24 Ways to Save the Planet: Did you know?

Americans comprise only 5% of the world’s population, but we consume 25% of the world's resources

Nationwide, 48% of all paper was recycled in 2000

71% of old newspapers were recycled; 75% of old corrugated boxes were recycled; and 41% of all office paper was recycled.


In a lifetime, the average American will throw away 600 times his or her adult weight in garbage

This means that each adult will leave a legacy of as much as 100,000 pounds of trash for his or her children.


Every day, enough paper is recycled in the United States to fill a 15-mile long train of boxcars

Americans throw away enough office and writing paper each year to build a wall twelve-feet high stretching from New York City to Los Angeles

Nationwide, 64% of all steel was recycled in 2000

58% of all steel cans were recycled, 84% of all discarded appliances were recycled, and 95% of all junk automobiles were recycled.


Enough steel cans were recycled in 2000 to build 20 Golden Gate Bridges.

Every ton of steel recycled saves 2,500 pounds of iron ore, 1,400 pounds of coal, and 120 pounds of limestone

Recycling one aluminum can saves enough energy to run a television, or operate a computer for three hours

Nationwide, 62% of all aluminum cans were recycled in 2000

Nationwide, 38% of all glass bottles were recycled in 2000

Every glass bottle recycled saves enough energy to light a 100 watt light bulb for four hours

Nationwide, 29% of discarded textiles were recycled in 2000

Each American disposes about 35 pounds of old clothing and other textiles each year. 10 pounds per person is recycled.


Of all the old clothing donated for recycling and re-use...

44% ends up as second-hand clothing (typically sold to third world countries), 20% is used to make wiping and polishing cloths, and the rest is used to make other fiber products.


Nationwide, 6% of all discarded plastic was recycled in 2000

21% of all discarded plastic bottles were recycled


Recycled PET (#1) bottles are used to make fiber (58%), strapping (13%), and containers (17%)

Recycled HDPE (#2) bottles are used to make more bottles (36%), pipe (19%), lawn/garden items (11%), and lumber (8%).

Half of all the polyester carpet manufactured in the U.S. is made from recycled plastic bottles. It takes five two-liter plastic bottles to make one square foot of carpet.

Americans use 2.5 million plastic bottles every hour!

Recycling Reduces Greenhouse Gas Emissions in three ways...

Reducing emissions from energy consumption. Manufacturing goods from recycled materials requires less energy than producing goods from virgin materials. When less energy is needed, fewer fossil fuels are burned and less carbon dioxide is emitted to the a

Reducing methane emissions from landfills. By diverting organic materials from landfills, we reduce the methane released when these materials decompose.

Increasing storage of carbon in trees. Trees absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store it in wood, in a process called Acarbon sequestration@. Waste prevention and recycling of paper products allow more trees to remain standing in the forest.


Recycling produces less of 27 different types of pollutants...

...when compared with using virgin materials, in manufacturing products and disposing wastes.


Insulate your water heater Money Saver!

By keeping your water heater insulated could save 1,000 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $40 per year.


Two degrees of savings Money Saver!

Turning your heater thermostat down just two degrees in winter and up two degrees in the summer will save 2000 lbs of carbon dioxide and $98 per year!


Carpool to a greener planet Money Saver!

Carpooling with friends and co-workers saves 790 lbs. of carbon dioxide and hundreds of dollars per year in fuel costs.