Recycling shows concern for others, as well as environment

First, an important announcement: This Saturday is America Recycles Day.

There will be an e-waste recycling fair, collecting all computers, monitors (no TVs), keyboards, mice, printers, fax machines and cell phones, whether they work or not. There is no charge for this service. They offer a secure hard drive erasure service for a small additional fee. The event is coordinated by the Blind Center of Nevada in conjunction with the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas Rebel Recycling Program and will run from 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

The drop-off location will be at the UNLV Rebel Recycling Program behind the solar dishes off of East Flamingo Road east of Swenson Street. For detailed directions, call 895-3760. If you have questions about acceptable materials, please call 642-6000 or visit www.blindcenter.org.

Please celebrate America Recycles Day by recycling your unwanted electronics and computers.

Now, some thoughts on recycling:

I believe that most Americans are good people. With all our diversity of color, beliefs and origin, the vast majority of people care about others. It's part of what makes our country great. Given the opportunity, most people will come to the aid of someone in distress. It's an admirable trait.

But if that's the case, why are there so few red, white and blue bins on the sidewalk each recycling day? If we care about each other, why don't more of us care about our waste? Perhaps it's simply because we don't realize the magnitude of our consumption and the harm it creates.

I'm sure you've heard of the three Rs: reduce, reuse, then recycle. Reducing our consumption is the most important principle. Finding ways to reuse more of what we do have is next. The final step is to recycle those things that have reached the end of their useful lives. No part of this equation contains the words "throw away." In fact, you can throw those very words away. We need to eliminate the entire concept of waste, lest we ultimately suffocate ourselves with it. Besides, just where is "away?"

When we throw things away, it usually results in a trip to the landfill via the garbage truck, resulting in a toxic mix of stuff we'd like to just forget about. By consciously integrating the three Rs into our daily lives, we can greatly reduce the amount of stuff going to the landfill. But that is only the beginning of the benefits.

When we recycle, we reduce air pollution and the need for raw materials. We save lots of energy. Recycling helps keep our water clean. It should be an essential part of every household and business.

We could rebuild our entire commercial air fleet with just three months worth of the aluminum we currently send to landfills. Recycling a single aluminum can saves enough energy to power a TV for three hours. The average person has the opportunity to recycle more than 25,000 cans in a lifetime. Why would we not?

The amount of paper we throw away each year is staggering, yet producing recycled paper reduces contributions to air pollution by 95 percent. Recycling a stack of newspapers just 3 feet high saves one whole tree. Just think of all the hugs.

Glass is forever. It never wears out and can be recycled over and over again. Using recycled glass cuts water pollution by 50 percent. Recycling one glass jar saves enough energy to run an 11 watt compact fluorescent bulb for 20 hours.

In 2005, 3.3 billion pounds of post-consumer plastics were recycled in the U.S. Just five PET (plastic soda) bottles yield enough fiber for one extra large T-shirt, 1 square foot of carpet or enough fiber insulation to fill a ski jacket. The plastic recycling industry alone provides jobs for more than 52,000 American workers.

A strong recycling ethic is a key element to a successful and sustainable community. Jobs are created, pollution reduced and entire forests can remain standing, continuing to clean our air and provide crucial habitat for other species. Imagine, we can reduce asthma and other respiratory problems simply by recycling. If we truly care about others, we must embrace recycling as an integral part of our lives.

Republic Services offers curbside recycling at no extra charge. It will provide you with recycling bins. Just call the company at 735-5151. There is no reason that every home should not have those red, white and blue bins on the curb every pick up day. Remember, compact fluorescent lamps can be safely recycled at any Home Depot store.

For commercial or construction project waste, call Evergreen Recycling at 646-1446. It is doing some great work. In just the third quarter of 2008, Evergreen recovered enough material to offset the equivalent of 97,000 metric tons of CO₂. Yes, recycling is part of the solution to the climate crisis.

As is often the case, simple acts can lead to great results. Recycling costs us nothing, but provides tremendous benefits. It is part of the cycle of life.

Steve Rypka is a green living consultant and president of GreenDream Enterprises, specializing in renewable energy, green building, alternative transportation and lifestyle choices for both residential and commercial clients. The company is committed to helping people live lighter on the planet. Rypka can be reached via e-mail at steve@greendream.biz. More information relating to this column is posted at www.greendream.biz.