Persuasive Essay On Landfills

Everyday Americans throw away enough garbage to fill 63,000 garbage trucks. Not only does the garbage pile up in the landfill and cause pollution. Some of the pollution can also be prevented. It can be prevented by recycling. Recycling is “the process of converting waste into new materials and objects.” There are many benefits of recycling, they include; it saves money, improves efficiency, reduces energy use, reduces fuel use, saves landfill space, improves air and water quality, and reduces the rate of global warming. Therefore, the amendment I am proposing goes as follows “All things that can be recycled, must be recycled.” Let’s start with what is found in landfills that should be recycled. About 50% of the landfill consist of paper! It is fairly obvious that paper can be recycled. For example, if 1 ton of paper was recycled it would save the following; 4,100 kWh of electricity, 380 gallons of oil, 54 million btu’s of energy, 4.6 cubic yards of landfill space, 7,000 gallons of water, and 17 trees. If you think about it, all of the things that could have been saved if the paper was recycled would make the earth a better place.

When we drink out of plastic water bottles, they should be recycled when finished. Not thrown away. For example, one ton of recycled plastic would save; 5,774 kWh of electricity, 685 gallons of oil, 98 million btu’s of energy, and 30 cubic yards of landfill space. If bottles were recycled it would take 88% less energy to make bottles than it would if totally new bottles would have to be made. If you think about it, if recycling plastic bottles saved that much, wouldn’t you want to recycle them to help the environment? Remember, next time you drink from a plastic water bottle, recycle