Over 14 billion pounds of cardboard boxes, tires, bottles, cans, plastic cups and other trash are dumped into the world’s oceans every year. Some of this eventually sinks, and some is eaten by marine life. However, most of this trash floats and is carried by ocean waves and currents to our beaches. This not only distorts the beautiful view we have come to expect at beaches, but also pollutes the environment, causing problems for people and marine life. As this problem worsens, recycling has become more important. We often hear the three R’s of recycling: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle, but how much do we really know about it?
Reduce. Reducing waste not only means reducing the amount of waste that goes into landfills but also means changes in our daily lifestyles. Reducing consumption, buying less and consuming less electricity are all ways we can reduce in our own lives.
Reuse. This involves extending the usage of most items in our house by either reusing or donating these items. It is important to use reusable products to cut down on the amount of waste we create in the environment. Reusable water bottles, such as Kor and Vapur water bottles, provide a safer and more economic alternative than bottled water, which accounts for 1.5 million tons of plastic waste per year.
Recycle. Throwing your can or bottle into the recycling bin instead of the garbage bin goes a long way. Many filters, such as Brita and ZeroWater, offer recycling programs for their filters, which is a great way to cut waste. Read this article from FiltersFast.com for more information on recycling water filters.
This is National Beach Clean Up Month, so do not let this month pass without making a conscientious effort to step up and do our part in cleaning up the world’s beaches and our environment.
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