Garbage! It smells bad and looks disgusting. Most
people think about trash only when they take it out. People in
the United States should be thinking about garbage more,
however, because they throw away 40 percent of all the
garbage in the world. It may seem easy just to toss whatever we
have finished using in the dumpster, but our wasteful ways
have terrible consequences for our environment. The solution
to this problem is recycling. Recycling is the best way to
preserve natural resources and to reduce the costs of processing
garbage.
By recycling, we can prevent our country from being
buried in trash. Much of the garbage that is now tossed out
could be recycled. Of the 200 million tons of garbage that
United States citizens produce yearly, about 42 percent is paper
(from trees), 8 percent is glass, 9 percent is metal (from ore, a
natural resource), 7 percent is plastic (from petroleum, a natural
resource), 8 percent is food waste, and 18 percent is yard waste. Government officials estimate that 60 percent of all this
trash could be recycled. Environmentalists suggest a much
higher figure—as much as 70 to 90 percent.
Recycling more of our garbage can also save precious
resources, such as trees, water, energy, and aluminum. My
grandfather says the thick forests that once surrounded my
hometown have nearly vanished. By recycling newspapers, we
can rescue trees from destruction. For example, recycling could
help save some of the fifty thousand trees that are sacrificed
every week to produce Sunday newspapers in the United
States. We can also save water and energy by recycling, as
shown by government studies. Recycling paper instead of
making it from trees reduces the amount of water used to make
the paper by 60 percent and the amount of energy by 70
percent. Aluminum cans show the biggest saving from
recycling. To produce a can from recycled aluminum takes 95
percent less energy than from ore.
Because garbage disposal has become a particularly thorny problem, recycling more can reduce the mountains of
garbage we produce—and reduce the financial and
environmental costs associated with all the landfills where the
garbage is dumped and with the incineration, or burning, of
garbage. Garbage does not just disappear after it is hauled
away. It usually goes into landfills—many of which have
created toxic pollution problems and enormous cleanup costs.
Currently, 61 percent of municipal waste goes into landfills. In
the highly populated areas that generate the most garbage, the
land used for landfills will not be available for other use for a
long time because some garbage items do not break down
easily. For example, under some conditions newspapers may
not break down for forty years. Also, because many plastics,
glass, and synthetic materials may take centuries to decompose,
the land used for landfills may never be returned to its original
state. When landfills close, they must be monitored for years.
Therefore, landfills are expensive.
Landfills are also not safe. Although landfills are lined
with clay, plastic, or other materials to keep leachate (water contaminated by garbage) from leaking into the water supply,
many, if not all, landfills develop leaks, requiring expensive
cleanup operation. A study by researchers at Texas A & M
University has found that leachate from municipal landfills
contains toxic chemicals as harmful as those from industrial
waste landfills. Clearly landfills operate at huge cost—to the
economy and to the earth.
Recycling could reduce the air and water pollution
associated with another traditional method of garbage
disposal—incineration. In 2001, about seven percent of the
garbage in the United States was incinerated. At first thought,
incinerators might seem to be a more environmentally friendly
option than landfills. However, incinerators produce at least
210 different organic chemicals which are either released into
the air or remain in the ash, which is then dumped in landfills.
One of the most toxic of the chemicals is dioxin, present in the
smoke of the incinerated garbage and in the leachate from
landfills that contain incinerator ash. Other toxic byproducts of
garbage incineration include mercury and lead, both hazardous contaminants, and particulate matter that can lodge
permanently in a person’s lungs. Clearly, then, incineration of
our garbage is also very costly—not only to the environment
but to our health.
People often object to recycling by saying that that it
costs too much. Brenda Platt of the Institute for Local SelfReliance
says, “Studies have concluded that recycling costs
less than traditional trash collection and disposal when
communities achieve high levels of recycling." Therefore,
people should understand that recycling actually saves money
by reducing waste and by eliminating the costs that go along
with solid-waste disposal and landfill cleanup.
Recycling actually benefits the economy. Approximately
56,000 United States companies are involved in the
recycling/reuse industry. In 2001, these companies converted
millions of tons of recyclables into products worth at least $236
billion, creating new jobs and employing over 1.1 million
people in the process. Because of its success, the recycling/reuse industry seems likely to continue booming.
Moreover, the broader impact of the recycling/reuse industry
has produced 1.4 million jobs with $173 billion added to the
economy.
