Chapter 3 talks about how to get recyclable items out of the trash and turn them into raw materials for making new products. This section looks the other side of the equation—recycled products you can buy. Buying recycled closes the loop, bringing you closer to a zero-waste lifestyle (How Low Can You Go? Aiming for Zero Waste).
For example, take one of the most common recycled products: paper. According to the U.S. EPA, buying recycled paper instead of paper made from virgin materials helps the environment by:
Reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the manufacturing process.
Using less energy and water.
Keeping paper from ending up in landfills.
When companies cut down trees to make paper, carbon dioxide (a greenhouse gas) gets released into the atmosphere by the chainsaws, the trucks that transport the lumber—and even the trees themselves, which release some of the CO2 they've absorbed. And since trees take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen, fewer trees mean less of this conversion process. The EPA estimates that for each ton of paper that gets recycled (that's about 40 cases of paper):
17 trees are saved.
7,000 gallons of water are conserved.
3.3 cubic yards of landfill space is saved.
1 metric ton less of greenhouse gases are released.
Enough energy is saved to power a typical American home for 6 months.
That's all good stuff you want to encourage, so vote with your wallet and buy recycled paper. When you do, you increase demand for the product, so companies will make more—and the benefits will grow.
At first, recycled office paper was a bit dull and had a funky texture, but not anymore. Now it's in lots of different colors, weights, and styles, including super-bright whites. But think twice before buying blinding-white paper—it gets that way through bleaching, and dumped bleach is a major cause of water pollution. So when buying recycled paper, look for stuff that's labeled chlorine-free.
When paper is labeled "recycled," it means that some percentage of it comes from recycled materials (same goes for other products). There are two kinds of materials that recycled products can be made from:
Preconsumer material never made it into the hands of consumers. It may come from scraps or byproducts of the manufacturing process that otherwise would have gone to waste, or items like books or newspapers that didn't sell and were returned to the publisher, who recycled them.
Postconsumer material came from someone's recycling bin. This can include junk mail, newspapers, discarded office paper, and so on. Postconsumer material goes beyond paper—the term can also refer to recycled glass or plastic containers, for example.
This book was printed on 100% postconsumer recycled paper that was produced using renewable biogas energy.
Office paper is one product that's easy to buy recycled. Here are some others to look for:
Household paper products like napkins, tissue, toilet paper, and paper towels.
The Natural Resources Defense Council has a helpful guide to home paper products, rated by recycled content and the kind of bleach used, at www.nrdc.org/land/forests/gtissue.asp. Better yet, instead of tissues, opt for handkerchiefs you can wash and use again. (Turns out Grandpa was greener than you thought.)
Plastic outdoor furniture and landscaping items.
Clothing.
Retreaded tires.
Mousepads and doormats made from recycled rubber.
Pens and pencils made from recycled materials, from denim to rubber to plastic.
Arts and crafts supplies.
For do-it-yourself recycling, shop thrift and consignment stores (Donate it). Reusing others' castoffs is a great way to reduce waste.