climate change statistics
Energy efficiency and renewable power sources get the lion’s share of attention when people seek solutions to climate change. Everyone wants solar electricity, high tech computerized energy management systems, mini wind turbines, super insulated houses, gas-filled triple glazed smart windows, and plug-in hybrid cars. If everyone had all these things, we like to think, then maybe the climate would settle down again.
But things are never that simple. Technical fixes for massive human problems are complicated and expensive. And yet, one of the most fundamental ways we have of reducing greenhouse gas emissions is essentially at our fingertips right now through recycling — both at work and at home.
As opposed to mining natural resources in wilderness areas, chopping the tops off of mountains, digging massive strip mines, or clear-cutting forests, recycling is a highly localized, urban, relatively low-tech way of creating raw materials for industry. According to data from the U.S. Office of Technology Assessment, for every ton of product made out of non-recycled, raw natural resources, 71 tons of waste is generated in mining, transportation, refining and manufacturing. Recycling metal, plastic, paper, and glass is effectively a process of mining urban ore. And, typically speaking, recycled material means energy savings that can be significant. See Table 1, below for a summary of energy savings through recycling (numbers based on USEPA figures):
Table 1
Material %Energy Savings
Glass 33%
Plastic 30% – 70% (depending on application)
Steel 65%
Aluminum 95%
Paper 60%
What this means is that through recycling it is possible to significantly reduce the fossil fuel inputs to our national economy. By reducing fossil fuel inputs we naturally reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The problem is that although roughly 30% of the waste generated in the United States is recycled, every year this country creates more waste than the year before. So even though we’re recycling, we’re still making more and more stuff out of energy inefficient raw materials.
In 1980, according to the USEPA, America generated approximately 150 million tons of waste. In 2006 that number had increased to 246 million tons. Waste generation per person went from 3.7 pounds/day to 4.5 pounds/day. In short, while we are doing much better than we were in 1980 with recycling, our capacity to create more and more waste is outstripping our efforts to recycle. In fact, the US EPA estimates that only about half of what we could easily recycle is actually getting recycled.
Recycling also creates new economic opportunities in urban environments. From material collections to processing to recycled product manufacturing, a growing recycling industry can mean mid-skill to high skill jobs in profitable businesses in every major urban center of the country. A study by the Institute for Local Self-Reliance shows that for every 10,000 tons of material, landfills create one job while recycling can create as many as 35 jobs to process, transport and remanufacture new products.
To conclude, then, recycling is a proven and effective way for citizens and businesses to fight global warming. Recycled products mean less energy consumption, reduced costs, and create more jobs than trashing stuff. So if you’re not recycling everything you can – especially at work – roll up your sleeves and get down to basics. Your Mother will thank you, and so will your grandchildren’s grandchildren.
David Biddle is a freelance writer and an environmental consultant. He writes about a diverse set of topics including: the cultural implications of global warming; recycling and solid waste policy; and energy efficiency and renewable power sources.
Mr. Biddle has published articles and essays with The Harvard Business Review, GetUnderground, In Business Magazine, Buzzworm, BioCycle, Resource Recycling, and The Philadelphia Inquirer. Read more at his blog: http://blueolives.blogspot.com
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