Others object to recycling because they believe that
certain resources are being resupplied. For example, some
believe that paper does not need to be recycled because more
trees are being planted to fill our need for paper than are being
cut. However, this argument fails to take into account that the
high rate of cutting and replanting is turning natural forests into
tree plantations. This problem is especially severe in the South,
where the acreage of pine tree plantations will soon be greater
than the area of remaining natural pine forests. Tree plantations
provide poorer animal habitat and less biodiversity than natural
forests.
Another objection to recycling is that it takes too much
personal time and trouble. Many cities, however have curbside
recycling programs that make it easy to do the right thing for the Earth. In 2001, there were 9,709 curbside recycling
programs in the United States, serving approximately 50
percent of the population. By keeping separate bins for
recyclables, a person may sort garbage before throwing it
away. Then, setting the bins out by the curb for pick up is easy.
Even many apartment buildings now have recycling facilities.
As recycling becomes a regular part of life in the United States,
reasons not to recycle will become just excuses. Perhaps the
excuses not to recycle will even vanish.
We all can think of recycling as everyone’s opportunity.
Recycling materials can begin on a personal level with very
simple things. For example, yard and kitchen waste make up
about 10 percent of garbage in the United States. Composting
weeds, grass trimmings, dead leaves, and kitchen scraps
(excluding meat scraps) instead of sending them to the landfill
is easy. For those that live in an apartment, vermicomposting—
using earthworms to help recycle kitchen wastes—is an
acceptable option. For those who have room for a compost pile
or bin, adding water and air will create compost that then can be reused as fertilizers for lawns, gardens, or
houseplants. Wearable clothing and household items are some
of the easiest products to recycle to thrift stores. Thrift stores
then offer these items at a good value. Some shoppers find
unusual and one-of-a-kind items that have been recycled,
giving rise to the old saying, “One person’s trash is another
person’s treasure!”
All the economic and environmental reasons to recycle
are compelling, but an equally strong argument for recycling is
based on a respect for the Earth and for all forms of life. Our
ancestors wasted nothing if possible. Because they struggled
for survival, they took nothing for granted, but valued animals,
tools, and food sources as something precious. In this same
spirit President Theodore Roosevelt said in a 1907 speech to
Congress, “To waste, to destroy, our natural resources, to skin
and exhaust the land instead of using it so as to increase its
usefulness, will result in undermining in the days of our
children the very prosperity which we ought by right to hand
down to them amplified and developed.” During World War II, recycling was a sign of intense patriotism for the efforts of
those fighting for freedom overseas. Today, many of us do not
struggle as our ancestors did, but their heritage of recycling and
respect for the Earth is still valuable. When we waste
resources, we express an attitude of disrespect for the Earth.
When we throw away useable items, we express disrespect for
the thousands of people who lack them. By showing respect for
our planet and all those who share it, we create a special
environment that fosters health, growth, and happiness of all
people.
Much of what is thrown away now can be recycled.
Anyone who loves the earth can help make it a better place by
recycling. Garbage makes our shared home, this planet, less
livable for the people of today and for the children of
tomorrow. People have caused this garbage crisis, and only
people can solve it. Do you care enough to do your part by
recycling?
