Recycling
Americans generate 251.3 million tons of garbage per year. What's your impact?
Garbage isn't always pleasant to think about, but how we manage waste has long-term environmental and economic consequences that can’t be ignored. Did you know that since 1960, the amount of waste generated in America has nearly tripled? Our society as a whole - consumers, corporations and governments - must think proactively about reducing our impact.
You can make a difference!
You, as a consumer, make two important choices every day that affect the amount of waste that we produce in Durham! First you decide what products you choose to buy or use. Before you buy anything you have a chance to think about what you are buying - its packaging, how it is constructed, whether it can be used again or recycled and whether it is made from already recycled materials. These decisions matter! By choosing recycled, recyclable or resuable products you can extend the life of a product and keep it out of the landfill. By purchasing a product with less packaging or a different kind of packaging you are reducing the amount of waste you produce every day! Purchasing recycled products also helps by creating a market for the recycled material, "completing the loop." Consumer demand is a powerful factor affecting the waste stream, and your decisions make a huge difference.
The second choice that you make every day that affects the amount of waste you produce is what you do with the product when you are finished with it. Are you just going to throw it away or are you going to think about it first and decide whether you can reuse, recycle or compost the materials? Can someone else use it? How it enters the waste stream is up to you, but by extending the amount of time it can be useful, you are making an impact on how much garbage Durham has to deal with. Your decisions make a difference to everyone!
Education: The vital link
At the core of Keep Durham Beautiful's mission to reduce waste is our dedication to education. People need to know what choices they have, and which are sensible and sustainable ways of dealing with our waste. Knowing what our choices are gives us all the knowledge we need to take action on our own to improve the quality of life for everyone in Durham and beyond.
