recycling and cleaning up the waste in America’s oceans and lands.

Recycling can do a huge positive affect to the American citizens, such as bringing new jobs and saving resources, new jobs is a huge effect because having more jobs can give those who need a job an opportunity but it's all about the citizens actions and their behavior on recycling. U.S citizens on recycling, according to an article, it states that 'Recycling begins with people, and the biggest challenge for recycling lies in educating and motivating the public upon whom successful source separation depends ' (Blanchfield 2).

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In order for recycling to become more of a priority, the citizens of the U.S need to start recycling, teaching citizens on the bad of not recycling can help change their mind on recycling the daily products citizens use. On average 254 millions ton of trash is generated by U.S citizens, only 87 million ton of 254 million ton is recycled and composted, which is average of 34.3 percent. Most citizen would not care about outside problems unless is affects them, besides that most citizens would ignore these problems, which is why citizens are depended on. U.S citizens behavior is one huge important factor, according to an article “Recycling”, it states that 'It has been found that people will change their behavior to protect the health of their families, the value of their property, and their own self-image, and recycling has often been justified in these terms' (Blanchfield 2-3). Most citizens In the U.S would not care for problems unless it effects them or their families lives and health. This is a bit of a problem because most people are selfish and only care about their self-image, and when this happens people begin to ignore problems going on around the world they live in, even after hearing about all the effects it can do to the country they live in. For this reason, people lack on the idea of taking recycling seriously, because if it doesn't affect them or their family, they won't care till something actually happens to them. Citizens efforts on recycling, according to an article called “Household waste”, it states that ”They can reduce solid waste by recycling, repairing rather than replacing durable goods, buying products with minimal packaging, and choosing packaging made from recycled materials” (Blanchfield 2). U.S citizens can help reduce the solid waste spreading by recycling , reused and replacing old goods, buying products with minimal packing, and using products with recycled materials. If every U.S helps and gets involved in Recycling , Reusing , and Reducing , the percentages of solid waste in U.S will come down and start becoming more healthy. New jobs to be open from recycling, according to an article called 'Recycling.', it states that 'Recycling can provide new jobs, create new industries, and contribute to the increase in the gross national product (GNP, total value of goods and services produced by its country's citizens)' (Blanchfield 2). Recycling can not only save resources and stop the amount of waste being thrown away but it can also provide jobs for citizens all over U.S, if recycling rate in U.S is 75% it could create over 1.1 million new jobs. Creating new jobs could help a lot of those Citizens in need of a job.

Most of U.S plastic is made from a material known as 'Polyethylene', it can be found in most products in the U.S , such as toys and packing materials. The problem is the plastic being thrown away can be reused and recycled instead of being thrown in U.S homes and oceans, single-use plastic is one of the major plastic problems that need to be reduced. Polyethylene resource is known to be the main source for plastic, according to an article called 'Plastic Waste.', this article states 'Polyethylene can be found in packing materials, toys, bulletproof vests, carpet, golf balls, automobile parts, and many other products' ( Gale 1 ). Most of the products that is used around United States is made up of a material called 'Polyethylene', some of these products included Bottles(Water, Hair/Hair Products, Cleaning Products), Visqueen, Pipes and bags. This is one really important material that can be reused, recycled and reduced from this material going to waste. Plastic bags is one of the most used plastic in the U.S ever since its introduction, most of these plastic bags are single-use and ends up being waste. According to an article called 'Plastic Waste.', it states that 'Prior to the introduction of the plastic bag, grocery stores and other retail outlets either provided customers with another type of container, typically a paper bag or cardboard box, or expected the customer to provide their own container, such as a reusable wooden box or cloth bag' (Gale 3). Ever since the introduction of plastic bags, all over U.S plastic bags were 'the go to' at most grocery stores since it is so cheap and useful. In some states though, such as California, require citizens to bring their own bag to carry the items they had bought, and some store may offer citizens to pay extra to have a bag that is non plastic, if a citizen does not have a bag, this is really a good way to reduce the use of single-use plastic bags. Single-Use plastic is on of the most used plastic in the United States, according to an article named “Plastic waste”, it states that 'The rise of single-use plastic products has contributed significantly to plastic pollution. Plastic bags , straws, utensils, and other single-use products require a long time to decompose even under optimal circumstances. These products are not always disposed of properly and may be discarded as litter, often ending up in lakes , oceans , and other waterways' (Gale 2). Single-use plastic is used every day of American citizens life, from places such as fast food restaurants. Single-use plastic are the one use plastic that are thrown away as soon as a person has finished using in, the most single use plastic is straws and bags, onced used they are wasted even though these products have a long time existence and take a long time to be decomposed. Most of these single use plastic waste ends up in oceans when not thrown away properly.

