Once a Hippy, Always a Hippy

Some of my family mock me when I scavenge my household garbage's looking for AWOL plastic, glass or metal that could be recycled. Every other day or so I visit our new, convenient recycle bins at the park down the road and unload what I've collected from our home. I do this because I can and because I really do care about this glorious planet we have been given to take care of and enjoy. I will do my part to help it stay as glorious for my grandkids as I feel it is. It's easy. There is no real inconvenience to sorting-which I really dont do, cause I dont keep it around long enough to have it become unmanageable. I have a box for paper in a bottom drawer in the kitchen and I hang one of those annoying plastic bags that we all get at the grocery store, from a knob of a cabinet, and when its full, I take it to the bin, on my way to or from work. Mock me all you want family...it wont stop me from trying to make a difference.
Read on to learn what garbage mak'in beasts we have all become!! Maybe you could change your mind too??!

-- the average person in the United States produces about 6.5 pounds of trash every day?
-- at the rate Americans are generating garbage, 500 new landfills will be needed every year?
-- in 1991, the Great Wall of China became the second largest man-made structure in the world? The largest is the Fresh Kills Landfill serving New York City. It is now the highest point on the east coast.
-- one third of the paper mills in the United States use recycled waste paper exclusively?
-- every three months, Americans throw away enough aluminum to rebuild the nation's commercial air fleet?
-- if you throw away two aluminum cans, you waste more energy than is used daily by each of a billion citizens in poorer countries?
-- the energy saved from one recycled aluminum can will operate a television for three hours?
-- it takes 95% less energy to make aluminum from recycled scrap than from virgin materials?
-- making new paper from recycled paper requires 30-50% less energy than making paper from trees and it reduces contributions to air pollution by 95%?
-- every ton of recycled office paper saves approximately 380 gallons of oil?
-- if Americans recycled just one-tenth of their newspapers we would save 25 million trees a year?
-- the energy saved from recycling one glass bottle will light a 100-watt light bulb for four hours?
--Every year, we make enough plastic film to shrink wrap Texas.

How long it takes the following to degrade?
A banana peel? 3-4 weeks
A paper bag? 1 month
A cotton rag? 5 months
A piece of wood? 10-15 years
A leather shoe? 40-50 years
A tin can? 80-100 years
An aluminum can? 200-500 years
Disposable diapers? 500-600 years
A plastic jug? 1 million years
P.S. Did you know that Americans throw away 2.5 million plastic bottles every hour?!
Glass bottle? unknown
Styrofoam, like a "clam shell" sandwich container? It will last forever!
WHAT I KNOW:
I hate cutting down a tree in my own yard!! Anything I can do to 'save a tree' for my grandkids...why not!!?? Im happy to do my part.
image from flickr