Environmental Issues

Recycling has become one of the most successful procedures that are widely used in environmental protection and conservation. An increased number of individuals, companies, and organizations are getting more involved in the process of recycling waste materials in a number of ways. The importance of saving the environment has been realized and people are now trying their level best to utilize items that they one time regarded as wastes in an alternative manner. The recyclable products such as metal, paper, glass and plastics are collected and taken to facilities that can recycle them to finished products that can be used in alternative ways.

Recycling of waste materials can help in conserving the resources, which are available for the generations in the future. The effective utilization of the available resources by the current generation through reusing and changing those used to newer products can save the overexploitation of natural resources (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency). For manufacturing industries to produce finished products there must be a supply of raw materials. Taking an example of timber, which is used in making paper products such as printed books and journals and newspapers, it would be wiser to reuse the already used paper products in order to conserve our forest reserves.

The companies that deal with the manufacturing of toilet papers, for instance, should not rely solely on harvesting trees for their production. They should reuse used papers to make the toilet paper. This will conserve the resources that would otherwise become limited with time. The problem of deforestation is largely a concern as cause of desertification, and to a larger extent, global warming (Bainbridge). Should man live in deserts where food and water are hard to come by The people who oppose recycling should have a second thought and support recycling processes. Recycling also aids in the prevention of the greenhouse gases into the atmosphere such as carbon dioxide, manufacturing of new products in industries often consumes large amounts of energy, which produce toxic greenhouse gases that can be reduced by recycling the old materials (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency).

The greenhouse gases affect the ozone layer leading to its depletion and thus allowing the ultraviolet rays to reach the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide can lead to the depletion of ozone layer which is imperative protecting man from dangerous radiations reaching the body. The U.V radiations can alter the genetic material, the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and change the way genes and proteins are synthesized in humans (Hershkowitz 10) This has a consequence on the general health of humans since it is the genes and proteins that regulate various structures and functions in humans. This is reason enough to support recycling interventions to avoid dangers of diseases such as skin cancers, which have a great impact on human health and national economy.

Recycling is beneficial to the industries as it provides raw materials for manufacturing some of their products. Some of the end products are also raw materials for various products in many industries this is like a double advantage as it saves the cost of obtaining raw materials from the natural resources (Bainbridge). The only cost that can be incurred by the industries is the investments in labor, assembling, and transport. On the part of the government, this means that there are increased employment opportunities to the non-employed population. It has been proven that recycling is important in the conservation of the environment. Instead of dumping the wastes to accumulate and prove as health hazards to the society, utilizing them into useful purposes will save the situation (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency). It is a healthy solution that reduces pollution and promotes health standards. It is also eco-friendly and keeps an environment that is always green. An example is e-recycling of computers which has greatly helped developing countries protect their environment.

Toxic chemicals such as mercuric compounds from used computers can cause health related complications. The recycling of papers and plastic bottles, which are carelessly dumped in rivers can help protect aquatic life which plays an important role in human food chain (Hershkowitz 14). This shows how recycling is important. Without the aquatic life, man will not get sufficient food to eat and the problem of food insecurity will still remain to be a bother incase we do not embrace the culture of recycling. Apart from addressing the issues of food insecurity, recycling plastic bottles dumped in rivers can ensure that there is clean water for domestic use (Bainbridge). Recycling therefore goes beyond environmental conservation to address matters of healthy living and making food and water safe and available for humans.

In the world that we are living in, there is a large population that produces large amounts of wastes. This will lead to large landmasses that are filled with garbage and wastes. In order to prevent the garbage and also conserve energy, recycling is essential. For example, to recycle a glass it saves some energy that is capable of running a personal computer for some time. Recycling of plastic bottle may save some energy for lighting a bulb for a couple of hours (Bainbridge). These are examples that show that energy conservation can be utilized for better purposes. The natural environment can be saved by recycling some of the products that utilize a large amount of raw materials like the paper industry. By using the recycled paper to make new papers will reduce cutting of many trees and hence conserving this natural resource (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency). This also enhances saving of the landfill space and hence reduce air and water pollution. Trees are important in facilitating rain formation and the purification of water and air that is very essential in the health living. Therefore, conserving the trees is the beginning of investing in a healthy life for the present and the future generation.

Recycling helps in the creation of a strong economy. The cost reduction, energy efficiency, job creation as well as raw material conservation helps in building the sectors of the government that are essential for its growth (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency). There are many other associated benefits that arise as a result of recycling to the government and its citizens. The government will be able to save huge amounts of electricity and also there will be garbage reduction and also reduction in the landfilling costs. All these are basic concepts in a government that aims at development. Recycling can help in building and bringing about harmony in the community. In different communities people can work together in the recycling initiatives, the environmental conservation groups, and the free recycling groups (Hershkowitz 19). By being concerned with the environmental issues, people are able to integrate and work together in unity hence improving good communication between the parties and hence promote development in these communities. People can earn money through involving themselves in recycling activities. In case of metal and plastic recycling, people collecting these materials are being paid back for their duties (Bainbridge). This can provide a way of providing a living for these individuals. Also recycling can reduce the need for investing in a lot of mining activities of these resources that are otherwise scarce. Dangerous deep mining can be reduced that cause threats to the lives of the mining workers. For example averages of forty workers in the deep mining jobs are being killed every day. This is a life threatening situation.

In conclusion, recycling is essential to every country that aims at developing to higher levels. In order to protect Mother Nature, we must engage ourselves in recycling wastes. For industries that need to save costs and improve in their production, recycling is necessary. For healthy living and cooperation in the society, conservation of the environment is the key concept (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency). Finally, for better utilization of the scarce resources that may otherwise undergo depletion in the future, recycling of the available waste materials will control their usage and hence make these materials available now and in the future.