Recycling Essay, Research Paper

1) Everyone seems to want finding ways in which they can help the

environment. One of the most popular trends is the quest to recycle

everything, so that we will not deplete our natural resources and

eventually wind up with nothing. The dictionary defines recycling as

“The act of processing used or abandoned materials for use in creating

new products.” Recycling simply means to take old material and use it to

make new material. In today’s world, a lot of cities and towns are

forming some type of recycling programs to provide opportunities for

people to protect the environment. Recycling has some important

advantages, but beside these advantages it also has some downside

points. One of the advantages of recycling is that, it does help us to

keep garbage out of our disposals and incinerators. There are 41 states

that have official goals ranging from recycling 25% of all their garbage

to Rhode Island’s goal of recycling 70% of their total waste. This

method pose environmental hazards that are non-beneficial to any

community. Another advantage is that, new products can be made out of

old products. This method mostly cuts down on water and air pollution,

which is very beneficial to both the environment and the community.

Recycling uses less energy and less cost than making products out of raw

material that has never been used before. By using this process the

production cost is decreased and it results a decrease in the final cost

of the product. Recycling also has a downside. Recycling can e a very

costly project for some communities to afford. A lot of materials are

too expensive for a town to recycle and it is hard for that community to

recover the costs quickly. The initial investment of recycling costs a

lot. In addition to the regular garbage pick up the town provides, new

trucks, employees and other expenses will have to be provided for the

recycling cycle. This is an added expense to the town’s budget. If that

town doesn’t have enough income coming in, then recycling wouldn’t be

successful there. The other downside point of recycling is that,

2) The earth and many of its contents, thanks in large part to humans, is

deteriorating and it has been for quite a time now. It is overwhelmingly

populated with both ignorant and lazy people. In effect, not much is

being done to prevent this deterioration. For instance, we are killing

off vital animal populations every day. We have caused the extinction or

endangerment of numerous species for absolutely no reason other than

selfishness. An example is the poaching of elephants. We are killing

these animals only for our own wealth. We take their ivory and leave

them behind to die. As a result, they are on the verge of extinction.

Also, pollution caused by humans and their inventions cause a major

dilemma. Automobile exhaust fumes and factory pollutants are only a

couple of the impurities causing damaging affects to the ozone layer and

atmosphere. We depend on the ozone to defend us from harmful UV rays.

Finally, we have a major impact on the degeneration of natural

resources. Millions of gallons of oil, coal, and other valuable

resources are wasted each day. These are just a few of the human

disruptions to nature available to our knowledge. We are conscious of

many more, and there are

probably others that we are not aware of. If we do not start taking

them seriously soon it will be too late, if it is not already. We need

to

reevaluate our priorities and plan for the future existence of this

world.

A group labeled the Earth-Firsters’ often attempt to accomplish this

task through drastic and sometimes dangerous methods. As Joni Seager

states ( The Eco-FringeDeep Ecology, Pg. 636), “In Australia,

Earth-First protesters buried themselves up to their necks in the sand

in the middle of logging roads to stop lumbering operations; in the

American Southwest, Earth Firsters handcuffed themselves to trees and

bulldozers to prevent logging; and in California, they dressed in

dolphin and mermaid costumes to picket the stockholders’ meeting of a

tuna-fishing company.” The Earth-Firsters’ tactics are not the only

drastic only measures they practice. Their ideas seem to be quite

extreme as well. For example, they believe the population of the world

is entirely too high, by as much as ninety percent, causing too much

“wear and tear” to the earth. To resolve this issue, some say we should

cease all study toward the curing of disease. Others said we should stop

aid to the poor, sick, and homeless. They ration in Africa that the

sickness is a natural occurrence. Also, some of the Earth-Firsters’

believe in order to conserve land and nature, people

should be banned from a large portion of the earth. These are only a few

examples of the many bold philosophies of the Earth-Firster society.

The Earth-Firsters’ have some good propositions, but most of them are

not practicable. We need to set standards and ideals that can

realistically be accomplished. It is not possible to change the world in

one day. Instead of killing ninety percent of the population, we might

control the number of offspring allowed to each individual. This

approach would more likely be sustained. In order to conserve the earth,

we should section off small portions all over the globe, as opposed to

completely zoning off one giant segment. This would provide a habitat

suitable for wildlife in any conditions.

Earth-Firsters’ lay equal blame on everyone, no matter their position,

views, or actions. Obviously, some people are more viable than others

when it comes to preserving the environment. The president of a logging

business is achieving much more harm than the average worker. Businesses

need more regulations. Most businesses act upon deals that are only

going to profit themselves. As a result, many products on the market

today are harmful to the environment. Finally, politicians have to get

into the picture. We need

honest leaders who are aware of what is going on and who truthfully

want to help the people.

Obviously, it is past time for the world to change in its

habits. This essay could go on for pages resolving solutions to make

these alterations. Nevertheless, each solution would be composed of the

same principleCompromise! It is impossible to force everyone to quit

their jobs and become “Earth-Firsters.” The world, as a whole, needs to

come together and form a lawful, yet realistic plan. By doing this we

will know what we are aiming for and society will understand the

damaging effects we are having on our planet