Global warming contributes to many current environmental crises, including melting ice caps, rising sea levels, and an increasing number of animal species who are losing their natural habitats. While global warming can be linked to many different causes, the accumulation of trash is a prominent one. This is why taking your unwanted items to a recycling center can make a difference. Here are three ways to fight global warming through recycling.

3 Ways Recycling Can Help the Environment

1. Resource Savings

Reusing materials means fewer resources will be used to create new ones. Recycling paper and cardboard, for example, helps reduce the number of trees cut down to produce them. Data shows that recycling 2,000 pounds of paper can save up to 17 trees. Recycling aluminum cans has a similarly beneficial effect. When aluminum is reused, less of this metal has to be mined to produce aluminum products. Recycling materials such as paper and aluminum is a small step that makes a significant contribution to the environment.

2. Greenhouse Gases Reduction

Greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide trap the sun's warmth in the atmosphere. This is often referred to as the greenhouse effect. By taking your trash to the recycling center, you help reduce the production of new materials. This process, in turn, helps decrease energy consumed and greenhouse gases emitted during production.  

3. Less Waste in Landfills

Taking your trash to the recycling center helps ensure that less waste ends up in landfills. When waste in landfills breaks down, it emits carbon dioxide, contributing to the greenhouse effect. Minimizing trash in landfills helps decrease the emission of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

If you’re looking for a recycling center in Central Virginia, Green Earth in Harrisonburg, VA, is your most eco-friendly, efficient, and cost-effective option. Serving clients in areas around Shenandoah Valley, including Luray, Staunton, and Waynesboro, they accept a wide range of materials and have extensive experience in plastic recycling, concrete recycling, and other related services. Call (540) 801-8668 or inquire via their website.