While local governments and consumers will not be able to change the current system overnight, you can help to close the loop by purchasing recycled content products. Many of the products we consume in our daily lives, such as paper, cans and bottles, even motor oil contain recycled content. By reusing and remanufacturing materials and diverting them from landfills, we have all have a positive impact on our environment.
Your purchasing choices have many tangible benefits, including:
Reducing toxics in the environment
By choosing less toxic alternatives, fewer harmful chemicals are released, which improves worker and public health and safety. Many toxic products also contain volatile organic compounds (VOC’s), which can contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. a major cause of global warming. Whenever possible, use non-toxic earth friendly cleaning products, paints, solvents, which can now be found at Home Depot and your local supermarkets.
Saving money
Energy- and water-efficient products use fewer resources, and thereby reduce your overall power or water bills.
Creating less waste
Reusable or refillable products generate less waste than single-use or disposable ones, thereby saving valuable landfill space.
Expanding product availability
By purchasing recycled-content products, you are helping to expand the availability of these products and consequently reduce the cost by the standard economic laws of supply and demand.
Conserving natural resources
Practicing environmentally preferable purchasing ensures that more natural resources can be available for generations to come, thereby creating a sustainable community.
Many myths abound of how these products are inferior to virgin products. That is ancient history. Recycled products today meet or sometimes exceed the performance guidelines, and in many cases cost less than virgin or comparable products.
For more on this topic, see the CIWMB publication Recycled-Content Products Deserve Another Look (PDF).
