I care about this issue considering that, in the past 4 years alone, I have lived in two places that didn’t have any recycling programs and I only moved one time. I currently live in an area with no recycling program. Places like Salt Lake City and West Valley have recycling programs, and that is acceptable, but it is imperative that recycling programs expand to more of Utah.
This issue affects everyone of all ages in Utah in that it helps decrease the amount of garbage is produced, helps people feel involved in their community, and decreases the amount of trees that are destroyed.
First, recycling is important due to the fact that it is preferred for the environment than regular garbage systems and landfills. According to an article by Michael E. Kraft, “The US Remains the Most Wasteful Nation on Earth” (Kraft). The United States produces “twice as much waste per capita as Western European nations” (Kraft). In 2013, the amount of municipal waste produced annually had a horrific total of 254 million tons, which is 4.4 pounds per person per day (Kraft). Recycling could help us decrease those numbers, thereby helping our planet. …show more content…
If more recycling programs are available in Utah, more people can decrease the amount of waste that is put into landfills, which is of utmost importance.
Finally, Recycling will help save trees. 2000 pounds of recycled paper could save "17 trees, over 350 gallons of oil, and [a large amount] of landfill space"