Recycling programs in our country have grown by leaps and bounds since the first Earth Day back in 1970. More than three decades later, 21st century technology allows communities to recycle more materials than ever before. There’s no debate that recycling is an ecologically sound solution for the environment because, more often than not, less energy is spent recycling an item than creating it from virgin materials, not to mention preserving natural resources.
But as we celebrate Earth Day 2015, Americans need to understand that as communities want to continue to expand their recycling programs, which is an extremely viable option for our environment, there’s an economic investment that needs to be addressed. There are cities across the country that have already adopted new economic models to keep up with the demand for recycling. And it’s a trend that is likely to continue.