ขยะ กลิ่นไม่ดี และดูน่าขยะแขยง มากที่สุดคนคิดเกี่ยวกับถังขยะเท่านั้นเมื่อพวกเขาจะออก คนในสหรัฐอเมริกาควรคิดเกี่ยวกับขยะเพิ่มเติมอย่างไรก็ตาม เนื่องจากพวกเขาทิ้ง 40 เปอร์เซ็นต์ของทั้งหมดขยะในโลก มันอาจดูเหมือนง่ายเพียงแค่โยนสิ่งเราเสร็จแล้วใช้ในการ dumpster แต่วิธีของเรา wastefulมีผลกระทบน่ากลัวสำหรับสภาพแวดล้อมของเรา การแก้ปัญหาปัญหานี้จะรีไซเคิล รีไซเคิลเป็นดีสุดรักษาทรัพยากรธรรมชาติ และลดต้นทุนของการประมวลผลขยะโดยการรีไซเคิล เราสามารถป้องกันประเทศของเราฝังอยู่ในถังขยะ ขยะที่เป็นเพราะตอนนี้ออกมากสามารถรีไซเคิล ของ 200 ล้านตันของขยะที่พลเมืองสหรัฐอเมริกาผลิตปี ประมาณร้อยละ 42 เป็นกระดาษ(จากต้นไม้), 8 เปอร์เซ็นต์เป็นแก้ว ร้อยละ 9 เป็นโลหะ (จากแร่ การทรัพยากรธรรมชาติ), ร้อยละ 7 เป็นพลาสติก (จากปิโตรเลียม ธรรมชาติทรัพยากร), 8 เปอร์เซ็นต์เป็นอาหารขยะ และ 18 เปอร์เซ็นต์เป็นหลาเสีย ราชการคาดว่าร้อยละ 60 ของทั้งหมดนี้ขยะที่สามารถรีไซเคิล Environmentalists แนะนำมากมายรูปสูง — ถึง 70-90 เปอร์เซ็นต์รีไซเคิลขยะของเรายังบันทึกมีค่ามากขึ้นทรัพยากร ต้นไม้ น้ำ พลังงาน และอลูมิเนียม ของฉันปู่ว่า หนาป่าที่ล้อมรอบครั้งเดียวของฉันเกือบมีศาสดาโฮมทาวน์ โดยหนังสือพิมพ์ รีไซเคิลเราสามารถช่วยเหลือต้นไม้จากการถูกทำลาย ตัวอย่าง รีไซเคิลได้ช่วยบันทึกบางต้นห้าหมื่นที่จะเสียสละทุกสัปดาห์ในการผลิตหนังสือพิมพ์วันอาทิตย์ในสหรัฐอเมริกา เราสามารถประหยัดน้ำและพลังงานยัง โดยการรีไซเคิล เป็นแสดง โดยการศึกษาของรัฐบาล กระดาษรีไซเคิลแทนทำจากต้นไม้ช่วยลดปริมาณของน้ำที่ใช้ในการทำกระดาษ โดยร้อยละ 60 และจำนวนพลังงานโดย 70เปอร์เซ็นต์ อลูมิเนียมกระป๋องแสดงบันทึกที่ใหญ่ที่สุดจากรีไซเคิล ผลิตจากอลูมิเนียมรีไซเคิลสามารถใช้ 95เปอร์เซ็นต์น้อยลงประหยัดพลังงานกว่าจากแร่ เนื่องจากขยะเป็น ปัญหาอย่างยิ่ง thorny รีไซเคิลมากขึ้นสามารถลดจากภูเขาเราผลิตขยะ — และลดทางการเงิน และต้นทุนสิ่งแวดล้อมที่เกี่ยวข้องกับ landfills ทั้งหมดซึ่งการdumped ขยะ และ เผา หรือ เขียน ของขยะ ขยะไม่เพียงหายไปหลังจากที่มันถูกลากเก็บ มันมักจะไปเป็น landfills — ซึ่งมีจำนวนมากสร้างปัญหามลภาวะเป็นพิษและต้นทุนการล้างข้อมูลมหาศาลปัจจุบัน 61 เปอร์เซ็นต์ของเสียเทศบาลไปเป็น landfills ในพื้นที่ประชากรสูงที่สร้างขยะมากที่สุด การเรือก landfills จะไม่สามารถใช้งานอื่น ๆ สำหรับการนานเนื่องจากบางรายการขยะทำลายลงง่าย ๆ ตัวอย่าง ภายใต้เงื่อนไขบางอย่าง หนังสือพิมพ์อาจไม่ทำลายลงสี่สิบปี ยัง เนื่องจากพลาสติกมากมายแก้ว และวัสดุสังเคราะห์อาจใช้ศตวรรษเปื่อยที่ดินที่ใช้สำหรับ landfills อาจไม่ถูกส่งกลับไปเดิมstate. When landfills close, they must be monitored for years.Therefore, landfills are expensive.Landfills are also not safe. Although landfills are linedwith clay, plastic, or other materials to keep leachate (water contaminated by garbage) from leaking into the water supply,many, if not all, landfills develop leaks, requiring expensivecleanup operation. A study by researchers at Texas A & MUniversity has found that leachate from municipal landfillscontains toxic chemicals as harmful as those from industrialwaste landfills. Clearly landfills operate at huge cost—to theeconomy and to the earth. Recycling could reduce the air and water pollutionassociated with another traditional method of garbagedisposal—incineration. In 2001, about seven percent of thegarbage in the United States was incinerated. At first thought,incinerators might seem to be a more environmentally friendlyoption than landfills. However, incinerators produce at least210 different organic chemicals which are either released intothe air or remain in the ash, which is then dumped in landfills.One of the most toxic of the chemicals is dioxin, present in thesmoke of the incinerated garbage and in the leachate fromlandfills that contain incinerator ash. Other toxic byproducts ofgarbage incineration include mercury and lead, both hazardous contaminants, and particulate matter that can lodgepermanently in a person’s lungs. Clearly, then, incineration ofour garbage is also very costly—not only to the environmentbut to our health.People often object to recycling by saying that that itcosts too much. Brenda Platt of the Institute for Local SelfReliancesays, “Studies have concluded that recycling costsless than traditional trash collection and disposal whencommunities achieve high levels of recycling." Therefore,people should understand that recycling actually saves moneyby reducing waste and by eliminating the costs that go alongwith solid-waste disposal and landfill cleanup.Recycling actually benefits the economy. Approximately56,000 United States companies are involved in therecycling/reuse industry. In 2001, these companies