Author: Dev

The emergence of megacities and the gradual increase in the population of the planet are the main factors that result in the increasing generation of waste (organic and inorganic) worldwide, which reveals the importance of opening our eyes to the need for recycling.

Recycling, in turn, consists of the process of taking advantage of the discarded garbage, which will give rise to a new raw material or a new product. This reduces the production of tailings and their own accumulation in the environment.

Although many nations already have environmental programs and plans that take recycling into consideration, this must also be a job and a concern for each of us. Data compiled by the Business Association for Recycling (CEMPRE) show that Brazil is a country that produces almost 250 thousand tons of garbage every day, 45% of which is recyclable. However, our urban waste recycling rate, unfortunately, is still 2%.

The importance of recycling is directly associated with the development of sustainability – which includes not only caring for the environment, but also with socioeconomic aspects. This happens since whenever we make the proper disposal of products, we add value to the process as a whole, creating a cycle of reuse that generates, above all, an increase in the billing of those involved (garbage collectors’ cooperatives, for example), lower costs. production costs and stimulating the gradual growth of recycling.

What are the main benefits of recycling?

In addition to the aspects already mentioned above, recycling also:

• Minimizes the use of natural sources that are often not renewable;
• Reduces the use of waste that needs final treatment (such as incineration or landfill), which generates direct positive impacts for the environment;
• Decreases the production of new materials, which in the case of some of them, such as paper, for example, directly reflects in greater prevention of the environment, since it preserves forests and avoids cutting more trees;
• Stimulates the drop in the emission of gases such as carbon dioxide and methane;
• Decreases aggressions to soil, water and air;
• Reduces the accumulation of certain types of waste.

How to do your part in recycling?

There are several ways to dispose of your home’s garbage for recycling. The first step is to identify which products are recyclable or not, separate them at home and dispose of them correctly. It is worth mentioning that not all cities, condominiums or neighborhoods have a selective collection service. In these cases, the disposal is carried out in independent posts or by the municipal government.

Colors and care of recycling work

Blue | Papers

Blue is the color for recycling paper as a whole – including newspapers, cardboard boxes, leaflets, magazines and any clean packaging made of paper.

Considering the excessive amount of paper that is consumed worldwide, environmental problems such as the deforestation of forests, unfortunately, are still part of our daily lives. In order to reduce the incidence of these occurrences, paper recycling acts to reuse it, being one of the simplest – and equally economical – in the current world.

Plastics | Red

Red is the indicative color for recycling plastics, which includes, among others: plastic bags, pet bottles, supermarket bags and plastic packaging as a whole.

In general, plastic recycling consists of transforming them into small granules, which are then reused for the production of various materials, such as floors, garbage bags, packaging (except for food products), hoses, vehicle parts etc.

Metals | Yellow

Yellow is used to represent the disposal of metal products, as well as aluminum cans, steel products, copper, lids, nails, among others.

Green | Glass

Green bins are used to indicate the disposal of bottles, food packaging, medicine bottles and other glass items. Great care is needed in this disposal, in order to avoid accidents involving this material.

Other shades you need to know to properly dispose of materials are:

• Brown – disposal of organic waste;
• White – disposal of waste ambulance or health services;
• Black – wood waste;
• Purple – disposal of radioactive waste;
• Orange – disposal of hazardous waste;
• Gray – disposal of non-recyclable products.

The health of our planet has never been so weak and the future of humanity has never been so uncertain. Pollution, deforestation and recent climate changes are negatively impacting our lives and our future. We have already learned that preserving the environment is everyone’s responsibility, which in itself is not an easy task. But as citizens, how can only one person contribute to the preservation of the environment?

With this in mind, we have prepared an article with various attitudes that you can adopt right now and be part of this change, in order to save our planet from the damage that we ourselves have caused and guarantee a better future for the next generations.

Attitudes to change the world starting now

Trash in the trash

I know you thought “but everyone knows it”. In theory, everyone knows, but the disposal of inappropriate waste is very common and ends up having serious consequences for the environment. Clogging of manholes and greater spread of disease in floods; pollution of rivers and oceans; more public money invested in cleaning.

Recycling

Every day, thousands of tons of garbage are discarded, filling landfills, increasing soil and groundwater pollution and creating the need for new spaces for disposal. Much of this waste is recyclable, thus reducing the need to produce new packaging that will also be discarded. So, whenever you can, recycle!

Composting

Just as disposable waste can most often be used for recycling, organic waste, for example, vegetable scraps, vegetables and fruit peels, can be used to generate fertilizer for your plants. There are several tutorials on how to compost your home without taking up a lot of space.

Sustainable Consumption

The world consumes more and more, from the purchase of the supermarket to clothes, cell phones, shoes, among others. Many things bought on impulse end up being left unused, and we ended up buying even more. This is not sustainable behavior. Before you buy, carefully assess the need for that item and donate things that you no longer use. It is about not only reducing the consumption of products with recycled packaging, but also valuing brands and companies that contribute positively to the environment. Meet the companies that think ecologically and have actions aimed at the preservation and protection of nature, it can be a great alternative to contribute to the environment.

Water and Energy

Small actions on a daily basis can help to be environmentally friendly and still save on the budget. Turn off the light when leaving the room, do not leave appliances out of use and chargers in the outlet, check for leaks and collect rainwater, for example.

Plastic Consumption

Plastic is the great villain of the environment, besides contributing to the clogging of public roads and culverts, it is the main responsible for the pollution of rivers and oceans, in addition to damaging marine life. It takes about 200 years to decompose, and it has been very difficult to remove it from nature. Selective collection can help a lot, but reducing consumption and balanced consumption are the key to help, as in the following examples:

– Give preference to paper packaging, avoid tea bags, although they look like paper, release millions of micro plastics in nature;

– Avoid coffee capsules, basically composed of plastic and aluminum, being very difficult to recycle;

– Use returnable bags to reduce the production of plastic bags, they need at least 450 years to fully decompose. They are responsible for polluting the ocean and killing thousands of animals that end up ingesting them by accident;

– Use the water bottle itself to reduce the consumption of disposables.

Now that you have learned so much, but that there are still many other ways to achieve the balance of nature, how about turning these tips into attitudes? The preservation of nature depends directly on everyone, and although only one person seems little, if we act together we will have a great impact on the preservation of the environment!