American citizens can do a lot to help and prevent the amount of plastic being used , being wasted, and ending in our oceans and lands of America; If citizens start focusing on recycling materials such as plastic, metal, and paper, the next step would be to eliminate the use of plastic bags and single-use plastic. Recycling can help save resources (such as plastic, paper, wood, glass and metal), reduce water pollution and save tax money being spent, according to an article called “Recycling”, it states that 'Recycling some of this material into new uses saves existing landfill space, conserves energy and natural resources, reduces pollution, and saves tax money' (Blanchfield 2). Recycling plastic, metal, paper, wood and glass can help save space from all the trash being thrown on land and going into the oceans, can help produce more energy, less pollution in our ocean, people's tax money and can also help save resources by reusing materials such as plastic; reducing the amount of plastic being made and wasted into America’s oceans and homes. Recycling preserves can supply a raw materials to industries, according to article named “household waste” it states that ”Recycling preserves natural resources by providing an alternative supply of raw materials to industries” (Blanchfield 3). If U.S start recycling preserves natural resources, then it could help provide an alternative supply of raw materials to industries and the people. It’ll be helpful resources that can be reused and won’t need to have to keep on producing. Eliminating the use of single-use plastic is something that must be focused on and reduced, according to an article named “plastic waste” it states 'In 2016 the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) determined that US consumers used over 380 billion plastic bags per year' (Gale 3).The estimate plastic used in U.S, 2016, was over 380 billion, determined by EPA. Every year it seems to be growing and not much is being done to reduce the use of plastic bags, if effort is done to eliminate the use of single-use plastic then the amount of plastic being used would drop dramatically.

Not recycling can affect both American oceans and lands, from little plastic waste waste to huge plastic waste, even one little bottle cap in American ocean can cause a lot of effects. Another huge problem is batteries and not being thrown away properly, batteries carry a lot of toxic substances that's harmful to the environment. According to an article named 'We Are Creating Oceans of Plastic in the Ocean.', it states that 'The study found that in 2010, people living within 50 kilometers of the coastline in coastal countries produced 275 million metric tons of plastic waste' (Kollmorgen 3). Citizen around the world who live within 50 kilometers of the coastline in coastal countries, end up producing 275 million metric tons of plastic waste in the oceans . This reasoning is most likely because how close citizens are to the ocean and all the plastic they've used end up flying towards the ocean or not being thrown away properly. Even the smallest plastics can cause harm to American oceans, according to an article named “We Are Creating Oceans of Plastic in the Ocean.', it states that 'Law says when they’re floating in the ocean, microplastics are 'sticky,' and attract other contaminants like DDT' (Kollmorgen 2). When small little pieces of plastic are floating around in the ocean, they intend to stick and attract other contaminants like DDT. Even the smallest pieces of plastic in the ocean can cause a lot of problems, citizens have to be more careful when it comes to throwing away plastic and pick up any trash found on the floor, or it can cause future effects. Toxic substances is something that can be harmful to American oceans and citizens if not thrown away properly, according to an article named 'Battery recycling.' , it states that 'Because batteries contain certain toxic substances, such as cadmium, mercury, lead, and sulfuric acid, introducing them into landfills and other solid waste disposal facilities once they are used can be harmful to the environment and to public health' (Blanchfield 2). All batteries contain toxic substances that can be very harmful to the environment and public health, such as cadmium, mercury, lead, and sulfuric acid. Once these batteries are used it best not to be thrown away to waste but to be kept safe or recycle to be recovered due to the harm it can cause when it is not thrown away properly.

Not recycling can affect American citizens and all kinds of animals, such as harmful substances, food supply, and pollution. American citizens can be so blind to the harm around America because citizens get distracted by other pointless arguments and need something new everyday. According to an article named 'Recycling.' it states that 'Modern society has moved away from such straightforward recycling practices, choosing instead to toss out the old and buy new goods' (Blanchfield 1).Now and days citizens don't see how much a resource can be reused, they are more focus on buying new products after the last gets old then throw away the old for it to be wasted. This problem needs to be fixed, most people are blind to the harm they're doing to both the place they live and their health. Products waste is something that grows yearly as population grows, according to an article named “Household Waste” it states that 'Modern consumerism and the excess packaging of many products also contribute significantly to the increasing amount of solid waste” (Blanchfield 1 ).America produce and pack so many products every day and year that increases the amount of waste around the U.S. Citizens buys something new every time and this is why products have to keep more coming. Small plastic that end up in American oceans can affect all kinds of sea animals in the ocean when sea animals come in contract with that plastic, which then affects Americans food supply of seafood, according to an article named 'We Are Creating Oceans of Plastic in the Ocean.' it states that ' While scientists are still trying to determine the extent to which this happens, Law said these toxin-filled plastic pieces, when eaten by fish, could move up the food web to the human food supply' (Kollmorgen 2-3). Plastic pieces full of toxic can in up in citizens food supplies such as fish which when eaten can be harmful, according to the law and is still being determine by scientists. Citizens who may love seafood may wanna watch what's being throw away and what beings eaten.

Conclusion

Recycling can not only help American’s daily lives, but it can also help stop water pollution in the beautiful oceans and the effects it has to both sea animals and American citizens .The amount of waste being thrown in the ocean and streets can be reduced if citizens start recycling and cleaning up the waste in America’s oceans