convertedmillions of tons of recyclables into products worth at least $236billion, creating new jobs and employing over 1.1 millionpeople in the process. Because of its success, the recycling/reuse industry seems likely to continue booming.Moreover, the broader impact of the recycling/reuse industryhas produced 1.4 million jobs with $173 billion added to theeconomy.Others object to recycling because they believe thatcertain resources are being resupplied. For example, somebelieve that paper does not need to be recycled because moretrees are being planted to fill our need for paper than are beingcut. However, this argument fails to take into account that thehigh rate of cutting and replanting is turning natural forests intotree plantations. This problem is especially severe in the South,where the acreage of pine tree plantations will soon be greaterthan the area of remaining natural pine forests. Tree plantationsprovide poorer animal habitat and less biodiversity than naturalforests.Another objection to recycling is that it takes too muchpersonal time and trouble. Many cities, however have curbsiderecycling programs that make it easy to do the right thing for the Earth. In 2001, there were 9,709 curbside recyclingprograms in the United States, serving approximately 50percent of the population. By keeping separate bins forrecyclables, a person may sort garbage before throwing itaway. Then, setting the bins out by the curb for pick up is easy.Even many apartment buildings now have recycling facilities.As recycling becomes a regular part of life in the United States,reasons not to recycle will become just excuses. Perhaps theexcuses not to recycle will even vanish.We all can think of recycling as everyone’s opportunity.Recycling materials can begin on a personal level with verysimple things. For example, yard and kitchen waste make upabout 10 percent of garbage in the United States. Compostingweeds, grass trimmings, dead leaves, and kitchen scraps(excluding meat scraps) instead of sending them to the landfillis easy. For those that live in an apartment, vermicomposting—using earthworms to help recycle kitchen wastes—is anacceptable option. For those who have room for a compost pile
or bin, adding water and air will create compost that then can be reused as fertilizers for lawns, gardens, or
houseplants. Wearable clothing and household items are some
of the easiest products to recycle to thrift stores. Thrift stores
then offer these items at a good value. Some shoppers find
unusual and one-of-a-kind items that have been recycled,
giving rise to the old saying, “One person’s trash is another
person’s treasure!”
All the economic and environmental reasons to recycle
are compelling, but an equally strong argument for recycling is
based on a respect for the Earth and for all forms of life. Our
ancestors wasted nothing if possible. Because they struggled
for survival, they took nothing for granted, but valued animals,
tools, and food sources as something precious. In this same
spirit President Theodore Roosevelt said in a 1907 speech to
Congress, “To waste, to destroy, our natural resources, to skin
and exhaust the land instead of using it so as to increase its
usefulness, will result in undermining in the days of our
children the very prosperity which we ought by right to hand
down to them amplified and developed.” During World War II, recycling was a sign of intense patriotism for the efforts of
those fighting for freedom overseas. Today, many of us do not
struggle as our ancestors did, but their heritage of recycling and
respect for the Earth is still valuable. When we waste
resources, we express an attitude of disrespect for the Earth.
When we throw away useable items, we express disrespect for
the thousands of people who lack them. By showing respect for
our planet and all those who share it, we create a special
environment that fosters health, growth, and happiness of all
people.
Much of what is thrown away now can be recycled.
Anyone who loves the earth can help make it a better place by
recycling. Garbage makes our shared home, this planet, less
livable for the people of today and for the children of
tomorrow. People have caused this garbage crisis, and only
people can solve it. Do you care enough to do your part by
recycling?
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