Livingston Op-Ed: Why ‘America Recycles Day’ Is Important

LIVINGSTON, NJ — The following op-ed was submitted by Livingston Recycling and Reclamation Committee member Walter LeVine.

"In 2009, President Obama had issued a Proclamation, as past Presidents have done before him, stating that November 15 is to be celebrated as America Recycles Day.

"In his Proclamation, President Obama stated: “If we are to manage materials and products on a life-cycle basis, we must responsibly use and reuse our resources. Curbside recycling, electronics collection drives, community composting programs and other similar methods contribute to the success of our efforts.”

"So, since many of us may not have heard about this day, here is an explanation of it, what it accomplishes, and how it is celebrated across the United States, as well as some suggestions for how you can celebrate it, as well, right here in Livingston.

"America Recycles Day, part of the Keep America Beautiful national initiative, is the only nationally-recognized day dedicated to promoting and celebrating recycling in the United States.

"The roots of the day go back to 1997, when the day was created by Kevin Tuerff and Valerie Davis, based upon the successful Texas Recycles Day.

"According to the National Recycling Coalition, the day is dedicated to encouraging Americans to recycle and to buy recycled products, thus consuming less of our precious and limited natural resources, reducing our carbon footprint and waste that is deposited in landfills, and recycling also avoids the pollution associated with extraction of raw materials and their processing into finished products.

"Hard to believe, but it is true, that recycling is currently a $236 BILLION Dollar industry, employing 1.1 MILLION workers nationwide in approximately 50,000 recycling and reuse establishments.

"In 2006 it was estimated by the EPA that every American generated 4.6 pounds of waste daily and only recycled about one-third (1/3) of it.

"By 2007, the amount of energy saved from recycling aluminum and steel cans, plastic PET and glass containers, newsprint and corrugated packaging was equivalent to the amount of electricity consumed by 17.8 million Americans, 29 percent of nuclear energy generated and the amount of gasoline used in almost 11 million passenger cars in one year.

"More than 20,000 communities and volunteer groups across the country hold events and programs including renewal of parks, trails and recreation areas, removal of litter and debris, plant trees and flowers and create and tend community gardens. Many of these programs are taking place throughout Livingston not only on America Recycles Day, but almost every day of the year."

To learn more about recycling in Livingston, go to the recycling page on the Township web site at livingstonnj.org.

To find out more about America Recycles Day, go to the following web site: https://americarecyclesday.org

RECYCLING PLEDGE

The Livingston Recycling and Reclamation Committee encourages everyone to take the Recycling Pledge:

• LEARN: I will find out what materials are collected for recycling in my community.
• ACT: Reduce my personal waste by recycling. Within the next month I will recycle more and I will buy products made with recycled content.
• SHARE: In the next month, I will encourage one family member of one friend to take the Pledge also!

Photo: Flickr Commons

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