Image from: www.juneau.
org
Recycling is Important
Recycling is one of the best ways for you to have a positive impact on the world in which we
live. Recycling is important to both the natural environment and us. We must act fast as the
amount of waste we create is increasing all the time.
The amount of rubbish we create is constantly increasing because:
Increasing wealth means that people are buying more products and ultimately creating
more waste.
Increasing population means that there are more people on the planet to create
waste.
New packaging and technological products are being developed, much of these
products contain materials that are not biodegradable.
New lifestyle changes, such as eating fast food, means that we create additional waste
that isn’t biodegradable.
Environmental Importance
Recycling is very important as waste has a huge negative impact on the natural environment.
Harmful chemicals and greenhouse gasses are released from rubbish in landfill sites.
Recycling helps to reduce the pollution caused by waste.
Habitat destruction and global warming are some the affects caused by deforestation.
Recycling reduces the need for raw materials so that the rainforests can be preserved.
Huge amounts of energy are used when making products from raw materials.
Recycling requires much less energy and therefore helps to preserve natural resources.
Importance To People
Recycling is essential to cities around the world and to the people living in them.
No space for waste. Our landfill sites are filling up fast, by 2010, almost all landfills in
the UK will be full.
Reduce financial expenditure in the economy. Making products from raw materials
costs much more than if they were made from recycled products.
Preserve natural resources for future generations. Recycling reduces the need for raw
materials; it also uses less energy, therefore preserving natural resources for the
future.
Source: http://www.recycling-guide.org.uk/importance.html
HAVE YOUR SAY!
A) Do you care about the world’s natural resources?
________________________________________________________________________
B) Why recycling is important?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
C) Do you recycle or have your ever recycled?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
D) According to the text, the amount of waste is increasing. Why is that? Give three examples.
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
E) What are the effects when we don’t recycle?
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
F) What are the impacts of recycling?
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
H) Is there in your area any recycling habits?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
I) Think for a moment. Say three objects you use that could be recycled.
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
J) After this reading, now you know the importance of recycling for the life of the planet and
our own lives. Are you going to start recycling, reusing and reducing? Nature thanks you!
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
Some tips to reuse, reduce and recycle:
Buy only what you really need;
Prefer eating natural food.
Go to work by foot, by bike, get a ride or use public transport instead of driving your
car.
With recycling, you can make your own objects for decoration and use. Example:
Instead of using a plastic bag for carrying items, you can sew your own bag or put
together a bag with fabric glue. There are many easy videos so you can learn.