Southern Maryland is home to many caring citizens, and their representatives. We are surrounded by precious environmental resources, such as our waters. Yet we are falling behind in the effort to recycle and preserve natural resources.

 

Why is it that other areas in the state encourage recycling with programs that pick up cardboard and paper, plastics and glass, in a convenient manner along with trash pick-up?

 

Yet we do not – at least not consistently. I understand parts of Charles have such a program, but to my knowledge it is a lamentable and striking void in waste services in St. Mary’s County.

 Why should we care?

 

1. Recycling Saves Natural Resources – By making products from recycled materials instead of virgin materials, we conserve land and reduce the need to drill for oil, dig for minerals, and cut down trees. One of the first environmental lessons many children learn, cannot be overstated. Half the Earth’s forests are gone, and up to 95 percent of the original forest area in the U.S. has been cut down.

 

2. Recycling Saves Energy – It usually takes less energy to make recycled products; recycled aluminum, for example, takes 95 percent less energy than new aluminum from bauxite ore. Using recycled materials not only cuts down on the energy used in the manufacturing process, it dramatically reduces emissions of greenhouse gases and other air pollutants. For example, recycling one ton of glass results in energy savings of more than 300% and lowers carbon dioxide emissions by 3.46 tons.

 

3. Recycling Saves Clean Air and Water – In most cases, making products from recycled materials creates less air pollution and water pollution than making products from virgin materials. Turning trees into paper uses more water than any other industrial process in the U.S.

 

4. Recycling Saves Landfill Space – When the materials that you recycle go into new products, they don’t go into landfills or incinerators, so landfill space is conserved.

 

5. Recycling Saves Money and Creates Jobs – The recycling process creates far more jobs than landfills or incinerators, and recycling can frequently be the least expensive waste management method for cities and towns.

 

After spending some time in Hyattsville, I was astounded by the curb-side recycling they are committed to. Are we so far behind counties like PG in caring for our community and its resources?

 

Southern Maryland can do much better.

 

There are many that already recycle by driving to nearby sites. Many more would if it was made easier for them to build it in