In 1970, over 20,000 landfills were in operation in the United States; by 1993, only 4,000 were open.
Ecology Action of Texas
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Paper is the number 1 material that we throw away, even though almost all of it can be recycled. It makes up roughly 1/3 of what we toss.
Maine.gov
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Recycling steel cans saves 74 percent of the energy that would be used to produce virgin materials.
Ecology Action of Texas
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Recycling one aluminum can saves the equivalent of enough energy to run a television set for three hours.
Ecology Action of Texas
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In 1960, Americans disposed of 2.7 pounds of waste per person per day. By 1990, the number had risen to 4.3 pounds per person per day.
Ecology Action of Texas
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The average person generates over 4 pounds of trash every day and about 1.5 tons of solid waste per year.
EPA
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More than 50% of a new aluminum can is made from recycled aluminum.
Department of Environmental Conservation
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The United States makes enough plastic film each year to shrink-wrap the state of Texas.
Ecology Action of Texas
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Paper can decompose in under five months, but not if it’s in a plastic bag! The paper entombed inside the bag won’t decompose for at least twenty years.
DoSomething.org
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Recycling is good for the economy. A study by the Southern States Waste Management Coalition found that the recycling industry in Texas employs 20,000 workers and adds $2.9 billion in value to the Texas Economy.
Ecology Action of Texas
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It takes up to 400 years for a plastic cup to decompose.
DoSomething.org
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Workplace waste from the commercial, industrial, and institutional sectors, which include schools, comprises 30 to 45% of municipal solid waste.
Ecology Action of Texas
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At least 20 percent of solid waste generated by Texans comes from grass clippings, leaves, and other landscape wastes.
Texas Agricultural Extension Service
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The amount of wood and paper we throw away each year is enough to heat 50,000,000 homes for 20 years.
www.usi.edu
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Texans spend over $1 billion annually for solid waste disposal services for over 22 million tons of garbage.
Ecology Action of Texas
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Aluminum can be recycled and reused indefinitely without a decline in material performance or quality.
Ecology Action of Texas
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Every day, U.S. businesses generate enough paper to encircle the Earth 20 times.
Ecology Action of Texas
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Over 87% of Americans have access to curbside or drop-off paper recycling programs.
Keep America Beautiful
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Americans throw away 2.5 million plastic bottles every hour